The Final Four are coming to Oregon.
The NCAA on Monday named Portland to host the 2030 NCAA Women’s Final Four, bringing one of the college basketball marquee events to the state for the first time.
“It is safe to say that we are thrilled. This is a huge win for our community and our bidding partners.” Jim EtzelCEO sports oregon, said in the release. “This is a testament to the culture and passion of women’s basketball fans in Oregon. I can’t wait to show everyone what we already know.”
The University of Portland will serve as the host institution for the event, and its arrival in Portland is a testament to years of hard work and tenacity by Etzel and Sports Oregon, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic growth through sports. It’s a culmination. Portland has hosted four early-round NCAA Tournament games since his 2009, making him a finalist to host the Final Four for years. Most recently, in 2020 he made his 2025 and his 2026 bids.
These bids come less than a year after Portland hosted one of the most successful women’s basketball regions in NCAA history. The event drew record crowds, including 11,538 for the finals between the Oregon Ducks and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The atmosphere of the final was so evocative that former Ducks star Sabrina Ionescu later said she felt her floor shake during the match.
That momentum only increases with the Final Four, which decides the national champion each year.
Sport Oregon spearheaded the bidding process, but it was a collaborative effort that also included Travel Portland, the University of Portland and the Rose Quarter/Portland Trail Blazers.
“It is a great honor to host the institution in this successful bid to bring the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Final Four to Portland,” Scott Lacombe, UP’s Vice President of Athletics, said in a release. rice field. “The University of Portland is home to a women’s athletic program that has been at the forefront of the growth of women’s sport in our great city and state, and this is a great way for us to continue that legacy. .”
The bidding process has been going on for months. In June, Portland was named one of her seven host finalists after Columbus, Ohio, Dallas, Indianapolis, Sacramento, San Antonio, and Tampa, Florida. An NCAA representative and members of the commission’s Women’s Basketball Commission visited Portland in September, after which a city representative made her final presentation to the NCAA in Dallas last week.
In addition to Portland, Columbus (2027), Indianapolis (2028), San Antonio (2029) and Dallas (2031) won the Final Four bids.
For Portland, this is not only a win for local organizers, but a boon for the local economy and tourism industry. The event draws thousands of people, with an estimated 11,000 among NCAA teams, officials, organizers, tourists and those attending the annual WBCA Coaches Convention at the Oregon Conventional Center that same weekend. Room hotel rooms are used. The event is expected to generate seven figures for the local economy.
“We’ve put in a lot of effort to get to where we are today, and it certainly feels great,” Etzel said. “But the task ahead of us is even more important. Our bidding partners are aligned, our community is hungry, and Portland is ready to host the Women’s Final Four. ”
— Joe Freeman | | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @blazer freeman | | Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive Newsletter When podcast For the latest news and top stories
