Detroit, MI (1888PressRelease)
March 24, 2009 - The NCAA and the Detroit Local Organizing Committee (DLOC) want all fans, even those without tickets to the championship games, to experience the excitement of the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four. Today the organizations announced details for Final Four Friday, which includes the Final Four team’s practices and the Hershey®’s College All-Star Game, all on the actual Final Four floor, scheduled for noon-6:30 p.m. April 3 at Ford Field in Detroit. The Hershey’s College All-Star Game will be broadcast to a national audience on the CBS College Sports Network.
Admission and parking for these events are free. Parking Lots 1, 2, and 3 near the northwest corner of Comerica Park and Lot 4 just north of Ford Field will be free and open to the public (first come, first served). For a map of those lots visit: www.NCAA.com/finalfour.
All fans in attendance will have numerous chances throughout the day to win tickets to the semifinals on Saturday, April 4 or the national championship game on Monday, April 6.
Fans are encouraged to bring a new or gently used pre- or early reader book to Final Four Friday as part of the Men’s Final Four’s first-ever Legacy Program. All donations will benefit the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s Early Learning Communities, which enhances school readiness for pre-school age children by providing training and resources for children and their caregivers. Stations to collect books will be available at Ford Field at Gates A, B and G.
Final Four Friday team practices are scheduled from 12-4 p.m. (all gates open at 11 a.m.) Fans can watch the 2009 NCAA Final Four teams in their final practice before the national semifinal games. Practice times are based on team seeding:
Game No. 1 Lower Seed 12 - 12:50 p.m.
Game No. 2 Lower Seed 1 - 1:50 p.m.
Game No. 1 Higher Seed 2:10 - 3 p.m.
Game No. 2 Higher Seed 3:10 - 4 p.m.
Following the last practice, pre-game festivities for the Hershey®'s College All-Star Game begin at 4 p.m. with tip off scheduled for 4:35 p.m. The game features two teams comprised of NCAA basketball's top seniors from across the country. For the second consecutive year, it will be played in the Final Four venue.
“We want every Metro Detroiter and visitor to have the chance to experience the 2009 NCAA® Final Four® weekend, even if they don’t have a ticket to the game,” said Greg Shaheen, NCAA senior vice president for basketball and business strategies. “Final Four Friday gives everyone the chance to enjoy some of the country’s best NCAA basketball players for free while enjoying the pageantry of the venue where the national championship will be decided.”
Fans that make their way downtown for Final Four Friday also can experience a number of other events, –such as:
• Hoop City® refreshed by Coca-Cola® at Cobo Center, which includes clinics, performances, photo ops, prizes, the chance to experience other NCAA sports, autograph sessions, surprise appearances and more;
• The Big Dance® music festival at the Detroit Riverfront (just east of the Renaissance Center) Friday through Sunday (all free);
• The Road to The Final Four 5K Run/Walk on Saturday; and,
• The Final Four Dribble on Sunday (free).
Details on these events can be found at NCAA.com/finalfour.
About the NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletics opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA Championships in Division I, II and III sports. Visit www.NCAA.org and www.NCAA.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official Corporate Champions — AT&T, Coca-Cola and Pontiac —and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners — Enterprise, The Hartford, Hershey’s, Lowe's, Sheraton and State Farm.
About the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four
The 2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four® will take place at Ford Field in Detroit April 4 & 6. The Final Four brings together the semifinalists of the single elimination tournament of the top 65 NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams in the country. The event is expected to create an economic impact of $30 million to $50 million and attract more than 30,000 visitors to Detroit. For information, visit www.NCAA.com/finalfour or call the Detroit Local Organizing Committee at 313-262-2900.
NCAA, Final Four, Hoop City, Road to the Final Four, The Big Dance and March Madness are licensed by or trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
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