Ted Kulfan

The Detroit News

Detroit — Detroit could become a hotbed for NCAA championships in the years ahead.

The Detroit Sports Commission and Little Caesars Arena — future home of the Detroit Red Wings — have applied to host multiple NCAA championship events in the coming years.

“Definitely it’s a game-changer for us,” said Dave Beachnau, Detroit Sports Commission executive director, of the new arena scheduled to open in 2017. “A downtown location that fans can walk to and from a variety of bars and restaurants. There’s plenty of competition around the country with that sort of dynamic.

“This (new arena, development) creates opportunities.”

Bids include the first and second rounds and regionals of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament, the NCAA hockey Frozen Four and the NCAA Division I wrestling championships.

All four bids are for tournaments in 2019-22. Bids are submitted in four-year blocks to streamline the application process.

The commission is partnering with other local venues and host schools for bids in a number of other NCAA championship events.

Partners include the University of Detroit, Oakland University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Adrian College, Olympia Entertainment, the Lions and Red Wings.

A potential highlight could be the Division III baseball championships in 2019 at Willie Horton Field (the former Tiger Stadium area).

“Playing at The Corner, you can spin that in so many different ways,” Beachnau said. “This offers the student-athlete an excellent opportunity.”

Host finalists will be announced Oct. 26 and the final venues will be announced Dec. 7.

The commission was unsuccessful in its bid for a 2019 college football championship at Ford Field but will attempt to find a date in the future that can work with the North American International Auto Show, the dates for which correspond with the championship football game.

In this latest bid, the commission is applying for the Division II and III football championships in 2018-21.

“This would be an excellent opportunity for the student-athlete to play in an NFL stadium in a major market and bring visitors to our region,” Beachnau said.

As for speculation of Ford Field hosting the Big Ten championship football game, Beachnau said the conference has settled on Indianapolis until 2022-23, at which time future games possibly could be bid upon.

“Certainly, it’s on our radar,” Beachnau said.

The commission has brought to Detroit, among other tournaments, the 2009 NCAA men’s Final Four basketball tournament, the 2015 Big Ten hockey tournament, the Mid-American Conference football championship, continuously from 2004, the 2010 NCAA men’s hockey Frozen Four, and the Horizon League men’s basketball tournament.

The commission also puts on at Wayne State the Prep Kickoff Classic to begin each high school football season.

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

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BIDS SUBMITTED BY DETROIT SPORTS COMMISSION

Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament First and Second Rounds

Years: March 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Hosts: University of Detroit Mercy and Oakland University

Venue: Little Caesars Arena

Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional

Years: March 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Hosts: University of Detroit Mercy and Oakland University

Venue: Little Caesars Arena

Division I Men’s College Wrestling Championships

Years: March 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Host: University of Michigan

Venue: Little Caesars Arena

Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four

Years: April 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Host: Michigan State University

Venue: Little Caesars Arena

Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships

Years: May 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Host: Oakland University

Venue: Katke Cousins Golf Course

Division II and Division III Football Championships

Years: December 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Hosts: Wayne State University and Adrian College

Venue: Ford Field

Division II Softball Championship

Years: May 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Host: Wayne State University

Venue: WSU Softball Field

Division II Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships

Years: May 2019, 2021, 2022

Host: Wayne State University

Venue: TPC Michigan

Division III Baseball Championships

Years: May 2019

Host: Adrian College

Venue: Detroit PAL/Willie Horton Field of Dreams

Division III Wrestling Championships

Years: March 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Host: Adrian College

Venue: Cobo Center

National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championships

Years: April 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Host: University of Detroit Mercy

Venue: Thunderbowl Lanes

National Collegiate Fencing Championships

Years: March 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Host: University of Detroit Mercy

Venue: Cobo Center