SAN MATEO – The West Coast Conference and Boyd Gaming have announced a contract extension that will keep the University Credit Union WCC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas through 2025, continuing a relationship that began in 2009.
The 2023 University Credit Union WCC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament will be held from March 2-7, with the men’s and women’s champion earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
“Our goal is to put on a world-class conference tournament, both in terms of the student-athlete experience and fan engagement,” said WCC Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. “We are excited to extend this valuable partnership with The Orleans and Boyd Gaming that brings together the combination of an outstanding venue with elite basketball. The Orleans and Boyd Gaming have proven to be excellent partners for over a decade.”
“We are honored to continue our fantastic partnership with the West Coast Conference,” said Tyler Baldwin, Executive Director of the Orleans Arena. “Over the past 15 years, the WCC, Orleans Arena and Boyd Gaming have created one of college basketball’s most exciting and intimate tournament experiences, leading the way for Las Vegas' emergence as a tournament destination. We look forward to hosting WCC fans and students for three more years of unforgettable championship basketball at the Orleans Arena.”
The WCC was the first conference to bring a neutral-site tournament to Las Vegas, and the UCU WCC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament has been sold out each year. Every game of the tournament the last three years has been nationally televised. The quarterfinal round through the championship game of the men’s tournament, and the championship game of the women’s tournament is carried on ESPN networks. Viewership continues to grow at a rapid rate, with more than a million households tuning in to the men’s championship game each of the last two years. Viewership for the 2022 women’s championship game grew more than 30 percent from the previous year.
More than just basketball games, the week-long celebration of the West Coast Conference features the induction of a new class into the WCC Hall of Honor, returning at this year’s tournament after a two-year absence due to safety protocols with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WCC men’s basketball is coming off one of the most successful seasons in the history of the Conference in 2021-22 that featured three teams in the NCAA Tournament, which tied a conference best. No. 1 seed Gonzaga advanced to the Round of 16, while Saint Mary's advanced to the second round and San Francisco competed in the national tournament for the first time since 1998. Six WCC teams in total competed in postseason play. In addition, the three NCAA Tournament bids in 2021-22 made the WCC a multi-bid conference in eight of the last 10 NCAA Tournaments in years in which the tournament was played (no tournament in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic).
A strong WCC women's basketball season in 2021-22 featured six teams in postseason play, including regular-season champion BYU and UCU WCC Tournament Champion Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars reached a program-best No. 15 Associated Press ranking last season. The Zags defeated Nebraska in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to host and Final Four participant Louisville. San Diego, Portland and San Francisco competed in the WNIT, while Saint Mary's won the WBI Tournament.
About the West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference was formed in 1952 and has evolved and grown to become a nationally recognized and competitive force in Division I intercollegiate athletics with 15 conference-sponsored sports. The WCC is characterized by the stability of its membership and its unique emphasis on combining excellence in athletics with excellence in academics. For more information, visit WCCsports.com and follow the West Coast Conference on Twitter @WCCsports.
About Orleans Arena
The Orleans Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the nation’s leading multi-purpose sports and entertainment facilities and the 2014 recipient of the Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers. In addition, the Orleans Arena is one of only a handful of arenas in the United States to achieve LEED Gold Certification and is part of the largest company in Nevada to achieve SHARP Certification for commitments to safe venue operations. According to Venues Today magazine, the Orleans Arena, which hosts more than 200 events each year, consistently ranks in the Top 10 for ticket sales in the United States and internationally among venues of similar size. These events include nationally touring concerts, NCAA basketball conference tournaments, family shows, motorsports and other unique events. For more information, call 702-365-7469 or visit www.OrleansArena.com. Stay connected to the Orleans Arena on Facebook and on Twitter. The Orleans Arena is a property of Boyd Gaming. Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) is a leading geographically diversified operator of 28 gaming entertainment properties in 10 states and manager of a tribal casino in northern California. With one of the most experienced leadership teams in the casino industry, Boyd Gaming prides itself on offering its guests an outstanding entertainment experience, delivered with unwavering attention to customer service. For additional Company information and press releases, visit www.boydgaming.com.