Sports commission prepares for busy 2024 at Civic Arena and beyond

By Riley Funk

Organizers and local leaders are ready for a busy 2024 for the Civic Arena as the city prepares to host major athletic events.

The 2024 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship Elite Eight, Final Four and National Championship will take place Downtown from March 25-29.

For Brett Esely, executive director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, excitement is building after the recent success of the Bill Snyder Classic in December.

He said whether it’s teams from out of town or local high schools playing at the Civic Arena, the experience remains the same.

“One of the things that we’ve tried to pride ourselves on here at the St. Joseph Sports Commission is quality, event experience, hospitality,” Esely said. “When they walk in the Civic Arena, it feels like a big-time experience, it should feel like a big-time experience.”

The city council has helped support the venue’s revitalization by approving funding for various projects, like a new paint job for the exterior.

Esely said modernizing the outside of the building is critical with work going on Downtown. Having support from the city on the future of the site is a big deal, he said.

“The arena is a big hub for Downtown. It has to keep up aesthetically, not only inside, back of house, but also outside as well. And I think it’s tremendous that our city leaders have seen that Civic Arena can be that venue,” Esely said.

Along with March basketball games, more events are in place to happen.

Right now, Esely said the city has put its name in the running for future NCAA events. The city may not hear anything about hosting future NCAA events for another year, Esely said.

“This is the cycle for all 90 NCAA championships, Division I, II and III. We’re talking anywhere from the Division I Men’s (Basketball) Final Four to the Division III Rifle Championship,” Esely said. “Those championships are determined by the sports committees that govern those, and that’s quite a process.”

Aside from NCAA events, other major sporting events will also take place at Civic Arena. Plans are in place to host the Missouri High School Volleyball State Championship from 2025-27.

Esely said having these major sporting events in the area is something community members need to embrace and take advantage of by attending.

“Don’t take it for granted. I think we’ll have future opportunities (to host big-time sporting events), but there’s no guarantee, you never know,” Esely said. “We’re growing reputation and every event that we host is a big piece of that because is all about the experience. Filling Civic Arena and creating that environment helps and plays a big piece of that. I think to create as good an atmosphere as we can here is just as important as the play that goes on the court.”

Ticket information for the 2024 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship is available online at https://stjomosports.com/events/.