March Madness 2025, when does March Madness start, when is March Madness 2025

In this article, we will acknowledge – “When is March Madness 2025” and other details including key dates, schedules and where to watch.

March Madness is a big and exciting basketball event that happens every year.

It brings together 68 of the best college teams to compete in a tournament where losing means you’re out.

The games are full of last-second shots, surprise wins, and big upsets, making fans excited and nervous throughout the month of March.

The 2025 NCAA Tournament will be very exciting, with strong teams and new talented players competing to win the championship.

When is March Madness 2025?

The 2025 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments will take place in March and April, following the tradition of past tournaments. Here are the key dates:

Men’s March Madness 2025: Key Dates

Selection Sunday

March 16, 2025

First Four

March 18-19, 2025

First Round

March 20-21, 2025

Second Round

March 22-23, 2025

Sweet 16

March 27-28, 2025

Elite Eight

March 29-30, 2025

Final Four

April 5, 2025

National Championship

April 7, 2025


Women’s March Madness 2025: Key Dates

Selection Sunday

March 16, 2025

First Four

March 19-20, 2025

First Round

March 21-22, 2025

Second Round

March 23-24, 2025

Sweet 16

March 28-29, 2025

Elite Eight

March 30-31, 2025

Final Four

April 4, 2025

National Championship

April 6, 2025


Both tournaments will begin with Selection Sunday on March 16, when the brackets are revealed, and will end with the championship games in early April.

March Madness 2025 Schedule

The NCAA tournament is a “win or go home” competition. If a team loses, they are out of the tournament. So after knowing – When is March Madness 2025, here’s how it works:

How Does the Tournament Work?

  • First Four: 8 teams play, and 4 winners move into the main 64-team bracket.
  • First & Second Rounds: All teams play, and the number of teams gets reduced to 16.
  • Sweet 16 & Elite Eight: The best teams compete to make it to the Final Four.
  • Final Four & Championship: The last four teams play. The two winners then compete in the final game to decide the national champion.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of each stage of the NCAA tournament in simple terms:

a.

First Four

  • Before the main tournament starts, 8 teams play in 4 games.
  • The 4 winners get to join the main bracket, making it a total of 64 teams.
  • These games help decide which lower-ranked teams get a chance to compete.
b.

First & Second Rounds

  • In the first round, all 64 teams play (32 games). The winners move on, cutting the field to 32 teams.
  • In the second round, those 32 teams play again (16 games). The winners advance to the Sweet 16 (only 16 teams left).
c.

Sweet 16 & Elite Eight

  • The Sweet 16 round means only 16 teams are left, and they play 8 games. The winners move to the Elite Eight (8 teams left).
  • In the Elite Eight, the remaining teams battle for a spot in the Final Four. Only 4 teams survive.
d.

Final Four & Championship

  • The Final Four is the semifinal round—4 teams compete, and the 2 winners move to the final game.
  • In the Championship Game, the last two teams face off. The winner becomes the national champion.

March Madness 2025 Bracket

The March Madness bracket is like a big chart that shows all the basketball games in the tournament, starting from the first round all the way to the final game.

Fans enjoy guessing which teams will win and writing their predictions on their brackets.

Many people join fun competitions at work or online to see who can predict the most winners correctly.

March Madness 2025 bracket

Where to Get the Official 2025 Bracket?

  • The official printable bracket will be available on NCAA.com after Selection Sunday.
  • Sports websites like ESPN, CBS Sports, and Yahoo Sports will also offer interactive brackets.

How to Fill Out a Winning Bracket

1.

Check Past Results

  • Teams that have a history of winning in tournaments often continue to do well.
  • Schools with strong basketball programs (like Duke, Kansas, or Kentucky) tend to perform well year after year.
  • While surprises happen, history can give you a good idea of which teams are usually strong.
2.

Watch for Surprise Teams (“Cinderella Teams”)

  • Every year, some lower-ranked teams (higher seed numbers) manage to beat stronger teams.
  • These unexpected wins are called “upsets.”
  • Look for teams that have been playing well late in the season or have star players who can make a difference.
3.

Don’t Take Too Many Risks

  • While upsets happen, choosing too many can hurt your bracket.
  • If you pick too many underdogs and they lose, your bracket will fall apart quickly.
  • A smart strategy is to pick a few upsets but mostly stick with strong, consistent teams.
4.

Pick Experienced Teams

  • Teams with older players (juniors and seniors) often do better under pressure.
  • Young teams with mostly freshmen and sophomores might struggle in big games.
  • Coaches with experience in tournaments also have an advantage because they know how to prepare their teams.

So, the key to a winning bracket is balancing smart picks with a few surprises, relying on past performance, and trusting teams with experience after having acknowledgment of, when is March Madness 2025.

Where to Watch March Madness 2025

Fans can watch March Madness live on TV or via streaming platforms.

TV Channels Broadcasting the Games

  • Men’s Tournament: CBS, TNT, TBS, truTV.
  • Women’s Tournament: ESPN, ABC, ESPN+.

Streaming Options

  • Paramount+ – Offers CBS games.
  • Hulu + Live TV– Includes CBS, TBS, TNT, and ESPN.
  • YouTube TV – Provides all major sports networks
  • ESPN+ – Exclusive coverage of some women’s tournament games

For mobile streaming, fans can use the NCAA March Madness Live app.

How to Get March Madness 2025 Tickets

If you want to watch the games live at the arena, you can buy tickets from:

  • NCAA’s official website at www.ncaa.com/tickets
  • Ticketmaster & StubHub, which are websites where people can resell tickets safely.
  • The venue’s box office, where you can buy tickets directly from the arena in the city hosting the game.

This means you have different options to get your tickets, whether from the official NCAA site, trusted resale platforms, or directly at the stadium.

Ticket Prices

First Four & Early Rounds

$50 – $200

Sweet 16 & Elite Eight

$150 – $500

Final Four & Championship

$300 – $2,500

March Madness 2025 Locations

The 2025 NCAA Tournament will take place across multiple cities.

Key Locations

  • First Four: Dayton, Ohio
  • First & Second Rounds: Various locations nationwide
  • Sweet 16 & Elite Eight: Regional sites (TBD)
  • Final Four & Championship: San Antonio, Texas (Alamodome)

The Alamodome last hosted the Final Four in 2018, making its return in 2025 exciting for basketball fans.

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History & Evolution of March Madness since 1939 & Seven Iconic Sport Moments

Conclusion

March Madness 2025 will be an exciting basketball tournament with close games, surprising wins, and a big championship battle. Whether you’re watching on TV, making your own predictions, or going to the games, this guide on – ‘When is March Madness 2025’ will help you keep up with all the action.

Don’t miss Selection Sunday on March 16, when the teams will be announced. Get ready for a month of exciting college basketball!