MWC Basketball Championships Remain In Vegas

The Mountain West has announced that Las Vegas will continue to serve as the location for its men’s and women’s basketball championships through 2016.

The league’s Board of Directors approved a three-year deal with Las Vegas Events to continue holding the MW Basketball Championships at the Thomas & Mack Center. Including the upcoming 2013 Reese’s Mountain West Basketball Championships, the Thomas & Mack Center has served as the host site for the league’s premier event a total of 11 years (2000-03 and 2007-present).

MW Commissioner Craig Thompson said,

“The Mountain West Basketball Championships are a signature event that highlights our student-athletes, coaches and institutions, Las Vegas is a destination city, and in recent years has become a hotbed for NCAA basketball. Extensive research has proven that MW fans prefer this location over any other, and our partnership with Las Vegas Events and the Thomas & Mack Center enables us to put on a first-class event, filled with the excitement and competitive spirit that defines Mountain West basketball.”

Over its previous 10 years in Las Vegas, the Mountain West Basketball Championships has enjoyed steady growth, with total overall attendance rising from 46,141 at the inaugural event in 2000 to a record-setting figure of 82,787 in 2011. Over the last three years, average attendance at the men’s championship has exceeded 12,000, including sellouts of 18,500 for the 2010 semifinals and 2011 semifinals and championship. During that same span, four women’s sessions have exceeded an average attendance of 5,000.

The Thomas & Mack Center hosts several world-class events each year, including the National Finals Rodeo, as well as concerts and boxing matches. The venue has also played host to the ESPY and MTV Music Awards, and the 2007 NBA All-Star Game.

TMC Executive Director Mike Newcomb said,

“We are extremely happy to announce this extension of the MW Basketball Championships at the Thomas & Mack Center, The Mountain West is and will continue to be a great partner of the facility and we look forward to hosting one of the most exciting college basketball tournaments in the country for years to come.”