EVENT WILL BRING MILLIONS IN DIRECT SPENDING AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO THE REGION
LIMITED AMOUNT OF ALL-SESSION AND SINGLE-SESSION TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH TICKETMASTER
ST. LOUIS – March 6, 2018 – St. Louis’ run of March Madness continues this week as fans from throughout the Southeastern Conference descend on the Gateway City for the 2018 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament. Hosted by the St. Louis Sports Commission and Scottrade Center, the 14-team five-day tournament begins with opening round games on Wednesday (March 7) and concludes with the championship game on Sunday (March 11).
“We are thrilled to welcome the SEC to St. Louis,” said Sports Commission President Frank Viverito. “Our region gets a tremendous opportunity this week to shine in the national sports spotlight and to introduce our community to SEC Nation. We’re grateful for the trust the SEC has instilled in St. Louis to host its men’s basketball championship, one of the most prestigious college basketball tournaments in the country.” Between the SEC Tournament and this past weekend’s Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, St. Louis will host 22 postseason college basketball games over an 11-day stretch. The two events will attract an estimated 25,000 visitors to the region generating more than $20 million in direct visitor spending.
SEC MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
*Doors to Scottrade Center will open 75 minutes prior to the first session of each day.
TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets can be purchased on the ticket page at SECsports.com, at Ticketmaster.com, or the Scottrade Center box office. All-session ticket books are $360 and $250 and provide admission to all 13 games and seven sessions. Single session tickets are $15 for Wednesday’s first round, $30 for each session of Thursday’s second round, $70 for each session of Friday’s quarterfinals, $75 for the semifinals on Saturday and $70 for Sunday’s championship. All available tickets are located in the mezzanine level.
CLEAR BAG POLICY: The SEC has a clear bag policy for all of its championships. Fans attending the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center are asked to enter with clear bags and should be prepared to arrive early. Bags must satisfy the guidelines below in order to be taken into the building:
- Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″.
- One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar).
- Small clutch bags, no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″, with or without a handle or strap.
- An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection.
SUNKIST SODA SEC FANFARE: Located outside Scottrade Center on 14th Street (between Market Street and Clark Avenue), fans will be entertained by interactive games, sponsor activations, live music, food, drinks and more. The schedule for the Sunkist Soda SEC FanFare follows:
Thursday, March 8 – 2 to 8 p.m.
Friday, March 9 – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 10 – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 11 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
SEC MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Kentucky leads the league with 30 SEC Tournament titles. Alabama is second with six, while Tennessee and Florida are tied for third with four. Mississippi State has three championship trophies while Georgia, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt have two. Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, and former league member Georgia Tech have each won one SEC Tournament championship.
For more information on the 2018 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, visit SECSports.com.