Parade And Rally Announced For UConn Men's Hoop Team

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont Tuesday 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 to congratulate the UConn men’s basketball team for winning the 2024 NCAA National Championship.

UConn won its sixth men’s basketball national title Monday night with a 75-60 victory over Purdue at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AR.

The parade is slated to begin at 11 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 about 11:30 a.m. and will be staged 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, Lamont said.

"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," 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.