Philadelphia set to host ‘Ivy Madness’ in 2027, celebrating the Palestra’s 100th anniversary

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

The Ivy League will host its 2027 men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments in Philadelphia.

It’s the first time the tournament has been held on the University of Pennsylvania campus since 2018, when Penn’s men’s team and the Princeton University women’s team won. After that tournament, it began rotating at various venues within the athletic conference.

“Since its inception, Ivy Madness has provided a season-capstone experience for student-athletes, coaches, and fans, and it has thrived in each Ivy League community it has visited over the past eight years,” Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris said in a release. “We anticipate tremendous excitement for the 2027 tournaments in Philadelphia.”

As with all conference tournaments, the Ivy League winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I college basketball tournament.

The 2027 tournament was originally scheduled to be held at Leede Arena in Hanover, New Hampshire, home of Dartmouth College. According to a release, Dartmouth opted to pass on hosting the tournament so the league could celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Palestra.

The Palestra first opened in 1926 with a capacity of more than 10,000; it holds 8,722 people.

While primarily serving as the home court for the Penn Quakers, the arena has also hosted NCAA Tournament games, Philadelphia’s Big 5 matchups and the Philadelphia Catholic League basketball championships.

Earlier this year, Philadelphia hosted two days of March Madness at Xfinity Mobile Arena, where tens of thousands of people gathered to witness some of the first and second round men’s games. Philly will host the 2027 Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament.