NEW ORLEANS – The Visit Pensacola Sun Belt Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships presented by Air Force Reserve will return to Pensacola for the sixth-straight season from March 3-9, 2026. Twenty-eight teams—14 men’s and 14 women’s—will compete in 26 games over seven days at the Pensacola Bay Center, with the two victors punching their tickets to March Madness. 
 
Tickets remain available via Ticketmaster and at the Pensacola Bay Center Box Office, with prices starting at $5 for children and $15 for adults.
 
The Sun Belt Conference will be offering a number of promotions throughout this year’s championships, with ticket promotions available exclusively in-person at the Pensacola Bay Center Box Office. 



YOUTH NIGHT
On Wednesday, March 4, all youth—age 13 and under—will receive free admission to the 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. games. 
 
EDUCATION NIGHT
On Thursday, March 5, all K-12 students and Escambia County faculty, staff and administrators will receive free admission to the 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. games. All college students with a valid student ID will receive 50 percent off admission. 
 
MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT
On Friday, March 6, all active-duty military and veterans with a valid military ID—along with anyone in their party—may purchase $6 center bowl reserved tickets to the 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. games. 
 
FAN FEST & DRIBBLE DRIVE
On Saturday, March 7, all fans are invited to the free Fan Fest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the Pensacola Bay Center with live music from Loaded Goat rock band. The event will also include food vendors, kids games and performances by institutional pep bands, cheerleaders, dance teams and The Master’s Touch drumline. Youth ages 3-12 may also register for the free Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Dribble Drive at SunBeltSports.org/DribbleDrive. Participants will receive a free t-shirt, a free basketball and two free tickets to the women’s quarterfinal game at 2:30 p.m. 
 
SEMIFINAL SUNDAY & BABY RACE
On Sunday, March 8, please join us for Semifinal Sunday, where eight teams will vie for the opportunity to compete for a Sun Belt tournament title on national television on Championship Monday. Children ages 6-15 months may also register to compete in the Baby Race presented by Dillard’s at halftime of the 2:00 p.m. game. Participants will receive two free tickets to the women’s semifinal game at 2:00 p.m. 
 
CHAMPIONSHIP MONDAY & DUELING PIANO SHOW
On Monday, March 9, please join us for Championship Monday, where two teams will cut down the nets and punch their tickets to March Madness. The Sun Belt women’s basketball championship game will be nationally broadcast at 1 p.m. CT on ESPNU, with the Sun Belt men’s basketball championship game to follow at 6 p.m. CT on either ESPN or ESPN2. Both championship games will feature a halftime performance from Rosie O’Grady’s Dueling Piano Show from Seville Quarter. 
 
As part of the league’s ongoing partnership with Pensacola Sports and Visit Pensacola, the Visit Pensacola Sun Belt Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships presented by Air Force Reserve will be contested in Pensacola through 2030.