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2027 Final Four Tip-Off

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

11:00 am - 2:00 pm

PURCHASE TICKETS
MEDIA REGISTRATION

About THIS MEETING

Detroit is ready for another unforgettable moment on the international stage. After capturing the attention of millions worldwide during the 2024 NFL Draft, Detroit is preparing to raise the bar once again as we host the NCAA Men’s Final Four in April 2027.

Get an insider’s look at the exciting business engagement initiatives, economic impact, fan experiences, and volunteer opportunities that will transform downtown Detroit into the center of the college basketball world.

From the excitement on the court to the extraordinary collaboration happening you’ll hear why every Detroiter and business has a role to play in making the Final Four in Detroit another huge success. Let’s show the world once again what Detroit can accomplish together.

PANELIST:

Dan Gavitt

Senior VP, Men’s Basketball
NCAA

BIO

Dan Gavitt

Senior VP, Men's Basketball
NCAA

Dan Gavitt joined the NCAA staff as vice president of men’s basketball in August 2012 after spending the previous seven years as the associate commissioner for men’s basketball at the Big East Conference. In his current role, Gavitt oversees the day-to-day operations of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship, as well as the NCAA’s 11-year, $10.6 billion contracts with broadcast partners CBS and Turner Broadcasting. He also supervises the Postseason NIT and NCAA Divisions II and III Men’s Basketball Championships and serves as the staff’s day-to-day contact to the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee and the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee.

Prior to his service at the Big East, Gavitt was director of athletics and recreation at Bryant, which has one of the largest Division II athletics departments in the country. Earlier in his career, Gavitt ran his own sports marketing and event management firm, Craigville Sports Associates; served as an assistant basketball coach at Providence College; and ran the Rick Barnes basketball camp.

Gavitt holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Dartmouth and a Master of Business Administration from Providence. Gavitt is a member of both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

BIO

PANELIST:

Tom Izzo

Men’s Basketball Head Coach
Michigan State University

BIO

Tom Izzo

Men's Basketball Head Coach
Michigan State University

Tom Izzo was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 9, 2016, cementing his status as one of the game’s all-time greats.

Now in his 32nd year, Izzo has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including the 2000 NCAA National Championship, 11 regular-season Big Ten Championships, six Big Ten Tournament titles, eight Final Four appearances, eight National Coach of the Year awards and a Big Ten-record 28 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

When the Spartans were selected for the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Izzo became the first men’s basketball head coach in history to lead his team to 25-straight appearances and he extended that streak to 28 in 2026. Michigan State’s streak of 28-straight NCAA Tournament appearances is officially recognized by the NCAA as the nation’s current longest streak.
These accomplishments, however, are not what make Izzo one of the best in the game, but rather it is his insatiable desire to accomplish more.

With a career record of 764-310, it’s easy to see that Izzo knows how to win, but he also knows how to win the right way. In his 30-plus years directing the Spartan program, 85 percent of his players who completed their eligibility also left with a degree. In the last 27 years, 75 Spartans have received their undergraduate degrees.

BIO

PANELIST:

Andy Katz

College Basketball Analyst & Correspondent
Big Ten Network & NCAA

BIO

Andy Katz

College Basketball Analyst & Correspondent
Big Ten Network & NCAA

Andy Katz is a veteran journalist who has covered men's college basketball and the NCAA since 1990. Katz has covered every Final Four since 1992. He worked as a beat writer in Albuquerque and Fresno for a combined nine years. He spent 18 years at ESPN as the lead college basketball reporter. Katz is entering his 10th season working for the NCAA, TNT Sports and the Big Ten Network. He was inducted into the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame at the 2026 Final Four in Indianapolis. Katz created Baracketology, the first-ever Presidential bracket, working with President Barack Obama on his bracket for all of his presidency. The brackets have been displayed at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. as well as at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

BIO

FINAL FOUR IN DETROIT INTRODUCTION:

Dave Beachnau

CEO, Detroit Local Organizing Committee
2027 NCAA Men’s Final Four

MODERATOR:

Brad Galli

Sports Journalist
The Brad Galli Show

PRESIDING OFFICER:

Terry Rhadigan

Chair
Detroit Sports Commission

AGENDA

11:00 a.m. Network Café

11:15 a.m. Speaker Reception
Open to DEC Board, Life and Gold Members with up to two accompanied guests

12:00 p.m. Program
(Sound Board Theater-Style, Unreserved Seating)

1:00 p.m. Strolling Lunch with Open Seating
(Ballroom)

TICKETS

$55 – DEC Members

$65 – Guests of DEC Members

$90 – Non-Members

PURCHASE TICKETS

VENUE

MotorCity Casino Hotel

2901 Grand River Ave
Detroit, MI 48201 United States

DETAILS

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

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