Cincinnati Basketball: Kansas City will host Big 12 Tournament through 2027

The Bearcats basketball program is hoping to challenge for an AAC Tournament championship this season but the move to the Big 12 Conference is coming soon. By the fall of 2023, Cincinnati is expected to join the 10-team conference alongside newest members BYU, Houston and UCF.

Cincinnati Basketball: Kansas City will host Big 12 Tournament through 2027

There were several notable topics discussed in the recent Big 12 spring meetings including a two-year extension to keep the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in Kansas City, Missouri through 2027. The annual men’s tournament has been played at the T-Mobile Center every year since 2010.

“As we prepare to welcome four new schools in the coming years, I’m confident Kansas City will continue to deliver a first-class championship experience for our athletes, administrators, fans and partners,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said at the spring meetings this week per The Oklahoman.

Cincinnati Basketball: Kansas City will host Big 12 Tournament through 2027

Instead of taking a yearly trip to Orlando, the Bearcats will travel to Kansas City every March with a chance to compete among arguably the nation’s best basketball conference. The drive from the University of Cincinnati’s campus to T-Mobile Center is approximately 8.5 hours and 587 miles. Down from nearly a 13-hour drive to Orlando.

“Kansas City’s long affiliation with the Big 12 Conference entered an exciting new chapter in 2020 when we welcomed the women’s tournament back,” CEO of Kansas City Sports Commission Kathy Nelson explained in a Big 12 press release. “We could not be more excited to continue our tradition of excellence when hosting these tournaments.”