BOSTON— Binghamton University will play host to the 2005 Choice Hotels International America East Men’s Basketball Championship at the 5,600-seat Events Center on campus in Vestal, N.Y. The decision was reached by a vote of the conference’s athletics directors on a conference call Tuesday (April 13).
The 10-team championship begins with first-round games on Friday, March 4. Quarterfinal and semifinal games follow on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6, respectively. The championship game will be played Saturday, March 12 at the home court of the higher remaining seed and will be televised by ESPN.
“We are excited that the 2005 Choice Hotels International America East Men’s Basketball Championship will be hosted by Binghamton University,” said Chris Monasch, Commissioner of America East. “The Events Center is one of the premier basketball facilities for its size in the country and will now host the conference’s premier event. The Binghamton community has hosted some outstanding athletic events and we look forward to giving our fans a tremendous opportunity to enjoy three great days of college basketball.”
The $33.1 million Events Center opened on January 31, 2004 when Binghamton hosted University of Hartford in a men’s basketball game played before a stranding-room-only crowd of 4,660. The Bearcats drew an average of 3,894 (84 percent capacity) for the five men’s basketball games played at the Events Center last season. The facility will increase to a capacity of 5,600 for the 2004-05 season.
The Broome County area is home to the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League and the Binghamton Mets of the Double-A Eastern League, among others. It is also accustomed to playing host to a number of prominent sporting events including the annual B.C. Open (PGA Tour) in Endicott, N.Y. and the 2004 New York State Empire Games at Binghamton University.
“We are thrilled to be able to host the men’s basketball championship,” said Joel Thirer, Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics at Binghamton. “I am also pleased that our colleagues thought enough of our game management and facility to afford us this opportunity. It is great news for our campus and the Binghamton community. We will do everything to make this a memorable event for the student-athletes, coaches and fans of America East basketball.”
Choice Hotels International will be the sole title sponsor for the America East Men’s Basketball Championship for the third-straight year. Choice brands are promoted exclusively to America East directors of athletics and coaches, who generate approximately 14,000 room nights annually. In addition, Choice Hotels also receives television exposure, championship public address announcements, and championship event signage throughout the 2004-05 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. Boston University and Northeastern University served as co-hosts of the championship in 2002 (at Northeastern’s Matthews Arena) and in 2003 (at Boston University’s Walter Brown Arena). Boston University hosted at Walter Brown Arena last season. The University of Delaware hosted the first, quarterfinal and semifinals rounds from 1996 to 2001.
America East will consist of 10 teams for the 2004-05 season: University at Albany, Binghamton, Boston University, Hartford, University of Maine, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); University of New Hampshire, Northeastern, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont.
Game times and ticket information for the 2005 Choice Hotels International America East Men’s Basketball Championship will be announced at a later date.