National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA News Archive - 2010

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Jan 4, 2010 8:59:02 AM

The MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, will host the 2012-14 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference basketball championships.

The unanimous vote by conference presidents came at the end of an 18-month search for a site. It is the first time the event will take place at a neutral site, a move Commissioner Richard Ensor said is the "next step in its evolution."

"In Springfield, the MAAC membership can grow the championship in an environment that favors no single program because of location and presents its fans the opportunity to enjoy the Basketball Hall of Fame and the amenities of the Pioneer Valley," Ensor said.

Coaches and administrators had asked the league to consider playing the tournaments at a neutral site to avoid the appearance of advantaging host schools.

"Springfield was my individual preference for a neutral site, as it is the perfect market for the event as the league moves from a home-school arena," Ensor said "It has a proven track record in hosting neutral-site events, an established local organizing committee with strong corporate tie-ins to the community, and the valuable asset of the Basketball Hall of Fame, which is offering the MAAC use of its facilities for the championships and a permanent exhibit on MAAC basketball for the duration of the hosting agreement."

The MassMutual Center is an 8,000-seat arena, home to the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League and the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League. It will also serve as the host of the 2010 and 2011 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Regional competitions.

The 2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Basketball Championships will take place at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York. The Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Connecticut will host the 2011 championships.