NCAA Women's Tournament in OKC this weekend
OKCBiz > Oklahoma City prepares to host regional basketball tournament
Oklahoma City prepares to host regional basketball tournament
Stefanie Brickman
3.26.2009
Oklahoma City’s Ford Center will host the third and fourth rounds of the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball championships Sunday and Tuesday.
According to Tim Brassfield, Oklahoma City All-Sports Association executive director, the Oklahoma City site has sold twice as many tickets as the other three venues hosting regional tournaments this weekend. So far, 9,000 tickets have been presold for the 18,000-seat arena.
The other regional sites include Raleigh, N.C.; Trenton, N.J. and Berkeley, Calif.
The University of Oklahoma women’s basketball team will play in the regional along with the University of Pittsburgh, Purdue University and Rutgers University. Each university received a 500-ticket allotment with the nearest school, Purdue (located in Indiana), selling all of its seats.
“We expect 15,000-16,000 to attend,” Brassfield said. “This is somewhat of a walk-up event. The weather (forecast) could affect presales.”
Last year, Oklahoma City also hosted a regional tournament and sold more than the other venues even without the Oklahoma Sooners playing in the event. Eventual national champion, University of Tennessee, played here.
The Oklahoma All-Sports Association hosted the Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments two weeks ago.
“We knew it was coming,” Brassfield said. “We are glad there were two weeks in between the back-to-back events. We’re ready for it.”
Brassfield said that the Oklahoma City Visitors and Convention Bureau has been “crucial” in helping present the events.
Rutgers will face Purdue before Oklahoma plays Pittsburgh Sunday. Winners of those games will advance to the regional finals Tuesday.
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