The Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission, with help from the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, has submitted a bid to host the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Basketball Regionals in Bossier City. If awarded, the Brookshire Grocery Arena will host 12 teams who will play 10 games over five days in March. Director of the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission, Kelly Wells, says they’ve worked with the NCAA before.
“We actually hosted back in 2009 and 2010 the first and second round NCAA women’s D1 championships, but that’s the only event at this time,” said Wells.
Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation President Jay Cicero says his organization decided to get involved due to its existing relationship with the NCAA.
“That relationship with NCAA I think is part of what he wanted to bring to Kelly and his group for events like this,” said Cicero. “We’ve bid upon and hosted numerous first and second round regionals, probably ten or so in the last 20 to 25 years.”
New Orleans is set to host the NCAA Division One Men’s Final Four in 2022 for a sixth time.
The Shreveport-Bossier area could find out as early as next week whether or not they will host the regionals for this year. Wells says proximity to schools makes Bossier City a prime location.
“I think with the D-2 men’s and women’s we’ve got about 55 of those D-2 schools within a 250 or 300-mile radius so a lot of teams prefer to drive,” said Wells.
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