Basketball mayhem takes over Pensacola starting February 28 through March 6 when the 2023 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 2023 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, March 6, 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! From 10 am to 10 pm March 4-5, a 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 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 4. 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.
