New York (June 3, 2025) – The BIG EAST Conference, one of the nation’s preeminent intercollegiate athletic leagues, announced today it has signed a lease agreement with Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) to move its conference office headquarters to a new 7,882-square-foot office in the legendary Empire State Building, the “World’s Most Famous Building.” This relocation further anchors the conference in the city that has been at the core of its identity for over four decades.

“We are very excited to move to the Empire State Building, one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Our new headquarters will now be a few blocks from Madison Square Garden, where we have proudly held our men’s basketball tournament for the past 43 consecutive years, and will ensure access to all the benefits Midtown Manhattan has to offer. This move also strengthens our historic ties to New York City and further positions our conference at the center of the sports, business, and media worlds.” said Val Ackerman, BIG EAST Commissioner.

The conference office will relocate this fall from its current location at 655 Third Avenue, where it has resided for more than a decade. Empire State Realty Trust has a long history with the BIG EAST, partnering annually with the conference on lighting partnerships, fan meet & greets, and special promotions with schools’ mascots and spirit programs at the Empire State Building during the week of the BIG EAST Tournament.

The Empire State Building is a fully modernized landmark that offers newly built office space equipped with ESRT’s premier indoor environmental quality and sustainability measures. The building features more than 65,000 square feet of unmatched amenities which include eight in-building dining options; a tenant-only fitness center; conference center; and the Empire Lounge with a 400-person all-hands space, a variety of comfortable seating areas, phone booths for private communication, a basketball/pickleball court, and “ESRTees,” two golf simulators.

“Our outstanding annual partnership, unmatched location, and premier amenities led the BIG EAST Conference to choose the Empire State Building on their search for New York City office space,” said Ryan Kass, SVP, director of leasing at ESRT. “We are pleased to join our two iconic brands and provide the BIG EAST with a modernized headquarters at the Empire State Building.”

Andrew Sachs and Harry Singer of Newmark and Paul Polking and Michael Abramson of Proskauer represented the BIG EAST in the lease negotiations. Jordan Berger, Shanae Ursini, and Kerry Lavelle of ESRT represented the property owner.

More information about the Empire State Building, and current office availability, can be found online.

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About Big East Conference
The BIG EAST Conference is an association of 11 nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments.  The BIG EAST-sponsored athletic programs of our institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 3,800 student-athletes on over 200 men’s and women’s teams in 22 sports.  Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in eight of the country’s top 36 largest media markets and include Butler University, University of Connecticut, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University.  For more information, visit www.bigeast.com.

About Empire State Realty Trust 
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of well-leased, top of tier, modernized, amenitized, and well-located office, retail, and multifamily assets. ESRT’s flagship Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building,” features its iconic Observatory that was declared the #1 Attraction in the World – and the #1 Attraction in the U.S. for the third consecutive year – in Tripadvisor’s 2024 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do. The Company is a recognized leader in energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. As of March 31, 2025, ESRT’s portfolio is comprised of approximately 7.9 million rentable square feet of office space, 0.8 million rentable square feet of retail space and 732 residential units.  More information about Empire State Realty Trust can be found at esrtreit.com and by following ESRT on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.