C-USA Men’s Basketball Championship to be Held at BOK Center in 2010
SPORTS LEADERS In attendance at the C-USA announcement are, from left: Tulsa City Councilor Jason Gomez, University of Tulsa Head Basketball Coach Doug Wojcik, C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky, TU Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, Tulsa Drillers General Manager Mike Melega and Tulsa Sports Commission Executive Director Mike Dodson. C-USA will hold their 2010 Men’s Basketball Championship at the BOK Center.
GTR Newspapers photo
The 2010 C-USA Men’s Basketball Championship will be held in Tulsa at the BOK Center March 10-13, 2010.
The first major sports championship event to be held at the BOK Center is expected to draw strong crowds from across the region.
“We are very proud that C-USA has chosen the BOK Center in 2010. Securing this agreement early shows that our state-of-the-art arena will be the region’s leading sports venue, and that we will book other exciting national-scale athletic tournaments,” says Mayor Kathy Taylor.
Games will be played in both afternoon and evening sessions. A total of six sessions will be featured through the week of the tournament, which begins Wednesday and culminates Saturday with the championship game. Saturday’s championship game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports.
”Conference USA will add a significant sports brand to the event calendar at the BOK Center,” says John Bolton, general manager, BOK Center. “This college basketball championship will deliver excitement and a fun atmosphere for all fans and showcase the venue and Tulsa in a positive light with a national television broadcast being involved.”
The Tulsa Sports Commission bid for this championship event in January 2007 and was awarded the rights to host on June 3 this year by the conference’s board of directors.
“The University of Tulsa and the BOK Center will be excellent hosts for the 2010 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Championship. Tulsa has already been an outstanding host for a number of Conference USA events, including the 2006 Men’s Soccer Championship and 2007 Women’s Basketball and Women’s Tennis Championships. Add in the beautiful new BOK Center and the tremendous community support, and the combination creates a perfect venue for one of our premier events,” says Britton Banowsky, commissioner, Conference USA.
The multi-day tournament should infuse a significant economic impact into the Tulsa-area community, including hotel room nights, recreation, dining and entertainment.
“The Conference USA Men’s Basketball Championship will provide the Tulsa region with an estimated $4 million economic impact,” says Mike Dodson, executive director, Tulsa Sports Commission. “The continued effort of attracting and acquiring amateur sporting events to the city is a tremendous undertaking and relies on community support for continued success. This event ultimately elevates Tulsa’s status nationally as a major player in the sports event industry.”
Tickets will go on sale Nov. 17 and may be purchased at the BOK Center ticket office or by visiting www.bokcenter.com. All Session tickets will include a ticket to each session for a total of 11 games.
All Session ticket prices will start at $75 for upper bowl locations and cost $300 for premium seating in the lower bowl. Ticket packages will also be offered and include family and group options.
Sponsorship and VIP ticket packages will be marketed by the Tulsa Sports Commission and will include hospitality, parking, advertising, recognition and other amenities. Specific package elements and costs will be announced at a future date. A Membership Program will also be announced in the future providing ticket buyers with priority seating options and other benefits.
Fans may register their contact information at C-USA@tulsasports.org to receive ticket and ordering information in the future.
The sports commission was formed in 1993 for the purpose of creating and attracting amateur sports championships, events and meetings for economic impact and an enhanced quality of life in the region. The commission is a 501©(3) non-profit corporation. More information is available at www.tulsasports.org.
Updated 07-29-2008
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