Local organizers and businesses want to make sure the First Four, the opening round of the Division I men’s basketball tournament, can call Dayton home in 2016 — and beyond. The First Four will be in Dayton through at least 2015.

Last October, the University of Dayton Arena announced that the ticket allotment for the First Four was sold out. That sell out largely was because the First Four Local Organizing Committee and its partners bought 6,000 tickets for each night.

Those tickets were given back to the community — a move organizers say was to showcase the enthusiasm of the community for the games. About 12,700 tickets were sold for each night.

“We want to create the best possible atmosphere in UD Arena to show a national audience why Dayton, Ohio, should be the kickoff to March Madness every single year,” said Matt Farrell, a member of the LOC.

Between 70 to 80 businesses were part of the ticket purchasing and distribution, Farrell said.

The official attendance for Tuesday night’s games was 12,027. In 2011, both First Four sessions drew more than 10,000 fans. Last year, it dipped to 8,510 the first day and 7,218 the second day.

North Carolina A&T and Liberty faced off in Tuesday’s first game, followed by Middle Tennessee and Saint Mary’s. At 6:40 p.m. today, LIU Brooklyn will take on James Madison, followed by Boise State and La Salle.

“Dayton is a basketball town and it continues to keep growing that way,” said Matt Zolman, project manager for Real Art Design Group. “This is very important for vitalization and the growth of the region. We try to do our best to make Dayton shine, not only regionally but nationally.”

Farrell said more than 1,200 tickets for each night were given to members of the Air Force. Hundreds of other tickets were handed out during Sunday’s Hoopla Challenge at Chaminade-Julienne High School and were given: to the Salvation Army youth basketball program and other organizations and given away in an online sweepstakes.

Farrell said that if the local businesses weren’t able to use the tickets they purchased, “they put them in the hands of somebody who could use them.” Farrell said 40 to 60 tickets were donated back to the LOC to give away.

Laura Elking, marketing and media manager for the Heidelberg Distributing Company, said the company and Anheuser-Busch bought about $15,000 worth of tickets — about 500 each night. Half of them were given to the Air Force, and others were distributed at company promotions or to customers.

“We like to support the community as much as possible,” Elking said. “We didn’t want to miss an opportunity to support the event. We want to keep it coming here as long as possible. It’s great for Dayton.”

Courtney Deutsch, special events manager with the Downtown Dayton Partnership, said the organization purchased a large number of tickets and distributed them to downtown business owners and last year’s festival committee.

“This is an economic driver and just a feel-good for the city,” Deutsch said.

Farrell said the LOC has not decided whether to approach next year’s First Four in the same way for ticket purchases and distribution. Planning for next year will begin after this week is over, he said.

“Every year is a little different,” Farrell said. “This year, the LOC believed that the First Four would be the area we’d have the biggest impact. There aren’t many communities or regions in this country that would sell out an arena for eight teams that have no ties to Dayton, Ohio.”