Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford announced on Thursday that the league's men's basketball tournament will come back to North Carolina after a few years away:
- Charlotte will host the tournament in 2019.
- Greensboro will see the event return in 2020.
(Earlier, the ACC announced it will take the men's tournament to Brooklyn's Barclays Center for two years.)
Swofford says new membership has mandated a broader reach.
"We have different opportunities in front of us than we've ever had before because of the expanded league and the expanded footprint," Swofford says. "What our athletic directors have really worked toward doing is to connect the traditional and the past and the great history that this great tournament has with the present make-up of the league."
After another tournament in Greensboro next season, the 2016 men's tournament will be played in Washington, D.C followed by two years in New York. The three years away will mark the longest stretch ever for the event outside of North Carolina.
The announcement will not affect the ladies' post-season NCAA Tournament qualifier. Greensboro will continue to host the ACC women's basketball tournament as it has for the last 15 years.