CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bojangles' Coliseum will host the 2021-23 Big South Men's and Women's Basketball Championships, conference officials announced Tuesday.

• Big South Conference basketball championships to be held at Bojangles' Coliseum from 2021-23.
• First neutral site selected in over 15 years.
• Will feature a minimum of eight men's and women's basketball teams, plus a variety of other events.

Officials say the facility will be the first neutral site for its marquee basketball events since 2003 and just the fifth time overall in the conference's 36-year history.

“What made Charlotte really attractive is number one, it’s a world-class destination,” said Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander. “Charlotte is centrally located in our footprint so travel is manageable for Big South fans and there are fantastic hotels, shopping and entertainment options. The city’s growth is incredible, and the leadership in the Queen City has really embraced the Big South. With this kind of support we feel confident that our partnership will result in an outstanding championship. What a great showcase this will be for tremendous Big South Basketball!”

Prior neutral sites have been located in Anderson, S.C. (men's - Civic Center 1991-92), North Charleston, S.C. (men's - North Charleston Coliseum 1993-94), Asheville, N.C. (men's and women's - Asheville Civic Center 1999-00), and Roanoke, Virginia (men's and women's - Roanoke Civic Center 2002-03).

“We are so pleased to have been awarded the Big South Tournament for three years, and are excited to welcome the coaches, teams, staff and fans to Charlotte,” said Tom Murray, CEO of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. “This marks yet another marquee collegiate sporting event that the city has hosted thanks to a great partnership with the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte Sports Foundation. Events such as these are so important to keeping our visitor economy healthy and supporting the one in nine residents who work in the region’s tourism industry.”

“We are very excited for Charlotte to be chosen as the home for the Big South Conference Basketball Tournaments for the next three years,” added Danny Morrison, Executive Director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation. “This is a great example of the power of collaborative efforts among the CRVA, CSF and city officials to bring compelling sporting events to Charlotte. We know that Charlotte will be a tremendous destination for the fans and universities of the Big South.”

Charlotte was selected from a group of finalist that included Winston-Salem, N.C. and Hampton, Virginia. The conference's Council of Chief Executive Officers began searching for a neutral site in 2018.

 “The presidents and chancellors have been thinking for a year or so about the potential advantages of going to a neutral site,” said Longwood University President W. Taylor Reveley IV, chair of the Big South CEOs. “The esprit de corps that can build, the branding opportunities that being at a neutral site can really bring, it will be a chance to continue building the Big South as one of the premier mid-major conferences in the entire country.”

Big South officials say the 2021 tournament will feature a minimum of eight conference men's and women's basketball teams. It is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday through Sunday, March 2-7, 2021.

Additional activities will take place throughout the week, including cheerleading competitions, fan festivals and possible eSport or concert events.

The official 2021 Big South Championship tournament format, ticket packages, events, and television arrangements have not yet been determined. Those details will be announced at a later date.