KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This year is a record 22nd time the Men’s Big 12 Tournament Championship has been played in Kansas City.

By all accounts, it was another successful year for both women’s and men’s tournaments.  

“So exciting, this is actually my first Big 12 Tournament game, so I’m very excited,” one fan said.  

From near and far, fans have been descending to downtown Kansas City, all in celebration of college basketball’s best conference.  

“It’s always fun for me. I live in Wichita, so I get to come up pretty much every year and enjoy it with friends and family,” one Kansas fan said.  

No matter the result for each team, this marks another successful tournament in Kansas City.  

A place the Big 12 has trusted for 22 of its 27 years, and they’re not going anywhere. The tournament will be in the City of Fountains until at least 2027.  

“It was a gloomy Saturday until I realized that I was coming back out for the big 12. KU is playing, brings all the ‘Hawks’ fans together, honestly it’s just a community feeling at that point.” another fan said.   

This tournament continues a hot streak for sports in KC, coming weeks after a Super Bowl parade and ahead of the NCAA Tournament and the NFL draft at the end of April, continuing to showcase the very best of our city.  

“I feel like we deserve a little more credit. I feel like this is an amazing place to live and it is growing. We are the new hot city in the Midwest, and we deserve a little more credit,” another fan said.  

The Fun isn’t over yet as the women’s tournament wraps up Sunday.  

Next year, the women will play at the T-Mobile center for the first time, but their tournament will be held a week ahead of the men, equating to two weeks of exciting basketball in Downtown Kansas City.