BOISE, Idaho — The Big Sky Men's & Women's Basketball Championships tip off in downtown Boise this weekend. 10 Big Sky Conference schools will be playing at Idaho Central Arena for a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
The tournaments are expected to bring nearly 3,000 tourists to the City of Trees from Saturday through Wednesday.
The five days of hoops and festivities is projected to have a $6 million economic impact on the Treasure Valley.
The Big Sky Conference has hosted the tournaments in Boise every year since 2019. Commissioner Tom Wistrcill said coming back to Idaho is always exciting for fans and players.
"Coming back to Boise is wonderful. The reception in the community is fantastic, the arena is a great setup for us downtown with all the hotels and restaurants and bars," Wistrcill said. "I've made the comment recently - it's kind of like an old friend."
The event's $6 million impact comes from direct expenses - like business coming into restaurants and hotels - and indirect expenses such as travel costs.
"So, $6 million is a pretty significant impact for a very compact event," Visit Boise Executive Director Carrier Westergard said. "I mean, 10 different schools are here competing for five days. It's going to be a great time."
The madness isn't just at Idaho Central Area this weekend. Five bars and restaurants are designated fan zones for teams:
- 10 Barrel Brewing: Eastern Washington & Northern Colorado
- Parrilla Grill: University of Idaho & Montana State
- Taphouse: Montana & Portland State
- Western Proper: Idaho State & Northern Arizona
- White Dog Brewing Co.: Sacramento State & Weber State
The Big Sky Block Party will also be taking place in the Grove Plaza on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Fans can shoot hoops, play games, and win prizes before cheering on their teams.
"It's really exciting to have it in downtown, because you just see it happening," Westergard said. "Sometimes you go to some of these events, and they're in an isolated situation. They're out at maybe a stadium or an arena that's not visible. So, having them here – kind of overflowing, going to all the different fan zones throughout downtown Boise where you can just see the action – it really brings the excitement to downtown."
That excitement has only grown since 2019.
"So, the last couple of years, we're seeing an uptick," Westergard said. "And I suspect that it will continue to grow as the event gains in popularity."
The Big Sky Conference has three more years in its contract to host their championship tournaments in Boise. Wistrcill said the conference is focused on building the tournament's presence in the City of Trees.
"Seven of out 10 schools can drive here. So, we've really started to build a good base, and people will go back to their schools and areas and talk about the great time they had here in Boise," Wistrcill said. "March Madness is here. It's an exciting time to be in town."
The Big Sky tournaments tip off Saturday and runs through the championship games on Wednesday. A full schedule of the tournament can be viewed here. The men's and women's brackets are available online.
Game tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
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