Big East Tournament extended at Madison Square Garden through at least 2032, ensuring 50-year run

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FILE - Players warm up at Madison square Garden before an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East conference tournament between Georgetown and Marquette, March 10, 2021, in New York. The Big East Tournament will be held at Madison Square Garden through at least 2032, ensuring one of college basketball’s most popular and storied events will take place at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” for 50 consecutive years. The league and the arena announced a contract extension Friday, March 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

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Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, right, and Joel Fisher, left, executive vice president, Marquee Events and Operations, MSG Entertainment, hold a jersey which says “50 Years” at a news conference in New York, Friday, March 15, 2024. The Big East Tournament will be held at Madison Square Garden through at least 2032, ensuring one of NCAA college basketball’s most popular and storied events will take place at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” for 50 consecutive years. (AP Photo/Mike Fitzpatrick)

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FILE - St. John’s Daniss Jenkins (5) knocks the ball away from Seton Hall’s Al-Amir Dawes (2) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at Madison Square Garden in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Conference tournament Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. The Big East Tournament will be held at Madison Square Garden through at least 2032, ensuring one of college basketball’s most popular and storied events will take place at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” for 50 consecutive years. The league and the arena announced a contract extension Friday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

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Xavier’s Quincy Olivari (8) drives past Butler’s DJ Davis (4) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Big East Conference men’s tournament Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in New York.nam (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Iggy, the Marquette mascot, dances during a timeout in the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Villanova in the quarterfinals of the Big East men’s tournament Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. Marquette won 71-65. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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UConn’s Cam Spencer (12), Donovan Clingan (32) and Tristen Newton (2) celebrates a 3-point shot by Apostolos Roumoglou (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Conference tournament, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. UConn won 87-60. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Seton Hall in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Conference tournament, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Villanova guard Brendan Hausen reacts after making a 3-pointer agianst Marquette during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Big East men’s tournament Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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Xavier’s Dayvion McKnight (20) drives past Butler’s Posh Alexander (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Big East Conference men’s tournament Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in New York. Xavier won 76-72. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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UConn head coach Dan Hurley reacts after his team scored during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Conference tournament, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Marquette coach Shaka Smart gestures during the first half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Villanova in the quarterfinals of the Big East men’s tournament Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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St. John’s Daniss Jenkins (5) knocks the ball away from Seton Hall’s Al-Amir Dawes (2) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Conference tournament, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. St. John’s won 91-72. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Xavier head coach Sean Miller calls out to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against UConn in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Conference tournament, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

By MIKE FITZPATRICK

NEW YORK (AP) — The Big East Tournament will be held at Madison Square Garden through at least 2032, ensuring one of college basketball’s most popular and storied events will take place at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” for 50 consecutive years.

The league and the arena announced a contract extension Friday during a news conference at MSG before the Big East semifinals. Their current deal was set to expire in 2028.

“I’m very happy to report that we have renewed our vows,” Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman said. “Hopefully, many additional anniversaries.”

After playing in three different venues during the first three seasons of the Big East, the conference has held its postseason showcase just off Broadway in Midtown Manhattan annually since 1983. That makes it college basketball’s longest-running postseason championship held at one location.

“Trust me, it will be more than 50 years,” said Joel Fisher, Executive Vice President, Marquee Events and Operations, MSG Entertainment. “It’s just gotten better and better every single year. And we didn’t think it could.”

Even with the league’s reconfiguration in 2013 to include Midwestern schools such as Creighton, Marquette and Xavier, college basketball fans keep flocking to MSG in March. Last year’s Big East Tournament was a complete sellout, with 19,812 fans filling The Garden for all five sessions.

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“This event, a New York City staple, has long been synonymous with tradition, rivalries and heart-stopping moments,” Ackerman said in a statement, calling the league’s partnership with MSG “one of the most enduring alliances in the sports world.”

Said Fisher: “The rich tradition of the Big East Tournament has produced many of The Garden’s most celebrated college basketball moments and has cemented itself as one of the most anticipated annual events.”

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