As the Final Four begins in New Orleans, Atlanta basketball fans might wonder how to get tickets to next year’s event at the Georgia Dome.
According to the NCAA, ticket applications will be accepted through May 31, or until 20,000 have been received, and a random computerized drawing will be held in July to determine which applicants get tickets.
Applications, which require full payment by credit card for the tickets sought, can be made online at ncaa.com/tickets.
Each applicant can request up to four “ticket books,” which will include the April 6, 2013, semifinal games and the April 8, 2013, championship game.
The Georgia Dome will be configured to seat more than 72,000 for the event, up from 50,000 when the Final Four was played there in 2007.
About 40 percent of the tickets will be made available to the general public, according to NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson.
The rest will go to participating schools, other NCAA schools, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, NCAA corporate sponsors, local organizers, media, etc.
According to the NCAA website, seating areas available for applications from the general public are the Dome’s middle-level end zone ($230 per book), upper-level sideline ($190) and upper-level end zone ($175).
Applicants will be informed in August if they got tickets. Unsuccessful applicants will receive refunds (without interest).
Next year’s Final Four will be the 75th overall and the fourth held in Atlanta, following the 1977 event at the Omni — Philips Arena’s predecessor — and the 2002 and 2007 events at the Dome.
To maximize the seating capacity for next year’s event, the court will be placed in the center of the stadium and extensive portable courtside seating will be installed. A similar setup is in place in New Orleans’ Superdome for Saturday’s semifinals and Monday’s title game.
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