Everything You Need to Know About March Madness in Providence, Rhode Island
Everything you need to know about a quick March Madness trip to Providence, Rhode Island.
Welcome to Providence, the capital city of America’s smallest state. And that’s said with reverence — Rhode Island may pack more punch per square foot than any state in the country. Providence itself feels like a college town for adults; young and old thrive here. My job is to get you excited for everything in between the actual hoops action—how to buy second round tickets off dejected fans of the losing teams, why you want to focus on the Italian restaurant scene, an adult arcade that might take you back to your childhood, the importance of a scarf, and more.
While you may accidentally run into colonial actors challenging each other to log-throwing contests, I suspect you won’t be coming for the history but rather for the hoops. Just 50 miles from Boston, Providence has a long-standing and profound dedication to basketball from Rick Pitino’s 1980s run to college “crossover” hero God Shammgod. This March 20-22, college sports fans will travel in packs to visit Providence College, home of the Friars, to see their teams compete in the first round of the men’s March Madness tournament.
I recommend walking around the city—it’s a fantastic walking town and while mid-March is a gamble, weather-wise, it’s not like it’s mid-January. Bring a scarf for sure because that northeast biting wind surprises most non-New Englanders. Here we’ve got everything you need to know about a quick March Madness trip to Providence, RI.
How do I get tickets?
You’re going to want to hit up your typical online spots—Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek, etc. But don’t forget two old school approaches that could work far better.
Call the ticket office. Look, I know, it’s not 1985, but talking to a human will get you much farther than refreshing SeatGeek and blindly scrolling through unfamiliar seating sections. Plus, ticket sales offices are largely staffed by students and entry-level 20-somethings. A live ticket sales rep might be a little more willing to help you root out some seats than an AI chatbot (start with the AMP office: 410-865-GOPC).
Walk around outside after the games are over. This is an old Big East Tournament trick that still works wonders. I have scored many a ticket from a disappointed group of guys who just want to unload their seats for the next round, drink, and forget about their team losing in the first round. You lose on Thursday and you’re in a cool city? Why would you go back Saturday to watch the team that just beat yours play? Wouldn’t you rather have a good time in Providence? AMP (the Amica Mutual Pavilion, formerly known as the Dunkin Donuts Center) is going to be full of fans from different teams—and some of these teams aren’t going to advance. So if you catch some sad faces wearing hoodies of a team that just got bounced, remember you’re in a buyer-friendly market. Approach with caution, as they may still be emotional, but offering to buy their tickets is a tried and true method of decent-priced seat-acquiring. They get some money and can go have a nice dinner and not sit through a game they care nothing about,and you get your ticket at a price that will likely be considerably lower than what you’d find online.
How do I get around?
Airports aren’t really supposed to be awe-inspiring, exceptional experiences or home to must-visit tips (SFO’s Compass Books and the Victorinox store that exists inexplicably in the Zurich terminal are maybe the exceptions). So Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (aka PVD) serves a specific function and does it well: it gets you to and from. And it does it relatively quickly, thanks to its size.
There’s a food court and all your basic amenities here, but the important factors remain a public train stop that can get you to downtown Providence in about 15 minutes, a public bus that can pick you up and get you there in 12 minutes on a good day, and close proximity to 95, which will get you to Providence in 15-ish minutes, as well.
If you can’t find direct flights to PVD and hate the layover (who doesn’t?), Providence is a (relatively) short ride from Boston, so a cheaper or quicker flight there would mean a lovely Northeast train ride down the coast (it’s 35 minutes on an Acela train, and just about an hour on a regular Amtrak train). In fact, it’s such a popular trip, you can just take “the T” (the MBTA – proper name) to Providence to save some money. A rideshare ride from Boston will set you back about $125. The trip is an hour in the car, so prepare some talking points with your driver. But it will be a far less harrowing experience than renting a car and driving yourself.
I would suggest not driving at all on this trip,whether you’re flying into Providence or Boston. If you choose to ignore the warning and opt to drive anyway, be ready to meet “erratic” Massachusetts drivers who speed, don’t respect the “passing lane” rules, and generally will buzz by you gleefully after riding you for 5 minutes—closer than you’ve ever experienced before. You just might sprain your middle finger. Massachusetts also has a rule where, in rush hour, you can use the shoulder as a normal lane. So be prepared for that experience if you cross the border. Once you’re in Providence, you can taxi to and from the arena pretty easily.
What should I know about the venue?
The AMP (Amica Mutual Pavilion) used to be known as the Dunkin Donuts Center. It is home to the Providence Friars and the Boston Bruins’ AHL team, the Providence Bruins. It seats between 14 and 17,000, about half the size of the country’s largest capacities. But it gets loud.
The most famous sports luminary associated with Providence is Rick Pitino, who coached the Friars from 1985-1987. He took the team to an unlikely Final Four appearance in 1987—and then bolted to coach the Knicks. I’m not sure anyone blames him, so he is still loved in the city (unless Big East rival St. John’s is in town, where he now coaches). Unfortunately, most of Pitino’s best quips (he’s an eminently quotable coach) came later in his career.
The AMP doesn’t have a ton of quirky food options, but you can get a doughboy, essentially a dessert-like fried dough with toppings. Del’s Lemonade, a local specialty frozen lemonade drink is also available; try the watermelon.
Where should I sit?
This is going to sound trite, but get tickets anywhere. This arena is going to have a different vibe than a normal Friars home game with blocks of varied cheering sections throughout, but from the NCAA tourneys I’ve been to, your feelings on college marching bands might help determine where to grab your actual seats. They’re usually on the corners behind the hoops, so if you love their zany actions, find something along the baseline. If the sound of horns drives you crazy, go for mid-court. This arena is larger than you may realize (think MSG), so while it’s cozier than, say, Syracuse’s dome, there are some far-away seats you can get stuck in.
But back to the “sit anywhere” idea—the first round of NCAA action is like nothing else in sports, specifically in that a bunch of seats are going to clear out after the game before yours. If you end up with a ticket further from the floor, you might try something simple like eyeballing someone walking up the stairs with their coat draped over their arm and asking them for their ticket stub so you can upgrade yourself to their seats as they depart for a nice dinner. Offer to buy them a beer for the road! They might even hand you their tickets to the evening set of games if they got the “all sessions” package. People tend to be extremely kind to one another at these games. Also keep karma in mind , and if you are approached with this same request, be a pal and let someone get your good seats that would otherwise be empty. Wouldn’t you rather a fan with manners get them than some random seat-jumper?
Basketball, bracket and betting
The games in Providence are absolutely loaded with intrigue, which means good luck to anyone trying to get tickets at this point. First, Rick Pitino returns to Providence, which means you're going to have St. John's fans, Providence fans and locals all fighting for tickets. And if St. John's and Arkansas both advance out of the first round, you’ll get Pitino vs. John Calipari, possibly the game with the most national attention in the entire tournament. This is The Master vs. the Student and Louisville vs. Kentucky rolled into one (Calipari has an 8-2 record vs. Pitino when those schools faced off). This is "I love basketball and I live in a 5-hour radius with no rooting interest in any of these teams, but see you later family; I'm driving to Rhode Island for the weekend" territory.
On top of all that, Providence gets High Point, a team The Athletic calls "the most dangerous mid-major in the tournament" and McNeese, who the same writers predict will be the trendiest 12 seed to pull an upset in the first round. In short, if you got your hands on a couple tickets, be prepared to grapple with whether to sell them for five-to-ten-times their value right now or go to the event of the postseason.
As far as any betting advice? St. John's making it to the Sweet 16 seems too easy but I want to cheer for it, so we'll be on that. And with McNeese at 100-1 and High Point at 250-1 to make the Final Four... $2.50 on each of them will make the weekend a little more fun!
Other places to eat (and watch)
Providence has a rich Italian history and doesn’t feel mass-produced, so there’s an authenticity here with the restaurants you won’t get in other places. Try Capriccio’s and their beef wellington.
NY System wieners offer you something that will be very valuable here—freedom. First and foremost, these aren’t hot dogs, they’re “wieners” (or, fine “weenies,”). But they’re delicious and filling. You won’t have to risk sub-par bar food and you won’t be tied to a sit-down table anywhere. Eat the weenies, drink, spend your saved money on souvenirs for loved ones, and move on.
Some classic sports bars I’d recommend for game-watching and something extra are: Snookers for billiards, GPub for a wall of TVs and fast pours from attentive bar staff, Union Station for a unique game-watching experience, Blake’s for an easy walk to the AMP, Barnaby’s, Lucky Enough for a huge projector setup and Ladder 133, which was originally an early 20th century fire station. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Free Play, which is basically your favorite 1980s/90s mall arcade but with adult beverages.
Other must-dos
Whale watching season is still a month away, so that’s off the table. Having been to a dozen NCAA first round experiences, your plan should remain pretty simple: watch the games, have some drinks, create some memories, make sure you have dinner reservations if you want some great food (it’s probably too late for most of Providence’s best restaurants, but you can also try to eat at 4:30 and fill up with wieners late night), and maximize your off day—whether that means strategically bar-hopping to watch the Friday games or jamming in as much sight-seeing and quirky fun as possible.
Final tips
These northwest cities have wind tunnels that will tear off your cheeks. A winter jacket and gloves are great, but pack yourself a scarf. Worst case you roll it up and stuff it in your pocket; best case? You’re not wiping your runny nose every seven minutes and freaking out everyone sitting around you.
Embrace the walkability of Providence. It’s a fun city with a lot of culture and flavor and Boston is at the end of the public transit line. Take advantage of that proximity.