What is the College Basketball Crown?
The College Basketball Crown (CBC), which debuted in 2025, is an exciting addition to the college basketball postseason. The Nebraska Cornhuskers captured last year's first-ever College Basketball Crown in a memorable championship run, beating the UCF Knights for the inaugural title. Founded by AEG and FOX Sports, the College Basketball Crown is an intense single-elimination eight-team tournament highlighting competitive postseason matchups from the biggest basketball conferences, providing fans with more elite competition and compelling storylines during the most exciting time of the year.
This 8-team tournament provides additional postseason opportunities for teams that didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament, giving players and fans more thrilling basketball action. The tournament will feature schools from the Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East conferences, with additional at-large participants.
|
When and Where is the College Basketball Crown?
The second annual College Basketball Crown will take place in Las Vegas from Wednesday, April 1 to Sunday, April 5. Games will be held at two iconic venues: the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the T-Mobile Arena. Both venues have welcomed college basketball games in the past, including the Pac-12 Conference men’s basketball tournament. With Las Vegas serving as the host city, fans can enjoy world-class entertainment, dining, and nightlife in addition to highly competitive college basketball.
How to Buy Tickets to the College Basketball Crown
Vivid Seats, a leading ticket marketplace, is the Official Ticketing Provider of the College Basketball Crown. Whether you’re looking for premium seats close to the action or affordable options to cheer on your favorite team, Vivid Seats is the exclusive home for tickets across all of the games in the College Basketball Crown. College Basketball Crown tickets start at $39 and are currently on sale only at Vivid Seats.
The best part about this new, turnkey end-to-end ticketing experience for sports fans? Vivid Seats rewards loyal fans with discounts, ticket upgrades, among many perks through the only rewards program in the industry, Vivid Seats Rewards. By allowing fans to earn loyalty rewards on every purchase that they can redeem towards free tickets, the program provides fans with the opportunity to attend more of their favorite games.
College Basketball Crown Schedule for 2026
Here’s a breakdown of the 2026 College Basketball Crown tournament schedule:
- Quarterfinals: Wednesday, April 1 to Thursday, April 2 (The MGM Grand Garden Arena)
- Semifinals: Saturday, April 4 (T-Mobile Arena)
- Championship: Sunday, April 5 (T-Mobile Arena)
How are Teams Selected?
Teams that do not secure a spot in the NCAA tournament will have a chance to compete in the College Basketball Crown. Each of the Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East conferences will receive two automatic entries into the tournament. The remaining 2 spots will be filled with at-large selections made by a committee that evaluates teams based on their performance during the regular season.
The selection process for the CBC will follow Selection Sunday for March Madness, which is scheduled for Sunday, March 15. Once the NCAA tournament bracket is revealed, the CBC will release its 8-team bracket shortly after.
What is the College Basketball Crown Bracket?
The 8-team bracket for the College Basketball Crown will feature teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East, with additional at-large participants. The following teams competed in the inaugural College Basketball Crown in 2025:
- Washington State Cougars
- Georgetown Hoyas
- Boise State Broncos
- George Washington Revolutionaries
- Oregon State Beavers
- Villanova Wildcats
- USC Trojans
- Arizona State Sun Devils
- Cincinnati Bearcats
- DePaul Blue Demons
- Butler Bulldogs
- Nebraska Cornhuskers
- UCF Knights
- Colorado Buffaloes
- Utah Utes
- Tulane Green Wave
Know Before You Go: Helpful Tips
- How to Access Your Tickets: Vivid Seats is the Official Ticketing Partner of the College Basketball Crown and your go-to source for tickets, from the first round to the championship. As the exclusive source for tickets to every game in the tournament, you must download the Vivid Seats app to access your tickets before arriving at the arena.
- Hotel Accommodations: Enjoy convenient hotel accommodations near the stadiums hosting the College Basketball Crown, including MGM Grand, New York-New York, and Park MGM, all offering easy access to the tournament action.
- Game Day Tips: Arrive early to enjoy pregame festivities in Toshiba Plaza. Before heading to the game, ensure you’re following the bag policies for the MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena, which typically allow only small clutches or clear bags that meet size requirements, with exceptions made for medically necessary items.
How to Watch the College Basketball Crown
The College Basketball Crown will be broadcast on FOX and FS1, ensuring fans across the country can catch all the action. Here’s a complete breakdown of the broadcast schedule by day:
Wednesday, April 1 - The MGM Grand Garden Arena
- Quarterfinal Game 1: TBA vs. TBA - 8 p.m. ET | FS1
- Quarterfinal Game 2: TBA vs. TBA - 10:30 p.m. ET | FS1
Thursday, April 2 - The MGM Grand Garden Arena
- Quarterfinal Game 3: TBA vs. TBA - 8 p.m. ET | FS1
- Quarterfinal Game 4: TBA vs. TBA - 10:30 p.m. ET | FS1
Saturday, April 4 - T-Mobile Arena
- Semifinal Game 1: TBA vs. TBA - 1:30 p.m. ET | FOX
- Semifinal Game 2: TBA vs. TBA - 4 p.m. ET | FOX
Sunday, April 5 - T-Mobile Arena
- Championship: TBA vs. TBA - 5:30 p.m. ET | FOX