NCAA, New Orleans gearing up for a more normal Final Four

By BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Expect the NCAA Men’s Final Four to have a more familiar look and feel to it this spring. And that’s not just because it’ll be in New Orleans for a record sixth time. A capacity crowd of about 70,000 is expected in the Superdome. The free, open Friday practices and the college All-Star game are back on the schedule. So are the sprawling Fan Fest and March Madness Music Festival. The National Association of Basketball Coaches convention that is traditionally held in conjunction with the Final Four also remains on track to take place as an in-person event for the first time since 2019.