The NCAA and the local host committee ceremoniously unveiled the logo Thursday for the 2020 Final Four in Atlanta.
The ceremony, held at the Joseph B. Whitehead Boys & Girls Club, signaled that early preparations are underway here for college basketball’s marquee event, which will be held in April 2020 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It will be the fifth time in Atlanta for the men’s Final Four, which was played at the long-gone Omni in 1977 and at the now-gone Georgia Dome in 2002, 2007 and 2013.
“This city has become one of the favorite Final Four destinations of participating teams, fans and media,” said Duke athletic director Kevin White, 2020 chairman of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee.
The logo, featuring “Final Four” in large type and “Atlanta 2020” in smaller type, is dubbed “Rising” by the NCAA. “The entire mark is an upward rising image which features Atlanta, the Final Four teams’ and the eventual champion’s rise to the top,” said Ellen Lucey, NCAA director of championships and alliances, corporate relations, marketing and branding.
The logo unveiling was attended by Atlanta basketball coaches past and present -- former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins, current Tech coach Josh Pastner and current Georgia State coach Ron Hunter.
Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice president of basketball, noted that Atlanta will join Indianapolis as the only cities to host the Final Four in three different venues.
The 2020 Final Four was awarded to Atlanta in November 2014, during the early stages of the construction of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
