Sun Belt Basketball Championship Brings Basketball to Pensacola, Here’s How to Participate

Basketball mayhem takes over Pensacola from March 5 - 11, 2024 when the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships arrive to town, and the Pensacola community is hyped up and ready get in on the action!

The Sun Belt Conference recently has grown to include 14 member schools. All will be bringing both their men’s and women’s basketball teams to compete at the Pensacola Bay Center for a chance to claim the Sun Belt crown.

This year’s competing teams include: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Louisiana Monroe, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Texas State, and Troy.

The last men’s and women’s team standing on Sunday will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Division 1 basketball tournament and a chance to compete for the national championship title.

But the action doesn’t stop there! There are all sorts of fun offerings throughout the weeklong tournament that you don’t want to miss out on:

Throughout the weekend and in between games, fans have the opportunity to hop on an open-air trolley and explore downtown Pensacola! Free Trolley Service will whisk basketball fans from the Bay Center to a handful of designated Sun Belt official host bars around downtown, including: Perfect Plain Brewery, Casks & Flights Wine Tasting Room, O’Riley’s Irish Pub, and Seville Quarter.

A free Sun Belt Fan Fest celebration takes place outside the Bay Center. This family-friendly event includes a DJ, spirit teams and bands, games, food and drinks. Early arrivals to the Fan Fest will have access inside the Bay Center Arena to take pictures with the Championship Trophy. Early access only takes place from 9 to 10 a.m.

Want to encourage your kid’s dribbling skills? The 2024 Sun Belt Dribble Drive - a free event for kids age 3-12 – takes place Saturday, March 9 at 1 p.m. at the Bay Center. Participants receive a free t-shirt, free basketball, and two tickets to the Men’s quarterfinal game at 2 p.m. Registered kids will dribble their basketballs from outside the Bay Center. Act now though! Registration is limited to 650 participants, so click here to register!

The full schedule of Sun Belt Basketball Championship events can be found at visitpensacola.com/sunbelt. Tickets can be purchased starting February 1 at TicketMaster.com or at the Bay Center box office.

Don’t miss out!