The Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship is back at the T-Mobile Center in downtown Kansas City this week.
This will be the first time the fully reconstructed Big 12 will come together in Kansas City after the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of Utah and the University of Colorado were added to the league in 2024. With the addition of those teams, the conference now has 16 teams, up from 10 in 2023 and 14 last year.
With an influx of fans coming to town from all over the country, local Kansas City businesses could be in for a big week. There will be a direct economic impact of $23 million from the tournament, according to estimates from VisitKC, the local tourism agency. That’s in addition to last week’s Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship, which VisitKC projected would have an economic impact of $10.7 million.
According to VisitKC, record attendance numbers across the board are expected this year.
“For our local businesses, we just need to make sure they’re aware that there are going to be a lot more people who are coming to the city than ever before,” said Makenzie Wolters, communications manager at VisitKC.
At last year's men's tournament, 12 of the 13 games had official attendance of over 16,000 fans. Total attendance should increase this year due to two games being added because of conference realignment, VisitKC projected. More than 150,000 ticket holders were expected to pass through the T-Mobile Center during the men's and women's tournaments, according to the tourism group.
The tournament set a record in 2023 with a $23 million economic impact, according to the Kansas City Sports Commission. That number was expected to increase by more than 46% this year.
This will be a boost for local bars, restaurants and merchandisers, Wolters said, but they need to be ready for the crowds.
“We really try to make sure that all our businesses here in Kansas City are prepared for the influx of visitors we are going to see,” she said.
Sports apparel store Rally House is one local merchandiser that feels the effect of the tournament on its sales numbers. Staff at the retailer's location across the street from the T-Mobile Center said they were expecting an increase in demand and will be selling exclusive Big 12 tournament gear.
In recent years, the growth of women’s basketball has provided a boost to businesses during the Big 12 women’s tournament. This year's event concluded Sunday, with Texas Christian University winning the title.
Sheri Parr, owner and operator of The Brick, a local eatery near the arena, said she has noticed the change.
It's not just the Big 12 tournament. At campuses all across the country, fans are showing out to women's games at a far greater rate. In 2014, there were 17 women’s college basketball teams that averaged over 5,000 fans per game; in 2024, that number increased to 28 teams, according the NCAA.
Kansas City business owners hope the increase in popularity will continue to translate into increased March sales for years to come.
This story was originally published by the Missouri Business Alert, a fellow member of the KC Media Collective.
Copyright 2025 KCUR 89.3