Although it is four years away Pepperdine has been chosen as the host school for the 2013 NCAA March Madness tournament’s West Regional.
The decision made by the men’s basketball committee of the NCAA was announced Sept. 21. Of the 70 cities that applied to host the tournament Pepperdine was picked to host the West Regional which includes the Sweet 16 and the Elite 8.
Athletics Director John Watson said he is truly excited about the nomination and the opportunities it presents.
“It’s quite an honor to be picked as a host for two entities: the city of Los Angeles and Pepperdine University Watson said.
This opportunity can be seen as a chance to show off the greater Los Angeles area to visiting schools, but with it comes a great sense of accountability, Watson said.
Being selected is a true honor and responsibility: A responsibility to the city a responsibility to the student athletes that attend and compete and a responsibility to their fans to be certain that they have a quality championship experience Watson said.
The well being of the teams is of utmost important to Watson and the event staff.
When teams land at the Los Angeles International Airport it is our job to see that they are safe that they are treated with respect and that they are honored for what they have accomplished he said.
Logistically, Pepperdine also has some behind-the-scenes responsibilities that come with the host title.
According to Watson, Pepperdine is in charge of overseeing all teams and making sure they are in compliance with NCAA rules and polices. Pepperdine will also be working closely with the Staples Center, AEG who owns the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission. Pepperdine will also be working with the Los Angeles Police Department for security purposes, as well as the city of Los Angeles for hotel reservations and other necessities that visiting teams may need.
Despite the countless hours of work, the Pepperdine Athletic Department will put into this event, Watson said he is excited about it.
It is an honor and a privilege and one of the ways Pepperdine can give back to the Pepperdine community by bringing high quality collegiate athletics to the city Watson said.
Sports Information Director Roger Horne said he sees it as an opportunity to not only show off Los Angeles, but also to bring more recognition to Pepperdine.
I think the biggest positive is that it will give our school some incredible visibility as everything will be branded with Pepperdine University as the host institution Horne said. If I remember right the big banner at half court will have Pepperdine on it and perhaps our logo will be on the court itself so everyone watching on CBS is going to see Pepperdine’s name over and over.”
Watson also verified that earning the privilege to host was a lengthy process. Both Pepperdine and the AEG responded to the Request for Proposal a document put out by the NCAA that outlines specifications to qualify as a possible host schools. The NCAA has not released information about the other schools that put in a bid.
The 2013 tournament won’t be the only time California will get to play host to some of the best college athletes in the country as the tournament will be hosted in Anaheim in 2011.
Although the tournament has come to Los Angeles before this is the first year it will be held in the Staples Center which Horne said is another exciting aspect of the bid.
“The Staples Center is one of the best venues of its kind in the world and it’s pretty cool that we get to be the ones involved in the first time it will host the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Horne said.
The fact that the competition to be recognized as a host school is fierce is not the only reason Watson values this recognition. According to Watson, this is the closest Southern California will come to hosting the Final Four.
The Final Four will only be held in enclosed football stadiums and of course Southern California doesn’t have one of those Watson said. We will never host the Final Four as long as those parameters in place.”
Nonetheless Watson said it is still something to be proud of.
“What is also says is that Pepperdine is committed to the city and the community of Southern California and delighted to partner with AEG the Staples Center and the LA Sports and Entertainment Council to make this happen Watson said.
Even though it would be an honor to host the tournament any year, 2013 carries a certain significance.
Another distinction and honor that I feel really strongly about is that we were picked for the 75th anniversary of the men’s basketball tournament Watson said.
Moreover, Pepperdine’s 75th anniversary as a school will take place in early May 2012, only ten months before the tournament.
It will be almost like going back to your home roots because just four miles down the road from the Staples Center is where the LA campus was Watson said.
This event is one that is greatly anticipated by Pepperdine athletic staff, and something that is seen as an honor to the University.
As someone who has always loved college basketball I can’t wait to be part of hosting such a big-time event Horne said. I’ve only been to NCAA Tournament games once before as a fan but I got to see the famous UCLA-Princeton game back in 1996 and I’ll never forget that. Hopefully our Regional will provide similar great memories to those that attend.”