Allen will host NCAA Division I conference championship basketball for the next three years after the United Athletic Conference selected Credit Union of Texas Event Center as the site of its men's and women's basketball tournaments beginning in March 2027.
The announcement, made Thursday, Aug. 20, brings 16 teams to Allen each spring. Eight men's squads and eight women's squads will compete March 10–14, 2027. The venue is locked in through the 2028-29 season.
"It's always an honor when an organization places its confidence in Allen, and I'm grateful to the UAC for choosing our community as the home of its basketball tournaments for the next three years," Mayor Chris Schulmeister said in a city news release. "Because we've continued to invest in outstanding facilities like Credit Union of Texas Event Center, we're able to welcome events of this caliber."
The UAC is a newly rebranded NCAA Division I conference, formerly the Western Athletic Conference, with nine member schools. Three are based in Texas: Abilene Christian University, Tarleton State University and the University of Texas at Arlington, giving DFW-area alumni a short drive to tournament games.
Other members include Austin Peay State University, Eastern Kentucky University, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of Central Arkansas, the University of North Alabama and the University of West Georgia.
Economic boost expected
Comparable NCAA Division I conference championships generate roughly 2,500 to 4,000 hotel room nights and $1.2 million to $2.5 million in direct visitor spending, according to Visit Allen, Texas. Total economic impact can exceed $2 million per tournament. That visitor spending feeds Allen's sales tax base, helping fund city services such as parks, roads and public facilities.
Allen communications manager Kristi Soto said the event will welcome hundreds of student-athletes, coaches, officials and conference staff, along with alumni, families and fans traveling from across Texas and the country.
What's next
Bracket, ticket and broadcast details for the March tournament have not yet been released. The 7,000-seat venue at 200 E. Stacy Road, home of the ECHL's Allen Americans, hosts more than 100 events annually.
Jeff Bacon, CEO of Unisun Sports, which manages the conference's championship operations, said Allen "helps to forge ahead the new era of the United Athletic Conference."
Key dates
- Jan. 6, 2027 — UAC conference play begins for men's and women's basketball
- March 10–14, 2027 — UAC Basketball Tournaments at Credit Union of Texas Event Center
