Everything You Need to Know About March Madness in Dayton, Ohio
Intense college sports culture defines this small but mighty Midwestern city.
Every year since 2001, Dayton has played host to the opening round of the Men’s March Madness basketball tournament. The ‘First Four’ games will be played at UD Arena again this year on March 18 and 19.
In a part of the country that’s famous for its love of college basketball, Dayton and UD Arena stand out. The arena gets super loud on game day and you’ll never forget the wild flashing lights during team introductions. Despite its small-town feel outside the building, this place erupts for the game of basketball. In fact, The University of Dayton’s men’s team has a hard time scheduling well-known teams to play against them during the regular season because of the Flyers’ homecourt advantage.
In the NCAA tournament, even when the Flyers aren’t participating, that passion for college basketball carries over into an electric environment. Most of the action around town is centered around downtown Dayton and the Oregon District, while the basketball arena is located on the far edge of south Dayton. Here, we’ve got everything you need to know about being in Dayton for the start of March Madness.
How do I get tickets?
Historically, ticket prices for the First Four spike when popular, nationally-ranked teams like Indiana (2022), Notre Dame (2022), or Tennessee (2014) make appearances in Dayton. For the First Four, tickets can get pretty cheap when smaller programs or teams from the West Coast participate; so if you’re on a budget, you’re likely to be in good shape.
UD Arena’s online ticket office directs you to several available seats on Ticketmaster. Seats for the first day range from $145 to $693 for a place at center court. Gametime is also a great bet if you’re on a budget; tickets have been listed for as low as $40 in the upper level. Vivid Seats has cheaper seats ($120 per) to get in the door; Stubhub has tickets in a similar price range. There’s also a ticket office that’s located right between the parking lot and the front door of the arena. It’s expensive but the other option is trying to find re-sellers on the street around town, of which there are many.
Tickets to get in the door at other first-round sites are often less expensive than seats for the First Four at UD Arena because Dayton’s capacity of 13,409 is much smaller than most NCAA tournament host sites. Tickets for the first round in Cleveland start at $80 but their arena is much larger, with a capacity of over 19,000.
UD Arena has a uniquely tall lower bowl that surrounds the entire court which gives more fans opportunities to get close to the action. The main bowl has the best atmosphere and sightlines while the upper bowl is higher than a typical tournament site. It’s a no-frills arena that regularly sells out with a lot of tickets sold to neutral fans who live in the region.
What should I know about the venue?
UD Arena currently has the record for most NCAA Tournament games hosted. The tournament keeps coming back because UD Arena is a big-time building that feels like an old-school gym and you can’t beat the loud atmosphere that comes from a very energetic fanbase as well as an incredible marching band.
UD Arena hosts the University of Dayton Flyers, who are one of the best mid-major college basketball programs. The Flyers have made five NCAA Tournaments over the last 12 seasons, winning six games. In 2014, they progressed to the Elite 8. Dayton also has three regular season titles in the Atlantic 10 conference. J.P. Nauseef, the former chairman of the First Four’s operating committee, called UD Arena “The epicenter of college basketball.” Screaming fans, a raucous band and a massive jumbotron consistently make an impression on players, coaches, and the media.
DePaul head coach and former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann has only played a scrimmage at the arena but has seen the home court advantage on television. “Why would you go (there)?” he joked, implying he had no interest in getting firsthand experience with the wild student body.
One of Dayton’s most famous alumni is former NFL head coach Jon Gruden, who remains a fan of Dayton basketball, partly due to his memories of games at UD Arena. “I have a lot of passion for basketball and Dayton, he told the Springfield News.
The highlight of UD Arena is its student section and its band. In the front row, some of the most passionate students dress up as pilots and flight attendants. The band director wears a light-up vest that blinks in sync with the arena’s lights during pre-game hype videos.
You won’t soon forget the rowdy crowd. Their signature cheer? A blaring of the band’s horns quickly followed by the crowd responding “Go, Dayton Flyers!” and “Let’s get ready to rumble” before hype music plays over the speakers.
Pro tip: Any fan can enter the arena through the club entrance near the ticket office at the front door of the arena. The lines here are usually much shorter!
When you’re ready to eat, McAlister's Deli, a local sandwich restaurant, offers deli sandwiches and sweet tea. It’s a well-known restaurant in the region for its quality grab-and-go sandwiches. Donato’s Pizza, a popular pizzeria in the area that’s known for its thin crust and sweet sauce, is also for sale. For some more traditional arena fare, the Rudy Flyer Grill has several locations around the arena and has standard arena hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken sandwiches. For dessert, head over to Dip and Dots to complete the college vibes.
Other places to eat (and watch)
Because Dayton is a basketball-obsessed city, the downtown area is full of sports bars and breweries designed for following games. The nearby Oregon District is a good place to find yourself during your stay. Whenever I go to Dayton, this is where I meet friends to bar or brewery hop. The whole area is small and walkable so you can hit a lot of spots in a few hours.
My favorite is The Foundry, which has wood-fired pizza, a great selection of drinks, and roomy spaces for big groups. Local Cantina Brewing has truck-style tacos and a full Tex-Mex menu, while the The Moeller Brew Barn has an outdoor patio that overlooks Day Air Ballpark, home of the minor league Dayton Dragons team. Brown Street, at the heart of the University of Dayton’s campus, is also lined with bars up and down the row, including local watering holes like The Fieldhouse and Jimmy’s Ladder 11. Brixx Ice Company, located near Day Air Ballpark, has drinks, burgers, sandwiches, and desserts and is well-known among local sports fans.
Other must-dos
The Wright Patterson Air Force Museum is hands down one of the best museums in the Midwest. Free of charge, it’s the largest military aviation museum in the world. You can tour through the history of aviation by stepping right up to and even inside a variety of airplanes from every era.
If you’re down to venture beyond the city limits, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis are all within an hour drive of Dayton. Cincinnati’s Reds Hall of Fame is one of the most popular baseball museums outside of Cooperstown, and Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes, might be the prettiest college football stadium in the country. The dome at the front of the stadium is designed to look like the Pantheon in Rome, and it’s one of many design elements that make “The Horseshoe” unique. Indianapolis is the site of the Indy 500, home to the Colts and Pacers, and also hosts the annual NFL Combine, if you’re interested in visiting while these sports are out of season.
Final Tips
Weather in Southwest Ohio in the spring is so unpredictable that famous author Mark Twain has written several jokes about it. The weather in early March ranges from feeling like summer to full-on snowstorms. So pack accordingly.
Lastly, there’s a saying here that proves true: “Dayton is often under construction.” Book in some extra time while driving from place to place as there can be a lot of traffic.