The Mid-American Conference signs a six-year deal to keep both the men's and the women's basketball tournaments at Quicken Loans Arena.
Kent State celebrates its 2008 MAC Championship at The Q. The league today announced an extention that will keep the men's and women's tournaments in Cleveland through 2017.The Mid-American Conference and Quicken Loans Arena are keeping the MAC Basketball Tournament in Cleveland at least for another six years through 2017. Eight teams for men and eight for women will continue coming to The Q instead of the entire conference field.
The contract extension guarantees the continuation of the conference tournament at the same neutral site since 2000.
The 2011 tournament will be March 9-12. Eight men’s and women’s teams will advance to the quarterfinal rounds (women on March 9; men on March 10) in Cleveland. The format will continue with the semifinals (women and men on March 11) and championship games (women and men on March 12).
“The Mid-American Conference is extremely pleased to extend our partnership with Quicken Loans Arena and the Cleveland Cavaliers for our First Energy Men’s and Women’s Basketball Conference Tournament,” MAC Commissioner John Steinbrecher said in a release. “This partnership provides our student-athletes and our fans the finest basketball facility in the country for our conference basketball tournament.”