Why Greensboro is the One-and-Only ACC “Tourney Town”
One thing I have treasured about living in Greensboro, North Carolina all of my life is that we are quite often the proud hosts of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, and I have been able to attend many times in my life! Some of my most memorable sports memories were created there, including the rush of having my team (the Tar Heels) win and then scrambling to buy tickets from someone for the next day. In fact, this blog was inspired by my time at the 2021 (limited-capacity) ACC Tournament and how much I have missed the tournament being in Greensboro.
The ACC Tournament has been hosted at the Greensboro Coliseum 28 times - more than any other city ever! Most of these hostings have been consecutive, with the longest break coming after 2015, when Greensboro did not see the tournament again for five years until the 2020 tournament, which eventually was cancelled due to Covid.
I attended that most recent 2015 ACC Tournament in Greensboro, and I remember it well. I was a sophomore in high school, and I got tickets to see UNC play Notre Dame in the final game on a whim. I remember that the entire stadium felt like the Dean Dome since UNC was playing only an hour away from Chapel Hill, and it was such an electric atmosphere. I also remember falling short to Notre Dame in this game and losing 90-82. Notre Dame, in its first year being a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, went on a 26-3 second-half run to defeat the Tar Heels. I also remember going to the bathroom after the game was over to see tears welling up in my eyes. I cried. I was so sad we had lost… The atmosphere was amazing, and the Heels had performed like champions.
The one thing I thought about to console myself was that I would be able to return to Greensboro next year and hope for better success for the Heels. However, when I found out that the tournament would not be hosted there for another five whole years, I was devastated! After 2015 in Greensboro, it moved to New York City, Washington D.C., and Charlotte until it finally arrived back in Greensboro in 2020 (eventually to be cancelled).
However, I have not gotten to my main point yet: why Greensboro is the one-and-only ACC “Tourney Town.” Let me break it down…
The History
The history of the ACC and its Tournament is routed in Greensboro, NC. It has become tradition to host the tournament in Greensboro, and it is not a tradition worth breaking. Below is a chart of the ACC Tournament’s venue history, which shows the dominance that Greensboro has presented in this tournament over time.
The Geography
As mentioned, in recent years, the ACC Tournament has visited some different locations, such as New York City. This has given teams the chance to experience the tournament outside of Greensboro. Although most teams miss the tournament being held in “Tourney Town,” Greensboro has also faced some criticism, most notably by Syracuse head coach, Jim Boeheim. (See his comments and Greensboro’s clap-back below!) Boeheim voiced his criticism while the tournament was being held in New York, the home state to Syracuse. However, the Orange ended up exiting in the first round in this tournament, and the City of Greensboro was quick to tease him for his comments.
Even though the ACC has expanded over the past decade to include teams from states that do not even touch the Atlantic Coast, Greensboro still remains a central geographical point for all of the teams.
The Significance
I think I forgot to mention…. Greensboro is the location of the ACC headquarters… and the ACC Hall of Champions Museum... and the ACC’s main offices are here! Greensboro has all of the resources-- we were meant to host the ACC!
The Uniquity
By having the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, the city gets to own it. It makes Greensboro special and unique, and the city can balance its entire brand around the Tournament. In fact, Greensboro claims itself as the true “Tourney Town.” Washington D.C. is known for its politics and American history, New York has an endless list of things that it can claim, and Charlotte already has the privilege of being the home of an NBA Team (Hornets) and NFL team (Panthers) as the city’s sports experiences. But Greensboro? Greensboro gives the tournament a down-to-earth, “local” vibe that these other bigger cities just cannot provide. Greensboro treasures the tournament, and we dedicate all of our energy toward it. I will always root for my hometown of Greensboro to host this tournament, and I will do my best to show anyone why we are truly the one-and-only “Tourney Town.”
I must end on UNC Basketball head coach, Roy Williams, delivering his ode to Greensboro where he describes why Greensboro makes for the best ACC Tourney location around. I could not have said it better myself!