Kristian Ferrell
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual, open-application, single-elimination basketball tournament played across the U.S. each summer since 2014. The tournament features a 64-team field, with the exception of its first edition, which had 97 teams. The winner of the tournament receives a cash prize, which was originally $500,000 in 2014, before increasing to $1 million in 2015, and $2 million from 2016 to 2019. Since 2020, the top prize has reverted to $1 million.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Tournament | The Basketball Tournament (TBT) |
| Prize Money | $2 million |
| Year | 2018 |
| Founder | Jon/Jonathan Mugar |
| Format | Single-elimination tournament |
| Number of Teams | 64 |
| Notable Teams | Overseas Elite, Scarlet & Gray, Team Fredette, Boeheim's Army |
| Notable Players | Errick McCollum, Kyle Fogg, Jimmer Fredette, Greg Oden, Hakim Warrick, Jason Williams |
| Host Cities | Baltimore, Wichita, Houston, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Dayton, Lexington, Louisville, Pittsburgh |
| Dates | Semifinals and Championship: August 1 and 3 |
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What You'll Learn
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) history
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual open-invitation, single-elimination basketball tournament held in the United States. It was founded in 2014 by real estate developer and TV producer Jonathan Mugar, and as of 2024, the tournament is televised in the U.S. on Fox and its sister network Fox Sports 1 (FS1).
The tournament features a cash prize for the winning team, with the amount varying over the years. In its inaugural year, the prize was $500,000, which increased to $1 million in 2015. From 2016 through 2019, the prize money doubled to $2 million. Since 2020, the top prize has been $1 million. The number of participating teams has also varied, ranging from 24 to 97 teams, but in recent years it has typically featured a 64-team field.
The tournament has attracted current and former NBA players, including Hakim Warrick, Jason Williams, Dahntay Jones, Mike Bibby, Royal Ivey, Matt Bonner, Jimmer Fredette, and Brian Scalabrine. Former WNBA player Nikki Teasley also participated in the 2014 tournament. In addition, many teams feature professional players reuniting under their former college or university names. TBT has also received fan support from active NBA players like Kyle Lowry and Obi Toppin.
The first TBT championship in 2014 was won by the Notre Dame Fighting Alumni, who defeated Team Barstool 72-68. The MVP of the game was Tyrone Nash, a former Fighting Irish player. The following year, Overseas Elite claimed the title, defeating Team 23 67-65. In 2016, Overseas Elite successfully defended their title, beating Team Colorado 77-72, with Arizona alumnus Kyle Fogg being named MVP. Overseas Elite continued their dominance by winning the next two tournaments, becoming three-time defending champions and earning a total of $5 million in prize money.
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Prize money breakdown
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is a single-elimination tournament played each summer in the United States. The tournament was founded in 2014 by real estate developer and TV producer Jonathan Mugar. The championship prize money was initially $500,000 in 2014, but it was increased to $1 million in 2015 and $2 million from 2016 through 2019. Since 2020, the top prize has been $1 million.
The prize money breakdown for the $2 million tournaments was as follows:
- In 2016, Overseas Elite defeated Team Colorado, 77–72, to claim the $2 million prize.
- In 2017, Overseas Elite beat Team Challenge ALS, 86-83, to become three-time TBT champions.
- In 2018, the $2 million prize was at stake in the winner-take-all championship game. Overseas Elite was the three-time defending champion, which had won $5 million in prize money.
The prize money breakdown for the $1 million tournaments was as follows:
- In 2014, the Notre Dame Fighting Alumni won $500,000.
- In 2015, Overseas Elite split $1 million.
- In 2022, the final was held on August 2, between Blue Collar U (Buffalo) and Autism Army. Blue Collar U won the game, 89–67.
- In 2024, the tournament had a $1 million purse going to the winners.
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Notable players and teams
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an open-invitation, single-elimination tournament played each summer in the United States. The tournament has attracted several notable players and teams over the years.
One of the most notable teams is Overseas Elite, a team composed of former college stars playing overseas. Overseas Elite was the two-time defending champion in 2017, having won the tournament in 2015 and 2016, and went on to become three-time defending champions in 2018 and four-time defending champions in 2019. The team's core players included Errick McCollum, the older brother of Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum; former St. John's standouts Paris Horne, Justin Burrell, and D.J. Kennedy; DeAndre Kane; Kyle Fogg, a former Arizona standout; Todd O'Brien; and Johndre Jefferson. In 2015, Overseas Elite split a $1 million prize, and in 2016, they took home $2 million.
Another notable team is the Notre Dame Fighting Alumni, who won the inaugural TBT championship in 2014, defeating Team Barstool 72-68. The team was represented by several former Fighting Irish players, including MVP Tyrone Nash, who donated their winnings to charity.
In terms of individual players, TBT has attracted a number of current and former NBA players, including Jimmer Fredette, a former BYU star; Hakim Warrick; Jason Williams; Dahntay Jones; Mike Bibby; Royal Ivey; Matt Bonner; Brian Scalabrine; and Brandon Davies, Fredette's former college teammate. Former WNBA player Nikki Teasley also participated in the 2014 tournament. Additionally, several NBA players have coached teams in the tournament, including Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, Wes Matthews, Darren Collison, and twins Markieff and Marcus Morris.
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Format and rules
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is a 64-team, single-elimination tournament played across eight regions in the US each summer since 2014. The number of teams playing in the tournament has varied since its establishment, ranging from 24 teams in 2020 to 97 teams in 2015. However, in recent years, it has typically featured a 64-team field.
The tournament is open to all applicants and teams are arranged by the general manager, sometimes based on which college basketball program the players competed for. Many teams feature professional players reunited under a former college or university name.
The format of the tournament is a single-elimination bracket, with one team from each region advancing to the quarterfinals. The semifinals and championship game are then played, with the winning team taking home the entire cash prize. The prize money for the tournament has varied over the years, starting at $500,000 in 2014 and increasing to $1 million in 2015. From 2016 through 2019, the prize doubled to $2 million. Since 2020, the top prize has returned to $1 million.
In addition to the overall winner-take-all purse, the tournament has included other prizes. For example, in 2019, each regional winner received 25% of its region's ticket proceeds. There are also prizes for the top 1,000 bracket entries submitted by fans that score the most points through their picks, starting at $4,000 for the winner.
The rules of the tournament are based on a modified version of the NCAA men's basketball rules. One notable difference is that games are played in 9-minute quarters instead of 20-minute halves. In 2018, TBT implemented a new format called the "Hybrid Duration Format," which aimed to create a more intense and exciting experience for fans and players by eliminating rushed offensive possessions and repeated fouling in the final minutes of a game.
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TBT's expansion to soccer
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual, single-elimination tournament that was founded by Jon Mugar in 2014. The tournament features a $2 million, winner-take-all prize and has been growing in popularity since its inception.
Now, TBT is looking to expand beyond basketball and tap into the massive global following of soccer. With the success of TBT and the increasing popularity of soccer in the United States, expanding into soccer is a natural next step.
Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-level professional soccer league in the United States, has experienced rapid expansion since its inception in 1993. Starting with 10 teams in 1996, MLS has added an average of one new team per season since 2005. The growth of MLS demonstrates the increasing appetite for soccer in the United States and presents a prime opportunity for TBT to expand into the sport.
TBT's expansion into soccer could follow a similar model to its basketball tournament, with a single-elimination format and a large, winner-take-all prize. This format would create an exciting, high-stakes tournament that would attract top talent and generate significant interest from fans and media alike.
To ensure the success of TBT's soccer expansion, it will be crucial to learn from the lessons of MLS and other professional soccer leagues. Careful planning and strategic franchise placement will be essential to avoid the rapid over-expansion and poor franchise placement that led to the collapse of the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1985.
By leveraging the proven TBT model, tapping into the growing popularity of soccer in the United States, and carefully planning its expansion, TBT's foray into soccer has the potential to be a major success, attracting new fans, players, and sponsors to the tournament.
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Frequently asked questions
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is a single-elimination tournament played each summer in the United States. The tournament was founded in 2014 by Jonathan Mugar and the prize money for the winning team was 2 million dollars from 2016 through 2019.
The number of teams playing in the tournament has varied since its establishment, ranging from 24 teams in 2020 to 97 teams in 2015. In recent years, it has settled into a 64-team field.
TBT is an open-invitation tournament with teams arranged by the general manager, sometimes based on which college basketball program the players competed for. Many teams feature professional players reunited under a former college or university name.
TBT uses a modified version of NCAA men's basketball rules. Games are played in 9-minute quarters instead of 20-minute halves.
Previous TBT champions include college alumni teams from Notre Dame, Syracuse, Marquette, Ohio State, and the University of Buffalo. Overseas Elite, which featured CJ McCollum's brother Errick, was a four-time defending champion from 2015-2018.
