GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES VICTORY PARADE AND RALLY HONORING UCONN MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULED FOR THIS SATURDAY IN HARTFORD
April 9, 2024 | (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the State of Connecticut, the City of Hartford, and the Hartford Business Improvement District will host a victory parade and rally in downtown Hartford on Saturday, April 13, 2024, to congratulate the UConn men’s basketball team for winning the 2024 NCAA National Championship.
UConn won its sixth men’s basketball national title last night after a 75-60 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. and will step off at the State Capitol building at the intersection of Trinity Street and Elm Street. From there, it will proceed north on Trinity Street, go through the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, turn right (east) onto Jewell Street, turn left (north) onto Trumbull Street, and end at the intersection of Asylum Street and Trumbull Street.
The rally will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. and will be held outside of the main entrance of the XL Center on Trumbull Street, where the players, coaches, and other guests will be invited to give speeches.
“For the second year in a row, the UConn men’s basketball team wowed the nation by dominating the NCAA tournament, and now it’s time for Connecticut to give them the victory celebration they deserve,” Governor Lamont said. “I urge basketball fans from all over Connecticut to come to Hartford on Saturday morning and show the Huskies how much this team means to our state and how proud we are of their accomplishments.”
Sponsorship opportunities
Parade and rally organizers are relying on private donations and business sponsorships to finance the event. No state or city funding is used.
As in previous years, this 2024 event is produced by the Hartford Business Improvement District in collaboration with the State of Connecticut and City of Hartford, as well as a number of civic and business organizations.
To sponsor the event, businesses may choose from several sponsorship levels ranging from $10,000 to $2,500 or less. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact Chip McCabe at the Hartford Business Improvement District as soon as possible at 860-770-0788 or cmccabe@hartfordbid.com.
Media credentials
Media credentials will be required to access the press risers (including a mult box) on Trumbull Street outside of the XL Center and to enter the XL Center for interviews with the coaches, players, and staff following the rally.
All media credential requests must be made via email by this Friday, April 12, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. To request credentials, email Bill Peterson of the UConn Athletic Communications Office at william.peterson@uconn.edu.
Once approved, credentials should be picked up on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the press risers on Trumbull Street, across the street from the XL Center entrance. The credential pick-up contact is Laura Soll at 860-688-4499 (office), 860-833-4466 (cell), or laura@sollpr.com.
For information on media staging on downtown city streets, contact Lieutenant Paul Cicero of the Hartford Police at 860-757-4179 (office) or 860-969-7164 (cell) or paul.cicero@hartford.gov.