In less than a month, Indianapolis will be hosting its ninth Men’s College Basketball National Championship.
According to a study by Unwind Media in 2024, Indianapolis was the city in America most obsessed with March Madness, so it’s easy to see why it is commonly picked as the hosting city.
Between the 11 statewide Division I programs, the many historic venues which have hosted tournament games, and the memorable games played in March, there is no shortage of March excitement across the state.
How It Started
The first Men’s College Basketball National Championship was held in 1939. It didn’t take long after the first tournament for the state of Indiana to get involved.
The following year, Indiana hosted its first March Madness games. The year 1940 may ring a bell to Hoosier fans, as it was the year Indiana University hung one of its five National Championship banners in men’s basketball. That year, IU played Springfield College and Duquesne University in the Eastern Regional semifinals and finals on the campus of Butler University at Butler Fieldhouse, now Hinkle Fieldhouse, before beating the University of Kansas in the national championship in Kansas City.
A lot has changed since that 1940 tournament. The bracket has expanded from eight to 68 teams, qualifying rules have been amended, and powerhouses have wavered. But Indiana as a hosting state has remained a constant.
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The Venues
There have been 12 different venues in Indiana which have hosted March Madness games. The only state with more is Texas with 13.
Those 12 venues cover the entire state, from Evansville to South Bend. The old RCA Dome in downtown Indianapolis leads the way with 60 games hosted between 1987-2006 and ranks sixth all time across the country. The RCA Dome was home to four National Championships, which also ranks sixth across the country.
Lucas Oil Stadium has taken over as the premier hosting venue since the RCA Dome’s demolition in 2008 and has already hosted three National Championships (2010, ‘15, ‘21). With two more scheduled this year and in 2029, it will surpass the RCA Dome.