T-Mobile Center

T-Mobile Center in downtown Kansas City is a premier arena that hosts college basketball's biggest early-season events, including games featuring Kansas and Kentucky. The 19,000-seat bowl in the Power & Light District creates a neutral-site atmosphere that feels like a postseason environment in November. When the Jayhawks and Wildcats meet here, the crowd splits blue and white and the noise rivals any conference arena in the country. Kansas City's central location makes it a natural host for marquee college hoops.

T-Mobile Center opened in 2007 as the Sprint Center, replacing Kemper Arena as Kansas City's primary indoor venue. It has hosted the Big 12 tournament, Champions Classic matchups between Kansas and Kentucky, and NCAA tournament games. The arena's downtown location ties game nights to Kansas City's restaurant and bar scene. T-Mobile's naming deal in 2020 refreshed the branding while the building's role as a college basketball destination remained unchanged.