A New Era for the Pac‑12
The Pac‑12 Conference announced that the 2027 and 2028 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will bring together all nine full‑time members of the league, whose identities were solidified after the conference’s relaunch on July 1, 2026.
Seeding for the tournaments will be determined exclusively by regular‑season performance, with the top two seeds receiving a double‑bye into the semifinals and the third and fourth seeds earning a single‑bye into the quarterfinals. Play‑in games between the eighth and ninth seeds are scheduled for March 9, 2027, setting the stage for a March 12 semifinal round and a March 13 championship.
Broadcast arrangements have been finalized: the first seven games of the men’s tournament will air on USA Network, while the championship game will be streamed on CBS and Paramount+. The semifinal and final of the women’s tournament are slated for The CW, although details on the earlier women’s games remain pending as of summer 2026.
In a statement, Pac‑12 Commissioner Teresa Gould highlighted the significance of returning the tournaments to Las Vegas, describing the city as a natural home that reflects the strength of the conference’s teams and brands.
Winners of the championship contests will secure automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, adding a competitive incentive for teams vying for national relevance.
The scheduling format also places women’s games earlier in the day, followed by the men’s contests, a structure designed to maximize viewership across multiple networks.