Dancing in Providence

Photos by Matt Fiedler, Stadium Journey

The NCAA Tournament returned to Providence for the first time since 2016. Amica Mutual Pavilion played host to first and second round games in the West and Midwest regions. The atmosphere was electric especially since local favorite St. John’s was one of the participants. The campus of St. John’s is less than 3 hours from Providence so it was just a short drive up I-95 or a trip on the Amtrak away. Providence is certainly an ideal host for the early rounds of the tournament. The city has a wide variety of great restaurants and bars to pre/post game and also has a great basketball history. Amica Mutual Pavilion is also very easy to get to and centrally located within Providence. The city is also located close to areas like Boston and Newport for fans who want to extend their trip and see some of the other sights of New England.

If you’re looking to grab a bite to eat I would recommend somewhere outside of the arena. One area where Amica Mutual Pavilion falls short is its concessions. They mostly carry the staples like popcorn, hot dogs, peanuts, pizza, sausages, and nachos along with candy and pretzels. There are a plethora of options around the arena and in the surrounding neighborhoods.

The atmosphere at an NCAA tournament venue is very dependent on teams that get picked for that specific region. This year Providence got very lucky to have St Johns in the bracket which attracted many of their fans. However, Providence is also home to Providence College so there is certainly a built in knowledge and enthusiasm for college basketball in the area. The NCAA tournament is unlike any other event, especially in the first and second rounds because you have fans from several different schools in attendance at once. This provides a unique environment with fans who are dialed into the game and other fans who are waiting for the next session when their school plays.

All in all, Amica Mutual Pavilion is a great site for the initial rounds of the NCAA Tournament and when it comes back in a few years it will certainly be worth attending. If you haven’t attended an NCAA tournament it should be on your sports bucket list.