Thousands of young fans (18 and under) will dribble in a bouncy parade from Curtis Hixon Park, through the Tampa Riverwalk and into Tourney Town at the convention center. Credit: c/o Crackerjack Media

Tampa has a lot to be proud of over the next few days as downtown plays host to the NCAA Women’s Final Four. The field in 2025 includes three no. 1 seeds—UCLA, South Carolina and Texas—plus no. 2 seed UConn, which upset a no. 1 seed (USC) in the last regional final on Monday.

Tampa tops the ranks, too, as this tournament marks the fourth time hosting for the city, the most of any community in the U.S. During a late-February press conference and pep rally at Sparkman Wharf, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was already feeling like a winner.

“We happen to be the only city in Florida that has hosted this event. Please try to keep that quiet when you’re talking to other cities, because they’re going to want to get what we have,” she joked before moving on to mention her own playing days at the University of Tampa where she scored 1,055 points and raked in 508 rebounds during a four-year career. She also played volleyball at UT, and fired off another quip: “I am a product of Title IX. That’s how old I am.”

Title IX is a federal civil rights law that was enacted in 1972; it says “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

The law also applies in other areas of education (financial aid, admissions) and in the context of sexual harassment and violence, too. In sports, Title IX led to a dramatic increase in resources and participation for women’s sports. In short, the law advanced the very idea of equality—a word and concept that’s been somewhat taboo as President Trump’s second term upends the federal government.

At the Sparkman Wharf presser in February, Lynn Holzman treaded carefully around a question about how much the tournament would tiptoe around equality.
Holzman, Vice President for NCAA Women’s Basketball, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the tournament at its core is a platform for teams to vie for a national title. Providing a safe platform for fans and players on the highest stage is a top priority, she said, adding that the NCAA is most committed to showcasing stories of the student-athletes, programs and coaches.

“Inherently, through those stories, you learn more about people as individuals,” Holzman said. “So what we’re committing to doing is making sure that we use our platform in a way that really showcases what a tremendous time March Madness is.”

Meg Aronowitz, ESPN Senior Vice President of Production, was just as cautious in her comments, lauding her team’s commitment to celebrate the tournament and its athletes, adding, “It’s going to be about sports and athletics and these young women that have made it to the highest level, and those are the stories we’re going to focus on.”

And even if you don’t have a ticket to the games (which last year drew more viewers than the men’s tournament), there’ll be plenty of activities to focus on in this week, from a free GloRilla concert to the “Tourney Town” fan festival, and more. Have a look at a quick guide below.

The 2025 Women’s Final Four marks the fourth time hosting for the city, the most of any community in the U.S. Credit: c/o Crackerjack Media

Tourney Town

This free fan festival runs all weekend with pep rallies, bands, cheer squads, mascots and merch inside the Tampa Convention Center. An inaugural sensory room will be available to provide a calm and relaxing environment for anyone who needs it, especially those with sensory processing disorders and disabilities. Also happening at Tourney Town is Beyond the Baseline, a professional development series that includes networking opportunities and speakers for women. The party continues outside at Cotanchobee Park across the street, where there will be food and beverages, music, games, and photo opps. See ncaa.com/womens-final-four/events for hours. Thursday-Sunday, April 3-6. No cover. Tampa Convention Center, 333 S Franklin Street, Tampa. ncaa.com

Bounce

Thousands of young fans (18 and under) will dribble in a bouncy parade from Curtis Hixon Waterfron Park, through the Tampa Riverwalk and into Tourney Town at the convention center. The first 3,000 to register online get a free T-shirt and basketball. Saturday, April 5. Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N Ashley Dr., Tampa. No cover. Participant check in is required at 9 a.m. The parade starts at 11 a.m. Register to participate at runsignup.com

Super Saturday practice

Fans can watch the final two national championship teams get ready for Sunday’s big game at the week’s only open practice inside Amalie Arena. There will also be fan activities and sponsor swag. Saturday, April 5. 1 p.m. Gates open at noon. No cover. Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa. ncaa.com

Super Saturday concert

GloRilla will play a burtifurl free show after Saturday’s practice. The three-time Grammy nominee and Memphis native plays after a set from Miami’s DJ ReRe. The AT&T Fast Lane gives users expedited entry with one guest. Customers should be ready to verify on their phone that AT&T is their wireless provider or show an AT&T Fiber bill. Saturday, April 5. Gates open at 6 p.m. The show runs from 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m. No cover. Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N Ashley Dr., Tampa. cltampa.com

Thunder Alley

Before Friday and Sunday’s games, ticket holders can check out the ESPN set, fan activations and purchase food and beverages. The plaza outside Amalie Arena also be the spot to watch the red carpet arrivals of the final two teams before the last match. Friday, April 4 (10 a.m.) and Sunday, April 6 (11 a.m.) No cover, for ticket holders only

Readers are invited to submit their own events to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s things to do calendar.

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