Sacramento Can Host Big Games. But Can It House Them?

“Any successful event takes great partnerships,” Orr said. “Between the university, Visit Sacramento and the community, that’s what made this work.”

Orr emphasized that Sacramento State plays a central role in the city’s sports ecosystem, both through its athletic programs and its role in hosting major events.

“We are the city’s university,” he said. “We impact the sports scene significantly, not just with our student-athletes, but by bringing events like the NCAA Tournament to Sacramento.”

That visibility, Orr said, extends far beyond a single weekend.

“That exposure, you can’t buy it,” he said. “When people see Sacramento State on the court, on national television, that makes a difference.”

Both Orr and Eadie said Sacramento delivered on one of the NCAA’s most important benchmarks, the student-athlete experience.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these student-athletes,” Orr said. “I think we did exceptionally well.”

From the quality of competition to the proximity of hotels and amenities, Sacramento met expectations, helped in large part by Golden 1 Center and its surrounding downtown district.

But replicating that experience at a larger scale remains the challenge.

Sacramento’s ambitions also are tied to future development, including plans by Sacramento Republic FC to build a new stadium in the downtown railyards. The project is expected to anchor additional development and expand the city’s ability to host outdoor sporting events, complementing Golden 1 Center as a premier indoor venue.

“I think we’re continuing to grow and do more,” Eadie said. “As you host these events, other organizations see that.”

For now, Sacramento occupies a space just below the top tier of host cities. It has the arena, the partnerships and the momentum. What it lacks is the concentrated hotel infrastructure needed to compete with larger markets for the most prestigious events.

“There are a lot of great cities across the country fighting for these opportunities,” Orr said. “They’re not easy to get.”

Until that gap is closed, Sacramento’s path forward remains incremental. Build on existing success, expand infrastructure and continue making the case that the city belongs on the biggest stages in sports.

“If there’s a way to get it done,” Eadie said, “we’ll get it done.”