Break out the basketball - it's March Madness!
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament will involve 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the men’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college basketball national champion for NCAA Division I men’s basketball season.
Here are some ideas to get your parties started!
How to party the right way!
- If your party is opening weekend, set up multiple screens with different games to capture the most of March Madness. You can also stream games live online, so make sure you have a strong Internet connection and plenty of moveable seats.
- Invite friends to wear jerseys or team-specific gear from their favorite college team. See which color dominates the party!
- With a big group of people, it’s likely some guests won’t know each other. Set up basketball-themed name tags for guests to wear and meet others. Add a fun twist by making people write in quotation marks what their basketball nickname would be.
Fun Things to Do
Each resident will pick up a bracket sheet and a pen or marker. Have the guests fill out the brackets before they arrive at the party, so you will be able to start the fun off with a basketball pool. Each guest should guess the winner of the game and score for each team.
- Make your own Jerseys! Set up plenty of plain white T-shirts and different colored fabric markers in an open area. Have fans design their own jerseys for their favorite team.
- Set up an open hoop outside, and see who can make the most free throws in 10 attempts. Award the winner a mini basketball trophy with a quirky name.
- Nothing releases game tension for a fan like a little exercise. See who can dribble a basketball the longest and have a contest! Can they do it through the whole Globetrotters theme song?
- During in-game commercials, vote on which commercial you think is funniest and predict which will receive the most votes. Winner gets a small prize!
- Team Pictionary – Make a list of all the teams that have competed in March Madness this year. On a blank whiteboard, try your best to draw a random team’s logo, and see who can guess which team it belongs to fastest!
Food and Drinks
- In front of the main table for food, set up colored tape on the ground to replicate the free throw line. Only here, no one is required to make a free throw to get some tasty food (unless you want to set up a toy hoop and make that a party rule).
- Buy or create your own Gatorade barrel, similar to ones used in basketball games. Fill it up with ice to have your very own beverage station. You probably won’t want to dump it out on the host if the home team wins, though!
- Bake or buy basketball-shaped treats to accompany your main dishes. Some ideas include basketball-topped cupcakes or hoop-designed doughnuts.
It wouldn't be a party without the MUSIC
YouTube Videos
Check out these great videos:
- The Official YouTube March Madness Channel – The Official YouTube page of March Madness and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament providing highlights, analysis and more
- The Best March Madness moments of all Time
- March Madness – Craziest Endings
- Want music? Here’s a Pump Up Playlist!
Conversation Starters for your 1-on-1s
These are great for conversations, or writing prompts!
- What was the best Basketball game you ever remember watching?
- What team uniforms do you think are the best looking?
- What mascot is your favorite? Where do you think it came from?
College & Basketball Themed Movies to Watch
- Like Mike (2002) | PG | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
- Teen Wolf (1985) | PG | Comedy, Fantasy, Teen romance
- Space Jam (2008) | PG | Animated, Adventure, Comedy
- Sunset Park (1996) | R | Drama, Sport
- Love & Basketball (2000) | PG-13 | Drama, Romance, Sport
- The Heart of the Game (2005) | PG-13 | Documentary, Sport
- The Way Back (2020) | R | Drama, Sport
- High Flying Bird (2019) | TV-MA | Drama, Sport
- Finding Forrester (2000) | PG-13 | Drama
- Air Bud (1997) | PG | Comedy, Fantasy, Animals, Family
- Fast Break (1976) | PG | Comedy, Sport
- Above the Rim (1994) | R | Crime, Drama, Sport
- White Men Can’t Jump (1992) | R | Sport, Comedy, Drama
- The Air Up There (1994) | PG | Comedy, Family, Sport
- Hoosiers (1996) | PG | Drama, Award-winner
- Semi Pro (2008) | R | Comedy, Sport
- The Hot Flashes (2013) | R | Comedy, Sport, Women
- The Winning Season (2009) | PG-13 | Comedy, Sport
- Coach Carter (2005) | PG-13 | Biography, Drama, Sport
- More Than A Game (2008) | PG | Documentary, Drama, Sport
- The Absent Minded Professor (1961) | G | Comedy, Fantasy, Family
- Hoop Dreams (1994) | PG-13 | Documentary, Drama, Sport
- The Other Dream Team (2012) PG | Documentary, Sport
Printable Products for March Madness
Check out printable products for this month!
