����vlog

will return in 20-28. This is a LIVE look downtown tonight. This will be the fourth time Des Moines has hosted the men's tournament. It was most recently here in 20-23. ����vlog'sOphelie Jacobson is LIVE at Wells Fargo Arena tonight. Ophelie... people you talked too say this is huge for the community. Fans I spoke to today say they're excited to have college basketball games right in their backyard. <CLIP 7720 TIME 16:01:10 "YEAH I'M REALLY EXCITED!"> <CLIP 7721 TIME 16:11:52 "I THINK IT'S AWESOME."> <CLIP 7719 TIME 0:24 "I'M REALLY EXCITED."> College basketball fans are pumped that the NCAA Men's College Basketball tournament is coming back to Des Moines. The first and second rounds will be held at Wells Fargo Arena in March of 2028. <CLIP 0255 TIME 14:33:05 "IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE A DRAKE BULLDOG."> Drake University will host the tournament. Director of Athletics Brian Hardin says he's thrilled to see the tournament return for the fourth time. <CLIP 0255 TIME 14:34:51 " WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER MARKETS THAT WERE AWARDED, FIRST AND SECOND ROUND SITES THIS YEAR, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF NBA, NHL ARENAS IN BIG CITIES. DES MOINES IS CLEARLY PUNCHING ABOVE ITS WEIGHT CLASS."> Des Moines has a great record of pulling in crowds for the games. Our city has been the first site to sell out for first and second rounds in previous host years. <CLIP 0255 TIME 14:36:25 "WE'VE DONE REALLY, REALLY WELL. WE SELL TICKETS, WE BRING THEM IN, WE BASICALLY SELL OUT AS PART OF THE PRE- SALE. AND I KNOW THE NCAA LIKES THAT."> People already have their eyes set on buying tickets to see the games. Tickets are not on sale yet. <CLIP 7719 TIME 1:44 "I'LL DEFINITELY BE WANTING TO COME TO SOME GAMES."> <CLIP 7721 TIME 16:12:23 "OH YEAH, FOR SURE. I'LL 100% GO."> <CLIP 7720 TIME 16:02:03 " IT'S GREAT. I MEAN, THEY HAD A GREAT TIME LAST TIME. GOOD EXPERIENCE. GET FAN INVOLVEMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY IF IT DIDN'T WORK OUT WELL LAST THING, THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO COME BACK. Organizers say they also bid on hosting women's regional basketball and the Division 3 volleyball championships. Des Moines did not get those bids --- but organizers say they'll try keep trying to get selected for those events. Live in Des Moines, Ophelie Jacobson, ����vlog 8 News, Iowa's News Leader. Des Moines isn't the only city in Iowa announced as an N- C-double-A host site. Ames was picked as a Division One Cross Country regional host site in 20-26. Cedar Rapids will host the Division Three women's basketball finals and the Division Two wrestling finals in 20- 27