Spike Lee was in the building. Brad Stevens, too. It was quite an NCAA Tournament weekend in Providence, one that we’re still recounting a couple of days after a pair of teams advanced from the Amica Mutual Pavilion to the Sweet 16. Matt Painter’s quiet excellence at Purdue , Will Wade’s brash exit at McNeese, John Calipari’s instant redemption story at Arkansas and Rick Pitino’s curious conclusion with St. John’s in this 2024-25 season all took center stage. The Boilermakers and Razorbacks were the survivors after a full Thursday and Saturday afternoon of March Madness. St. John's is predictably running away from Omaha to wrap the day here. Gotta say: The Dunk is a great venue for a first weekend of the NCAAT. It's smaller than an NBA arena, but still big enough. Doesn't feel sterile. Really good room. Should get hosting duties every 4-5 years. Take a second to appreciate how well Providence showed under the national spotlight. Matt Norlander from CBS Sports and Sam Vecenie from The Athletic were two media members who noted the atmosphere and intensity of the crowds. It was the 12th time games have been played here — a span of more than 50 years from the Providence Civic Center’s opening in 1972 — and it still carried the magic of the first. Tickets on the secondary market were the most expensive in the country. The demand created by headlining coaches and massive athletic brands was a perfect storm of sorts. You could feel the heat coming through your screen of choice compared to somewhere like Wichita or Raleigh. It’s not like this everywhere. Take it from someone who’s traveled to Greensboro and Cleveland in two of the last three years to cover the event. Passion, awareness and readiness to host would seem to be a given — that's not always the case. Providence has all three when it comes to college basketball. The communications staff on site — folks from Providence College, the University of Rhode Island, Brown and Johnson & Wales , among others — were ready to go from the start of Wednesday’s media availabilities. They maximized the space available under the concourses and churned out interview transcripts, box scores and game notes in quick time. Okay, after saying yesterday that I was underwhelmed by the first round....
This St. John's-Arkansas game is electric. And it's mostly electric because of the St. John's crowd. This is amazing. Shout out Providence. The surrounding area was primed. Calipari was spotted on Federal Hill enjoying dinner two nights before Arkansas took out Kansas in its opener. Bars and restaurants were busy with patrons from throughout the country, giving the state an economic lift. You won’t always have hotels downtown within walking distance of the venue. Greensboro sequestered travel parties, fanbases and media in suburban office parks — not all that close to the arena or the nightlife. Shuttles cut off early. Rideshares were in short supply. The Friars left town following a loss to Kentucky in 2023, and barely anyone took notice. Cleveland featured a central location, but the downtown area lacked buzz. There are a couple of main streets with bars and restaurants but the accompanying empty storefronts could be counted on more than two hands. Bryant’s supporters and athletic department personnel enjoyed a successful pregame event at a local brewery, but there was little more to celebrate after a loss to Michigan State late Friday night. Last call prior to 10 p.m. or leaving the staff short to serve crowds that were larger than usual just isn’t effective management or evidence of any foresight. It couldn’t have been a secret that one of the nation’s premier sporting events was about to arrive — tournament sites are bid on and announced years in advance. You wouldn’t have found something similar at places like Murphy's, Blake’s or Union Station. Generating support for something like this takes a coordinated, committed effort. Providence currently benefits from a pair of basketball fans in major governmental offices — Gov. Dan McKee and city Mayor Brett Smiley. It’s unlikely they would have missed the significance of being able to showcase a major city to folks either visiting or watching from other parts of the country. It has been nine years since the last time in 2016 — a planned 2021 appearance was canceled when NCAA officials decided to play the entirety of the tournament near its Indianapolis headquarters. COVID-19 is thankfully further in our rearview by the hour, and a few days like what we just experienced reminds us again. Corporate greed could change this in the near future. Larger venues with more suites and greater amenities have already shifted the majority of NCAA games to NBA arenas or expanded structures on campuses. The bottom line too often speaks loudest for the romantics among us. Providence has made its case. It was a convincing argument. Let’s hope the powers that be are swayed enough to sanction a quick return here.
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This St. John's-Arkansas game is electric. And it's mostly electric because of the St. John's crowd. This is amazing. Shout out Providence. The surrounding area was primed. Calipari was spotted on Federal Hill enjoying dinner two nights before Arkansas took out Kansas in its opener. Bars and restaurants were busy with patrons from throughout the country, giving the state an economic lift. You won’t always have hotels downtown within walking distance of the venue. Greensboro sequestered travel parties, fanbases and media in suburban office parks — not all that close to the arena or the nightlife. Shuttles cut off early. Rideshares were in short supply. The Friars left town following a loss to Kentucky in 2023, and barely anyone took notice. Cleveland featured a central location, but the downtown area lacked buzz. There are a couple of main streets with bars and restaurants but the accompanying empty storefronts could be counted on more than two hands. Bryant’s supporters and athletic department personnel enjoyed a successful pregame event at a local brewery, but there was little more to celebrate after a loss to Michigan State late Friday night. Last call prior to 10 p.m. or leaving the staff short to serve crowds that were larger than usual just isn’t effective management or evidence of any foresight. It couldn’t have been a secret that one of the nation’s premier sporting events was about to arrive — tournament sites are bid on and announced years in advance. You wouldn’t have found something similar at places like Murphy's, Blake’s or Union Station. Generating support for something like this takes a coordinated, committed effort. Providence currently benefits from a pair of basketball fans in major governmental offices — Gov. Dan McKee and city Mayor Brett Smiley. It’s unlikely they would have missed the significance of being able to showcase a major city to folks either visiting or watching from other parts of the country. It has been nine years since the last time in 2016 — a planned 2021 appearance was canceled when NCAA officials decided to play the entirety of the tournament near its Indianapolis headquarters. COVID-19 is thankfully further in our rearview by the hour, and a few days like what we just experienced reminds us again. Corporate greed could change this in the near future. Larger venues with more suites and greater amenities have already shifted the majority of NCAA games to NBA arenas or expanded structures on campuses. The bottom line too often speaks loudest for the romantics among us. Providence has made its case. It was a convincing argument. Let’s hope the powers that be are swayed enough to sanction a quick return here.
