After a week's worth of reports, the Big Ten made it official Tuesday: The 2018 Big Ten tournament will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
"We are thrilled to establish this long-term partnership with Madison Square Garden, one of the most-revered brands and buildings in all of sports," Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said in a statement released by the Big Ten. "This pairing is a natural fit for us as we continue to extend our brand and live in two regions of the country. The Garden has been the site of countless iconic moments throughout history, and we look forward to showcasing some of the best basketball and hockey programs in the country through this partnership."
Through its first 17 years of existence, the Big Ten tournament had been held in either Chicago or Indianapolis. This year's event takes place at the United Center in Chicago, the 2016 event is in Indianapolis and the 2017 tourney will be in Washington D.C. before heading to New York in 2018.
Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated was the first to report the tournament's move to New York City.
"You look at the opportunity to play in Madison Square Garden and it's such a unique opportunity to take the Big Ten tournament there," Ohio State head coach Thad Matta said Tuesday. "I think from that perspective it's going to be a different type of atmosphere but I think as you look at the landscape of college basketball and how it's evolving ... it's a pretty cool thing."
It's Official: The #B1GTourney is headed to NYC in 2018 as part of an agreement with @TheGarden. pic.twitter.com/IVjzMpyCtH
— Big Ten Men's Hoops (@B1GMBBall) December 9, 2014
