Crossroads Classic extended through 2019

  • 08/14/2014 9:13 pm in

The Crossroads Classic, a four-team event billed as a replacement of the old Hoosier Classic and played for the past three seasons in December at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, has been extended through 2019, it was announced today.

Butler, Indiana, Notre Dame and Purdue will each continue as participants. The Hoosiers are 1-2 in the first three years of the event.

Here’s the full release:

INDIANAPOLIS – The highly successful Crossroads Classic will continue through 2019, the athletics directors at the four participating schools announced today.

One of college basketball’s premier non-conference events will continue to be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The additional dates and matchups are Dec. 16, 2017 (Purdue vs. Butler and Notre Dame vs. Indiana), Dec. 15, 2018 (Purdue vs. Notre Dame and Butler vs. Indiana) and Dec. 21, 2019 (Purdue vs. Butler and Notre Dame vs. Indiana).

The three-year cycle is in addition to previously-announced games on Dec. 19, 2015 (Purdue vs. Butler and Notre Dame vs. Indiana) and Dec. 17, 2016 (Purdue vs. Notre Dame and Butler vs. Indiana).

“We are thrilled to be the home of the Crossroads Classic through 2019,” said Rick Fuson, chief operating officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “The Classic has become a popular and prestigious annual doubleheader bringing together four great in-state institutions. We are grateful for Bankers Life Fieldhouse to remain the host venue for this event, and we take pride in sharing a great tradition with Butler, Indiana, Notre Dame and Purdue.”

Barry Collier of Butler, Fred Glass of Indiana, Jack Swarbrick of Notre Dame and Morgan Burke of Purdue announced the creation of the Crossroads Classic in August of 2010. The initial two-year contract was followed by a two-year extension in May of 2012 and another extension in July 2013.

More than 19,000 fans have attended each of the first three Crossroads Classics. This year’s event is set for Dec. 20 and will feature Notre Dame vs. Purdue and Indiana vs. Butler. Notre Dame will serve as the host school.

The coming together of the four most-storied college basketball programs in the state of Indiana, the Crossroads Classic is a nod to the Hoosier Classic of years past, when the schools played a doubleheader non-conference showcase at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse.

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