In the 2021 NCAA Men’s Tournament, schools from the Big East, Big 12 and Big Ten have combined to earn 17 of the 68 bids, with an additional nine NIT bids. However, Fox Sports did not have the rights to broadcast any of the NCAA Tournament games, which are hosted by CBS and Warner Bros. Discover. Consequently, the network partnered with live event promoter AEG to introduce a new tournament, the College Basketball Crown.
Scheduled to take place in Las Vegas from March 31 to April 6, 2025, the College Basketball Crown aims to create an exciting men’s postseason tournament during the week leading up to the NCAA Final Four. This new tournament will join other postseason contests such as the National Invitational, the College Basketball Invitational and the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in attracting basketball fans.
The college basketball crown will consist of at least two teams from the Big East, Big 12 and Big Ten conferences, and the remaining spots in the 16-team field will be filled by the selection committee. Teams that do not qualify for the NCAA Tournament will also be eligible to participate, with Fox and FS1 set to televise the games.
Fox Sports Executive Vice President Jordan Bazant expressed his excitement for the new tournament, noting the opportunity to enhance the postseason basketball experience for both student-athletes and spectators. AEG Chief Revenue Officer Todd Goldstein echoed this sentiment, emphasizing
