2025 Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships Produce 15 Percent Attendance Increase, Draw Largest Crowds in More Than a Decade
NEW ORLEANS – The 2025 Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships produced the league’s highest attendance marks in more than a decade for the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, respectively. Both events were held March 4-10 at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla.
The Sun Belt’s men’s and women’s basketball championships established attendance records for both tournaments since relocating to Pensacola in 2021. Attendance at men’s tournament games was up 16 percent year-over-year, while women’s tournament attendance at the Bay Center grew by 14 percent from 2024 to 2025. Men’s tournament games drew the Sun Belt’s largest total attendance since 2009, while women’s tournament games were the most attended since 2013.
“We appreciate our member institution fanbases and the local Pensacola community for their continued support of the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill. “Our new bracket rewarded our teams for their regular-season success and saw our top four seeds advance to the semifinals in both our men’s and women’s tournaments, producing a 15 percent increase over 2024 across our two postseason events.”
In addition to significant support from its 14 member institution fanbases, the Sun Belt experienced substantial turnouts from the local Pensacola community for theme days including Mardi Gras Day, Education Day, Youth Day, Military Appreciation Day and its annual Fan Fest and Dribble Drive. Dribble Drive drew 667 registrants ranging in age from 3-12, with each participant receiving a free t-shirt, a free basketball and two free tickets to the men’s and women’s quarterfinal games.
“We are very happy with the continued growth of the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships and look forward to continuing the trend in the future,” said Pensacola Sports President & CEO Ray Palmer.
“We are excited to see the continued success and growth of the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships in Pensacola,” said Darien Schaefer, President & CEO of Visit Pensacola. “The record-breaking attendance is a testament to the passionate support from both the Sun Belt’s fanbase and our local community. We’re proud to host this premier event and look forward to welcoming even more fans and teams in the years to come.”
Ahead of this year’s Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships, the league announced a five-year extension that will keep the Sun Belt Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships in Pensacola, Fla., through 2030. The landmark extension will make Pensacola the longest-tenured (2021-2030) and most-frequent (10-time) host of the Sun Belt Basketball Championships in the league’s history.
“It has been a privilege working with the Sun Belt Conference to provide a competition venue for showcasing their championship experience, both on and off the basketball court in Pensacola and Escambia County,” said Pensacola Bay Center General Manager Michael Capps. “Our team looks forward to continuing the great partnership with the Sun Belt Conference and all the local host organizations involved as we venture forward with the next evolution for the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships.”
Additionally, the Sun Belt adjusted its men’s and women’s basketball tournament brackets prior to the 2024-25 campaign. The Sun Belt eliminated rest days from the tournaments, while continuing to invite all 14 members to the marquee postseason event and maintaining the seven-day tournament format. In an effort to prioritize the value of the 18-game conference regular-season, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds also received byes to the tournament semifinals. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds maintained byes to the tournament quarterfinals, which had previously been given to the top four seeds.
Arkansas State women’s basketball cut down the nets for the first time in program history at the 2025 Sun Belt Basketball Championships, while Troy men’s basketball claimed its second all-time Sun Belt crown and first since 2017.
Congratulations to Arkansas State Women’s Basketball and Troy University Men’s Basketball on their victories!
The 2025 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) men’s and women’s championship games once again brought high-energy basketball action to Pensacola, creating an unforgettable experience for fans and visitors alike. This year’s event shattered attendance records, drawing the largest crowds in over a decade. EW Bullock was proud to collaborate with Visit Pensacola and Pensacola Sports to market and promote the seven-day event, achieving strong community engagement and excitement.
Visit Pensacola and Pensacola Sports pulled out all the stops with marketing and public relations efforts, promoting the championship through a mix of traditional advertising, digital campaigns, and creative street-level activations. Downtown Pensacola embraced the basketball fever, welcoming fans with city streets adorned with event branded banners and sidewalk decals. Sun Belt officials transformed the Bay Center into a true tournament atmosphere, complete with eye-catching displays celebrating each participating team.
Beyond the buzz, the championship delivered a strong economic boost to the region, attracting thousands of visitors and generating significant spending in local businesses, hotels, and restaurants.
