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Dunkin’ Donuts Center interested in bidding for 2017, 2018 Atlantic 10 tournaments

Atlantic 10 logo A-10 A 10

With it being announced that the Barclays Center will host the ACC tournament in 2017 and 2018, the Atlantic 10 finds itself in need of a home for its conference tournament during those two seasons. The Atlantic 10 has played its postseason event at Barclays the last two years, and its original contract with the facility runs until 2017.

In exchange for moving its tournament to make room for the ACC in 2017, the Atlantic 10 will return to Brooklyn for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 events.

But what location would be best for the Atlantic 10 in 2017 and 2018? According to a report by Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal, the officials in charge of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center are interested in placing a bid when the process begins. The arena is the home of the Providence Friars, who play in the Big East and that conference tournament is played the same week as the Atlantic 10’s event.

And the idea of Providence hosting the A-10 is something that Rhode Island AD Thorr Bjorn expressed support for in the story.

“The league needs a home for the tournament for one year or two,” Bjorn said, “and I think the Dunkin’ Donuts Center would be a great option. I’m sure there will be other buildings interested out there but The Dunk has proven it’s a great facility for basketball and with all that Providence and Rhode Island has to offer, I think it is a very viable option.”

Before the A-10 moved to Brooklyn in 2013, it held its tournament at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City for six seasons. From 2003-06, teams converged on Dayton and then Cincinnati. For the previous six seasons, the A-10 held its tournament at old Spectrum in Philadelphia.

The move to Brooklyn has been a good one for the Atlantic 10, which will add a member this summer when Davidson completes its move from the Southern Conference. But where would the league be best suited to play its conference tournament for two seasons before moving back to Barclays in 2019?

Obviously Philadelphia has a long history of hosting, and the presence of two member schools in the city (La Salle and Saint Joseph’s) doesn’t hurt matters either. Other cities mentioned in the story as possible hosts include Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh.

Follow @raphiellej