San Antonio is well known for its frequent hosting of the NCAA Final Four. It all began in 1998, when the Alamodome hosted its first Men’s Final Four. Fans and players from Kentucky, North Carolina, Stanford and Utah converged on the Dome for three games of playoff basketball.
Kentucky and Stanford clashed first in an overtime thriller that left the Wildcats heading to the national championship. Utah upset top-ranked North Carolina in the following game, something that may come as a shock to basketball fans seeing Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison’s names on the Tar Heels’ roster. In the championship game, Kentucky rolled, dominating the Utes in the second half by almost 20 points and winning their second title in three seasons in the process.
The event was a standout success. In the midst of the San Antonio Sports Foundation’s quest to make the Alamo City a sporting destination, the 1998 Final Four was just what it needed. More than 40,000 fans attended the three games, and the total economic impact came to an estimated $45.7 million. It was clear the city’s charm had worked on the NCAA, as later that summer, the NCAA announced the return of the men’s Final Four to San Antonio in 2004
The success of the 1998 Final Four and enthusiastic feedback from coaches, athletes and fans helped the NCAA realize there was no better place than San Antonio to host tournaments and events. Since then, the city has hosted seven men’s and women’s Final Fours, as well as many regional tournament games, NCAA volleyball and soccer championships and the entirety of the 2021 Women’s DI Basketball Championship tournament due to COVID. The Men’s Final Four will return to the Alamodome in 2025 for the fifth time, something only four other cities can claim.