There’s no stage in women’s basketball quite like the NCAA Final Four. Columbus first hosted the event in 2018 and is gearing up to host it again in 2027. There are still 730 days until the 2027 Final Four kicks off at Nationwide Arena, but it’s never too early to start looking at why Columbus is set to host and how to get involved.
Looking Back
After first submitting a bid in 2008 to host the tournament, Columbus earned the right to 10 years later in 2018. More than 39,000 people flocked to Nationwide Arena to see Notre Dame, UConn, Louisville and Mississippi State face off in three sell-out games that led to Notre Dame being crowned the champion. More than 80% of the Final Four’s attendees were from out of state, and for 60% of them, it was their first time visiting Columbus. It was a great opportunity for the city to showcase what it has to offer, especially for women’s sports.
Not only did Columbus witness jaw dropping moments during 2018’s Women’s Final Four, but it also made history. Columbus was the first city to literally roll out the red carpet for the tournament's student-athletes on Championship Sunday, the first to host a Sports Events and Tourism Women's Summit, and the first to earn the “Evergreen” certification from the Council for Responsible Sport. It was a special experience for the student-athletes as well as the fans.
This Year
Columbus still made an impact in this year's Women’s NCAA Tournament by hosting the first and second rounds of the tournament for the third year in a row. Ohio State started off strong with a win over Montana State but fell to Tennessee in the second round.
The Buckeyes finished fourth in the Big 10 this season and tied with USC for the best home record. The Buckeyes averaged 6,333 fans per game, and without the support of fans in Columbus, they may not have been able to go 16-1 in the Schottenstein Center. For the third year in a row, Columbus packed the Schott with over 100,000 fans and proved that the city shows up for women’s sports.
While Ohio State won’t be playing in the Final Four this year, there is still plenty of exciting talent to watch as UCLA, Texas, UConn and South Carolina competing for the Title. UConn is the only No. 2 seed left in the tournament and is set to face No. 1 UCLA on April 4th at 9 p.m. South Carolina is making its fifth Final Four appearance in a row and looking to defend its championship title. It will play against Texas for a spot in the final on April 4th at 7 p.m.
Looking Forward
Women’s basketball continues to grow in popularity every year, and there is no telling where the sport will have evolved by 2027. In 2024, the NCAA Women’s National Championship garnered almost 19 million viewers, around four million more than the Men’s National Championship. Due to the success of women’s basketball over the past few years, more games are on national networks and more people are watching. Fox broadcasted 18 women’s college basketball games this past year, five of which were in primetime.
Even though it is still two years away, Columbus is gearing up to make 2027’s Final Four the best one yet. If you want to be a part of the biggest annual event in women's sports, head here to stay in the loop on tickets, volunteer opportunities and more. Don’t miss out when some of the biggest names in women’s collegiate sports make their way to Columbus!
