WEST HARTFORD, Conn.— Boston University will play host to the 2004 Choice Hotels International America East Men's Basketball Championship at the 3,806-seat Walter Brown Arena on campus. The decision was reached by a vote of the conference's athletics directors at a meeting at the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Computer & Administration Center on the University of Hartford campus today.
Boston University and Northeastern University had served as co-hosts of the championship the past two seasons, including last year when the Terriers’ hosted at Walter Brown Arena.
The 10-team championship begins with first-round games on Friday, March 5. Quarterfinal and semifinal games follow on Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7, respectively. The championship game will be played Saturday, March 13 at the home court of the higher remaining seed and will be televised by ESPN.
"We are excited that the Choice Hotels International America East Men’s Basketball Championship will return to Boston, one of the nation’s great sports markets," said Chris Monasch, Commissioner of America East. "Walter Brown Arena, and the central location of the campus relative to the other America East member institutions, give our fans a tremendous opportunity to enjoy three great days of college basketball."
“We are happy Boston University was chosen to host the championship again this season,” said Gary Stickler, Director of Athletics at Boston University. “Our staff takes great pride in being able to offer another first-class event for the student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and fans of America East.”
Choice Hotels International will be the sole title sponsor for the America East Men's Basketball Championship for the second-straight year. Choice brands will be promoted exclusively to America East directors of athletics and coaches, who generate approximately 14,000 room nights annually. In addition, Choice Hotels will also receive television exposure, championship public address announcements, and championship event signage throughout the 2003-04 season as part of the America East Conference package, as well as radio exposure, signage, on-court corporate representation, and in-game promotions during the men's basketball championship. Game program and ticket advertising, the inclusion of Choice Hotels in the championship logo, and exposure via the conference's web site--americaeast.com-- is also included.
The America East Championship has utilized the present format of a single site for the first rounds, with the championship game played at the higher remaining seed since 1996. Northeastern and Boston University served as co-hosts the past two seasons with the championship played at the Huskies’ Matthews Arena in 2002 and the Terriers’ Walter Brown Arena in 2003. The University of Delaware hosted the first, quarterfinal and semifinals rounds from 1996 to 2001.
America East will consist of 10 teams for the 2003-04 season: University at Albany, Binghamton University, Boston University, Hartford, University of Maine, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; University of New Hampshire, Northeastern, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont.
Game times and ticket information for the 2004 Choice Hotels International America East Men’s Basketball Championship will be announced at a later date.