Sorry, Albany fans. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s and women’s basketball championships are staying in Atlantic City.
The MAAC announced Monday afternoon it is extending its tournament run for three years through 2026 at Boardwalk Hall, which is hosting the event this week for the fourth straight year.
MVP Arena, which hasn’t hosted since 2019, also submitted a bid to get the tournament back. The MAAC championships have been played 20 times at MVP Arena since Siena joined the conference in the 1989-90 season.
“I want to thank all the facilities that bid to host the championships which reflects the continued interest in the event and the value it brings to a host community,” MAAC commissioner Rich Ensor, who is retiring in May, said in a news release. By text, he declined to answer questions until a news conference on Tuesday at Boardwalk Hall.
The athletic directors recommended Boardwalk Hall in a January vote. The presidents of the 11 MAAC schools then voted to keep the event in Atlantic City. The vote count wasn’t available.
MVP Arena general manager Bob Belber said he was notified by the MAAC on Monday.
“We wish them all the best with the tournament this year in Atlantic City and future years,” Belber said.
He said he could not be certain how Albany’s financial guarantee compared with Atlantic City’s. The MAAC requires a minimum guarantee of $300,000 per year from the host facility. Belber said MVP Arena met the minimum $300,000 requirement and offered incentives with percentage of net revenue that could have driven the figure “well north of that.”
“I couldn’t tell you whether we had the best financial bid or not,” Belber said. “I feel good that we submitted a bid that we felt really good about.”
Boardwalk Hall does offer a neutral court that MVP Arena does not. MVP Arena is the…
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