ESPN report on NCAA tourney in S.F. stirs buzz

A Tuesday morning ESPN.com report that Sioux Falls is 1 of 2 frontrunners to host the First Four of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2017-18 came as a pleasant surprise to local officials.

Sioux Falls Sports Authority director Wes Hall said that he hasn't had any contact with the NCAA since earlier this month when he sent an email to confirm that the organization had received the local bid package, and to thank the selection committee for the opportunity. A decision isn't expected until November.

"I hope what (ESPN.com reporter Andy Katz) is hearing is what they're saying out there in the NCAA," Hall said. "We'll keep our fingers crossed and let the NCAA know we'll do whatever it takes to get this."

He won't, however, seek an update as the NCAA expressly discourages that.

Sioux Falls bids to host D-I men's tourney games

Dayton, Ohio, is the other city mentioned by Katz as a frontrunner. That city of 141,359 has hosted a record number of Big Dance games, and has been the site of the First Four since its inception in 2011. Last year, the University of Dayton Arena was filled to 94-percent of its capacity (13,435) and the event generated an economic impact of $4.5 million, according to the Dayton Business Journal.

Dayton will host again in 2015, but last summer was rebuffed by the NCAA in an attempt to lock up the Final Four for the long term.

If Sioux Falls were to host, it would do so in the soon-to-open Denny Sanford Premier Center, a $115-million, 12,000 seat venue.

Katz said in a video story that other cities have bid, too, but that "Dayton and Sioux Falls could be the top two choices to land the First Four."

In December, Sioux Falls was selected by the NCAA to host eight Division II championships in men's basketball, women's basketball, volleyball, wrestling and outdoor track and field from 2015-18. Also, the city has hosted the Summit League men's and women's basketball tournament since 2009 to rave reviews and conference records for attendance, sponsorships and media coverage.

Landing the First Four would be an even bigger deal."It's always been everyone's assumption that Dayton just gets the First Four," Hall said. "So when they released that in the bid cycle – I know I was a little surprised to see it. (The report) is good to see."

Watch Katz's assessment of Sioux Falls in the player above. The Sioux Falls mention starts at the 1:10 mark.