Today is Selection Sunday and the TCU Horned Frogs will hear its name called for the 2nd consecutive season and the 3rd time in the Jamie Dixon era. Frog fans now turn attention to the bracket reveal where TCU will find where TCU will be seeded, its first-round opponent and opening round locations. I can confidently say that TCU will not get shipped off to Dayton for a First Four contest, so there are eight possible locations that the Selection Committee could send the Frogs. Let’s compare the destinations as we try to determine which would be the best place to watch the Frogs begin their March Madness journey. The 2023 slate is decidedly weaker than the 2022 slate, where the Frogs got sent to the clear #1 choice San Diego. This season there is not as obvious a slam dunk obvious top draft pick destination, which makes the ranking even more difficult as there are still plenty of solid destinations

NOTE: All dollar figures are from prior to Selection Sunday, once the teams are known prices are likely to fluctuate greatly. Airfare is per Google, ticket price is per StubHub.

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8. Albany, NY

• Venue: MVP Arena
• Game Dates:March 17 & 19
• Driving Distance from TCU: 1,685 miles
• Roundtrip Airfare from DFW: $706
• Min. Full-Session Ticket: $360
• Forecasted High Temp: 41°
• Signature Dish: Cider Belly Doughnuts
• Sight to See: Hudson River Cruise
• Add-on Event: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Tue. Mar. 14
• Potential 2nd Round Opponent: UConn Huskies, Maryland Terrapins

Why does Upstate New York keep being granted NCAA Tournament games? Last season had Buffalo hosting and now the Empire State’s Capitol earned hosting duties in 2023. I’m sure Albany is a lovely spot, but look, someone has to be ranked last and this one comes pretty easy: it’s far, it’s cold, and never once have I heard someone say “I’m spending Spring Break in Albany” with a smile on their face.

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7. Des Moines, IA

• Venue: Wells Fargo Arena
• Game Dates: March 16 & 18
• Driving Distance from TCU: 747 miles
• Roundtrip Airfare from DFW: $542
• Min. Full-Session Ticket: $318
• Forecasted High Temp: 34°
• Signature Dish: Steak de Burgo - Latin King
• Sight to See: Papajohn Sculpture Park
• Add-on Event: Pink Floyd - Sun. Mar. 19
• Potential 2nd Round Opponent: Creighton Bluejays, Marquette Golden Eagles

Shout out to our Cyclone & Hawkeye friends. I expect this venue to be rocking with fans: it’s possible that Kansas, Kentucky, Creighton, Marquette and at least one of the Iowa schools gets slotted to Des Moines, each bringing an army of basketball fanatics to a reasonably drivable locale. Des Moines gets the benefit of being significant closer than many of the other options, but again weather brings it down towards the bottom of the list.

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6. Columbus, OH

• Venue: Nationwide Arena
• Game Dates: March 17 & 19
• Driving Distance from TCU: 1,087 miles
• Roundtrip Airfare from DFW: $619
• Min. Full-Session Ticket: $257
• Forecasted High Temp: 52°
• Signature Dish: Johnny Marzetti - Tommy’s Diner
• Sight to See: Franklin Park Conservatory
• Add-on Event: Ohio State Baseball vs. Dayton Flyers - Mar. 17-19
• Potential 2nd Round Opponent: Xavier Musketeers, Indiana Hoosiers

Pros: reasonable weather, college town in major-ish city, reasonable cost to attend. Cons: Ohio State fans with nothing better to do than lurk around since the Buckeyes will not be in the Big Dance distance. The true highlight if the Frogs are sent to THE sixth best NCAA Tournament destination would be to have TCU fans flood Bill Davis Stadium - home field of Ohio State Baseball - in support of former TCU Assistant Bill Mosiello, now the Buckeyes’ Head Coach.

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5. Greensboro, NC

• Venue: Greensboro Coliseum
• Game Dates: March 17 & 19
• Driving Distance from TCU: 1,150 miles
• Roundtrip Airfare from DFW: $793
• Min. Full-Session Ticket: $225
• Forecasted High Temp: 64°
• Signature Dish: Chicken & Waffles - Dame’s
• Sight to See: Greensboro Science Center
• Add-on Event: Sarah Silverman - Sun. Mar. 19
• Potential 2nd Round Opponent: Duke Blue Devils, Virginia Cavaliers

While quite far and an expensive direct flight, proximity to Charlotte makes it an easy pivot for a much cheaper trip if willing to add a little bit of a drive. Being Jim Boeheim’s least favorite city is a check in the “Pro” column for Greensboro, but having just hosted the ACC Tournament, will the city still have enthusiasm for the Big Dance? I’m betting yes, the city loves hoops and put on a great show for the ACC, it’ll be even bigger next week. However the prospect of catching Duke in North Carolina in the 2nd Round is not very appealing.

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4. Birmingham, AL

• Venue: Legacy Arena
• Game Dates: March 16 & 18
• Driving Distance from TCU: 675 miles
• Roundtrip Airfare from DFW: $505
• Min. Full-Session Ticket: $383
• Forecasted High Temp: 68°
• Signature Dish: Stone Ground Baked Grits - Highland Bar & Grill
• Sight to See: Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
• Add-on Event: Third Eye Blind - Mon Mar. 13
• Potential 2nd Round Opponent: Auburn Tigers, Tennessee Vols

I find it unlikely that TCU will be headed to Birmingham, as the Magic City will likely be hosting 1-seeds Alabama and Houston and the Horned Frogs have moved beyond the 8/9 seeds that would be paired with those for a potential 2nd Round Matchup. However, it would be a great destination: history, good food, good weather, and the shortest travel from Fort Worth.

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3. Orlando, FL

• Venue: Amway Center
• Game Dates: March 16 & 18
• Driving Distance from TCU: 1,126 miles
• Roundtrip Airfare from DFW: $695
• Min. Full-Session Ticket: $250
• Forecasted High Temp: 82°
• Signature Dish: Conch Fritters at High Tide Harry’s
• Sight to See: Disney World
• Add-on Event: CONCACAF Champions League, Orlando City SC vs. Tigres UANL - Wed. Mar. 15
• Potential 2nd Round Opponent: Miami Hurricanes, Florida Atlantic Owls

This Top 3 was difficult to sort, I consider it to be a solid tier break from the above five destination and there is a case for each to be considered #1 overall. This would be higher on the list if the NWSL’s season was underway and we’d get a chance to see TCU’s Messiah Bright with the Orlando Pride, but they don’t have a home game until April 2. There is certainly plenty to do in the city when not watching the basketball, but with a capacity at 20,000, Amway Center may be a lifeless venue for enjoying the tournament.

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2. Sacramento, CA

• Venue: Golden 1 Center
• Game Dates: March 16 & 18
• Driving Distance from TCU: 1,705 miles
• Roundtrip Airfare from DFW: $754
• Min. Full-Session Ticket: $309
• Forecasted High Temp: 63°
• Signature Dish: Squeeze With Cheese - Squeeze Inn
• Sight to See: California State Capitol
• Add-on Event: Carrie Underwood - Tue. Mar. 14
• Potential 2nd Round Opponent: Saint Mary’s Gaels, San Diego State Aztecs

Will the Committee send the Frogs out West again this season? Sac Town is riding a basketball high, as the NBA’s Kings currently sit 2nd in the Western Conference standings and the city will be hyped to host the Tournament. Being the westernmost destination, there is inevitably some madness to occur while the rest of the country would’ve otherwise been asleep. With the Arena centrally located in the city-center, it’s ideal for hosting this event.

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1. Denver, CO

• Venue: Ball Arena
• Game Dates: March 17 & 19
• Driving Distance from TCU: 771 miles
• Roundtrip Airfare from DFW: $519
• Min. Full-Session Ticket: $325
• Forecasted High Temp: 58°
• Signature Dish: Rocky Mountain Oysters - Buckhorn Exchange
• Sight to See: Red Rocks Amphitheatre
• Add-on Event: Blackhawks at Avalanche - Mon. Mar. 20
• Potential 2nd Round Opponent: Arizona Wildcats, Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Mile High City loves to tout how it gets more hours of sunshine than San Diego, a walkable downtown filled with nightlife and restaurants, and of course the scenic mountain backdrop. The arena location itself is perhaps not as ideal as Sacramento’s, but being over 900 miles closer to Fort Worth is a major advantage, with multiple airlines offering direct flights from DFW, it is simply an easier destination to visit for Frog fans.

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Wherever the Frogs are dancing will be the best destination. Find out where TCU will be headed and who it will be playing during the Selection Sunday broadcast March 12 at 5:00 PM on CBS. Once the bracket is revealed, get your travel booked to follow TCU on its Tournament journey.