Fox Sports, AEG To Host 16-Team College Basketball Postseason Tournament In 2025
A new postseason college basketball tournament will hit the floor next year.
Fox Sports and AEG announced Wednesday that the College Basketball Crown will tip-off on March 31, 2025, and run through April 6, 2025, in Las Vegas at the end of next season. The games will take place at the MGM Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena.
Teams that didn’t make the field of 68 for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will be eligible to qualify. The Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East Conferences will each have automatic entries into the 16-team tournament with additional teams being selected by a committee.
PROVIDENCE, RI - MARCH 19: A general view of the Big East logo on the court during the first round game of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) between the Boston College Eagles and the Providence College Friars on March 19, 2024 at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East games are routinely seen on Fox programming.
"Postseason college basketball is one of the most exciting times of year and Fox Sports is proud to be at the forefront of efforts to evolve and elevate the sport," said Jason Bazant, Fox Sports EVP.
"Alongside AEG and the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East, we are thrilled to provide more opportunities for student-athletes to compete in high quality postseason college hoops and for viewers to enjoy the chase for the College Basketball Crown."
EVANSVILLE, IN - MARCH 30: A NCAA Official Game Ball logo is seen on a basketball before the NCAA Division II National Championship Basketball game between the Minnesota State Mavericks and the Nova Southeastern Sharks on March 30, 2024, at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The College Basketball Crown is expected to be the closest competitor to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) – the oldest major postseason tournament in college basketball.
The College Basketball Invitational and the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament are among the others.
Fox Corp. is the owner of OutKick.