Minneapolis (April 20, 2021) – The Big Ten Conference announced today that the Big Ten Football Championship Game will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis through 2024, and that the 2023 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament – as well as the 2024 Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournaments – will be held at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

"We are thrilled to bring marquee conference events such as the Big Ten Football Championship Game and the Big Ten Basketball Tournaments to world-class cities and venues within the conference footprint,” said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Kevin Warren. “Indianapolis and Minneapolis each have a strong history and tradition of hosting some of the world’s premier events in cities that feature an exceptional base of Big Ten Conference alumni and fans. We look forward to creating new memories and experiences for our student-athletes, coaches, and member institutions, further expanding our fanbase, cultivating relationships with the business community, and fostering a positive and lasting impact on these cities.”

“We are proud to carry the tradition of Big Ten men’s and women’s basketball excellence to Minneapolis,” said Minnesota Sports and Events CEO Wendy Blackshaw. “After this year's sold-out NCAA Women’s Final Four, hosting the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament in 2023, and the Big Ten men’s and women’s tournaments in 2024 will continue to fuel Minnesota’s reputation as a true basketball state. With our terrific partners, especially Target Center and its state-of-the-art venue, we can't wait to welcome more basketball fans to our great state."

The 2023 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament will mark the first time that the event has been held outside of Indianapolis since 2015, when the tournament took place in Hoffman Estates, Ill., outside Chicago. Eight different Big Ten teams have claimed the tournament title including Iowa, which won its fourth crown in 2022. More than 860,000 fans have attended the women’s tournament since 1995.

The Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament has been held in four different cities over the past six seasons, including Washington, D.C. (2017), New York City (2018), Chicago (2019), and Indianapolis (2020-22). The 2024 tournament will mark the fifth different city to host the event since the inaugural tournament in 1998. Seven Big Ten programs have won the tournament since its debut in 1998, including Iowa claiming its third title in 2022. More than 2.3 million fans have attended the event throughout its history. It was previously announced that the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will be held at the United Center in Chicago.

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ABOUT THE BIG TEN
The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The broad-based programs of the 14 Big Ten institutions will provide over $200 million in direct financial support to more than 9,800 students for more than 11,000 participation opportunities on 350 teams in 42 different sports. The Big Ten sponsors 28 official conference sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, including the addition of men’s ice hockey and men’s and women’s lacrosse since 2013.

ABOUT MINNESOTA SPORTS AND EVENTS
Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE) was established in 2020 as an independent permanent 501(c)6 organization. Leaders from the hospitality industry, professional sports teams, the University of Minnesota and corporations recognized the need to create a permanent sports commission that could oversee efforts to attract, and ultimately execute, world-class events that bring significant economic, reputational and social impact to the region. Minnesota Sports and Events has bid on over 30 events since inception and was part of the procurement of the 2022 NHL Winter Classic, the 2022 NCAA Women's Final Four and the 2022 MLS All-Star Game. As a result of MNSE’s efforts, our region has also been named a Finalist City for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Kevin Kurtt, PR and Communications Manager, 612-767-8118, KevinK@minneapolis.org
Kathy McCarthy, PR and Communications Director, 612-767-8048, KathyM@minneapolis.org
Or email MeetMinneapolisPR@Minneapolis.org