Even though Boston College did not qualify for this year’s tourney, and Thursday’s regional semifinals and championship game are being played at TD Garden, the Eagles earned the right be called the “host” institution after their group bid with Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Center and TD Garden was accepted by the NCAA Committee back in 2009.
Joe Halpern
Research Director – Boston Business Journal
The NCAA
men’s basketball championship tournament, which tips off this week with the East Regional Finals at TD Garden, is expected to generate upwards of $22 million for the local economy. But area hotels, restaurants and sports bars aren’t the only ones who stand to gain financially from March Madness.
Even though Boston College
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did not qualify for this year’s tourney, and Thursday’s regional semifinals and championship game are being played at TD Garden, the Eagles earned the right be called the “host” institution after their group bid with Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Center and TD Garden was accepted by the NCAA Committee back in 2009. With hosting privileges come financial awards for the Chestnut Hill school, although the BC athletic department declined to say how much.
Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchups at the Garden match East Regional’s top-seeded Syracuse vs. No. 4 Wisconsin at 7:15 p.m. and No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 6 Cincinnati at 9:45 p.m. The winner’s play in Saturday’s regional finals starting at time to be announced following Thursday’s action.
Patrick Moscaritolo, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Center, is projecting that the regional basketball action will bring in between $18 million and $22 million to the area.
“The economic impact is enormous,” Moscaritolo said. “Between the fans, the teams, the NCAA officials, media and marketing people, we’re talking thousands of visitors to our area, and they will all spread out across the area and be spending money here. Lots of money.
“On the surface it looks like a three-day tournament but in actuality it is a 6-7 day event for Boston and Cambridge,” Moscaritolo said. “Teams started arriving Monday and next to come are the NCAA officials, fans and media. Every day they are here they are spending money, so it’s a great thing for our economy.”
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