WBB Championship presented by MaineHealth & Gorham Savings Bank Set to Return to Portland in 2018
PORTLAND, Maine – After holding a successful women’s basketball championship at the Cross Insurance Arena in 2017, America East is bringing the event back to Portland for March, 2018. MaineHealth and Gorham Savings Bank were announced as presenting sponsors of the tournament and tickets were put on sale at a media event at Cross Insurance Arena on Monday morning.
“America East is thrilled to partner with Shamrock Sports & Entertainment, the Maine Sports Commission and Cross Insurance Arena for the second-straight year,” said America East Commissioner, Amy Huchthausen. “We thank MaineHealth and Gorham Savings Bank for their generosity as we bring high-quality women’s basketball action back to Portland. Our student-athletes, teams and schools all enjoyed their experience in Portland last year and are excited to play in front of some of the most passionate women’s basketball fans in the country again this year.”
“Shamrock is excited and committed to build off the success of last year’s event,” said Shamrock Sports & Entertainment CEO and Founder, Brian Corcoran. “We welcome back Gorham Savings Bank and applaud MaineHealth for coming on board as Presenting Partners of the 2018 America East Women’s Basketball Championship. Due in large part to their support as well as other contributions from corporate partners, we are offering a Hoops2Kids program that will donate 1 ticket for every tourney pass or reserved ticket purchased before February 1 to Maine youth groups. We are excited to grow our shared commitment to our communities thru this program to provide youth groups with free access to priceless experiences to the tournament.”
“The Spectra team here at the Cross Insurance Arena is excited to get to spend the first full weekend of March with both the leadership and athletes of not only the America East Conference, but also those of the Maine Principal’s Association,” said Cross Insurance Arena General Manager, Matt Herpich. “It is an exciting time for us as we’re showcasing the fast paced, upbeat sport of basketball as well as bringing thousands of fans to the arena to cheer on their classmates and members of their communities.”
Tickets for the 2018 America East Women’s Basketball Championship presented by MaineHealth & Gorham Savings Bank are now on sale. Session packages for the quarterfinals and semifinals, as well as single-session tickets, are available for purchase at http://crossarenaportland.com
2018 America East Women's Basketball Championship presented by
Maine Health & Gorham Savings Bank Ticket Packages
Quarterfinals & Semifinals at Cross Insurance Arena – Portland, Maine
All-Tourney Pass Reserved: $21.99 (through Feb 1 with presale promo code only)
$36 (after Feb. 2)
Single Session Reserved: Adult $10.99, *Youth $6 (through Feb 1 with presale promo code only)
Adult $17, *Youth $7 (after Feb. 2)
^America East Students: $4 Per Session
*Youths are children ages 2-12; Children under 2 are free
^Valid student ID from an America East institution required; available in person at box office only
Prices include facility fees
The 2018 America East Women’s Basketball Championship presented by MaineHealth & Gorham Savings Bank starts with a first-round contest with the #9 seed visiting the #8 seed on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The action moves to Portland starting on Saturday, March 3 with the first quarterfinal matchup beginning at 12:00 p.m. Game 2 will then tipoff 30 minutes following the conclusion of Game 1 at approximately 2:15 p.m. The second session will include Game 3 at 6:00 p.m. and Game 4 at approximately 8:15 p.m.
The quarterfinal winners will face off on Sunday with semifinals at 2:00 p.m. and approximately 4:15 p.m. The championship game will be played on Friday, March 9 at the home of the highest remaining seed at 4:00 p.m. Every quarterfinal and semifinal game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 while the championship game will air on ESPNU. Tournament seeding will be finalized on the last day of the regular season.
Fans can use the presale promo code SHERULES through Feb. 1 to receive the discounted ticket rate. The 2017 championship drew nearly 5,000 fans for the quarterfinals and semifinals, the second-most for the conference over the last five years.
Shamrock spearheaded efforts to bring the tournament to Portland through collaboration with the Maine Sports Commission, corporate partners, and community organizations to create a memorable experience for America East institutions, student-athletes, alumni and fans of all ages.
ABOUT THE AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE
The America East Conference provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of its #3Pillars: athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.
ABOUT SHAMROCK SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Shamrock is a privately-owned premier sports and entertainment sales and marketing agency led by former NASCAR and Fenway Sports Group Executive Brian Corcoran. Founded in January 2010 and headquartered in Portland, Maine, Shamrock specializes in strategic sponsorship and multi-media sales, naming rights, asset evaluation and development, as well as other consulting services. Clients include, but are not limited to, NASCAR, Invictus Games (founded by Prince Harry), Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), Rugged Maniac (a Mark Cuban company), Powerboat P1, the America East Conference, Red Bull Air Race, Goulian Aerosports and FanBeat.
ABOUT COMCAST SPECTACOR
Comcast Spectacor is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that operates Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Spectacor’s three core businesses are the National Hockey League’s Philadelphia Flyers, the Wells Fargo Center Complex, and Spectra, a leading hospitality firm that provides Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality and Partnerships to more than 300 client properties in the United States, Canada, and Singapore. Visit us at ComcastSpectacor.com for more information.
- #3Pillars – Building the Complete Student-Athlete -