The Division I Women's Basketball Committee on Monday voted to change to a larger venue for the 2028 Women's Final Four, moving the event to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The committee also voted to continue with the current preliminary-round format through the 2031 championship.
"Moving the 2028 Women's Final Four to Lucas Oil Stadium will allow for more access for our fans, and it represents the continued growth of the sport," said Amanda Braun, director of athletics at Milwaukee and chair of the committee. "With the interest we have seen, holding the Women's Final Four in a larger venue in Indianapolis is a natural next step."
The Women's Final Four continues to sell out, and the public demand for tickets has steadily increased. With the move from Gainbridge Fieldhouse to Lucas Oil Stadium, the event will gain approximately 13,000 seats. The 2028 Women's Final Four weekend in Indianapolis will also include the Division II and III championships.
"We are thrilled to see the Women's Final Four return to an active NFL stadium for the first time in over two decades when it takes the floor in Indianapolis in 2028," said Patrick Talty, president of the Indiana Sports Corp. "This stage not only elevates the experience for student-athletes, coaches and fans but also reflects the remarkable growth and momentum of women's basketball. Indianapolis continues to innovate with events like the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials inside Lucas Oil Stadium, and hosting this championship further cements our vision to make Indiana the women's sports capital of the world."
In the current format, First Four games and the first and second rounds are hosted at 16 nonpredetermined campus sites. The goal of using the top seeds as hosts was to increase fan attendance and engagement during early tournament rounds. This model has been effective, as the last three tournaments have recorded the three highest attendance figures for the first and second rounds in championship history.
"We reviewed alternatives to the First Four, first- and second-round format and the regional format, and the data supports keeping our current model," Braun said. "This will continue to be a point of discussion for the committee as we look to serve tournament participants and fans in the best possible way."
Additionally, a survey was sent to the Division I membership, including athletics directors, conferences and coaches, about the first and second rounds, and 85% of respondents supported the current nonpredetermined top 16 format for at least the next few years.
The current regional-round format, with competition at two sites, was first used in 2023, and in the three past championships, the attendance numbers are the highest in tournament history. The highest attendance figure for the regional rounds with the four-site model was 73,954. Last year's attendance totaled 84,754, which is a 14.6% increase over that figure.
With the success of the two-site model, the committee has recently seen larger markets bid to be regional site hosts. Those cities have cited the greater economic impact of hosting eight teams over four days of competition and the large influx of fans as motivating factors to host. The size and variety of these cities will result in higher quality hotel and arena experiences and potentially provide opportunities for the committee to assign regionals in geographic proximity to the Women's Final Four sites.
