INDIANAPOLIS - The Big Ten Conference in conjunction with Indiana Sports Corp have collaborated to offer several youth programs and special ticket packages surrounding the 2019 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Tournament takes place March 6-10 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and will feature all 14 teams from the conference in action.
New in 2019, the Junior Journalism Program is offered to girls and boys in 5th through 8th grade. After filling out an application, the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Local Organizing Committee selected 14 students to partake in the program. Each selected student will be paired with one Big Ten University and are required to write an article featuring the assigned University’s women’s basketball team. All submissions will be posted on the Indiana Sports Corp website and social media platforms. On Saturday of the Tournament, all participants will go through a workshop at Bankers Life Fieldhouse prior to the two semifinal games. The workshop features a tour of the facility, guest panel speakers in the media profession and postgame press conference access.
On Championship Sunday, the Big Ten and Indiana Sports Corp will host a free girls’ basketball clinic providing top quality instruction from a qualified staff of basketball coaches. Participants will receive a clinic T-shirt, a complimentary ticket to Sunday’s championship game, and a coupon for a free snack and drink at the concession stand.
Beyond the games, one of the most popular, successful and certainly fulfilling aspects of the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament has been the Big Ten Basketball Middle School Curriculum Program. Instituted in 1996, the program pairs local middle schools with Big Ten teams in a manner that is fun, inspiring, informative and, most of all, educational. Schools are assigned a team to follow throughout the Big Ten season, incorporating the team into their curriculum and corresponding with players via e-mails and letters. Students enrolled in the program then receive tickets to either the first, second or quarterfinal rounds of the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament. More than 1,500 students from 14 schools and organizations are participating this year.
Leading up to the Tournament, youth can participate in the 2019 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Books for Buckets Program. The goal of the reading program is to encourage kids to read at all age levels and reward them by providing an opportunity they might not otherwise have to attend the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament with their family. Participants will keep track of their reading with a goal of 300 minutes on a scorecard that can be turned in at the Tournament ticket office to receive one ticket to a game of their choice. Registration is offered to classes, organizations and individuals and can be done at www.IndianaSportsCorp.org.
All-session tickets for the 2019 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament remain on sale through the Bankers Life Fieldhouse ticket office, ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 800-745-3000. The tournament will be held March 6-10 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with all-session tickets available for $75. From February 8 to February 10, a BOGO offer will be available for single-session tickets before all tickets go on sale on February 11.
When single-session tickets go on sale February 11, as do several special ticket offers. For Tournament games taking place Wednesday through Saturday, five tickets can be purchased for $25. On Championship Sunday, families can purchase a Family Fun Pack for $50 including four tickets to the game and four food vouchers to the concessions at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. For groups of 10 or greater, group tickets are on sale for just $5 each. Single-session and special ticket offers will be available at ticketmaster.com.
Seating throughout Bankers Life Fieldhouse is general admission for all sessions at the 2019 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament, offering fans the unique opportunity to watch the action from the best available seats. The only reserved sections will be located directly behind the team benches specific for each participating team during its specific game(s) at the tournament. Fans wishing to purchase all-session tickets within their university’s fan block for their respective team’s games are encouraged to contact their school’s ticket office.
More details on this year’s Big Ten Tournament can be found on the official tournament website at bigten.org/wbbt or www.IndianaSportsCorp.org.
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Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization focused on bringing premier sporting events to Indiana to drive economic vitality, facilitate a vibrant community with civic pride and garner positive media attention. Because of this, Indiana Sports Corp is able to provide positive, sports-related opportunities for youth in the community. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.