Could the new arena draw the NCAA mens basketball tournament back to Lincoln?
It’s doubtful, at least until the NCAA changes the tournament’s format for first- and second-round games or Lincoln lines up more full-service hotels. The current NCAA format involves eight teams playing at one site on the opening weekend, and the NCAA expects that each team will be housed in a distinct full-service hotel. Currently, Lincoln does not have enough hotels with adequate meeting space and around-the-clock meal service to qualify. The new arena, however, would be perfectly suited for NCAA volleyball regionals, early-round games in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament and potential championship events in gymnastics and wrestling. Q: How will the Lincoln Stars be affected? A: Lincoln’s junior hockey franchise will continue to play at the Ice Box on the former state fairgrounds. Such a venue, and the entertainment option of hockey games, is viewed as an asset to the proposed Nebraska Innovation Campus. Q: Are there other sports that could play in the new arena? A: Certainly t
