Andrew Pace
The basketball championship season varies depending on the league. The 2024-25 NBA season began on October 22, 2024, with the regular season starting on the same day. The NBA G League Draft took place on October 26, 2024, and the NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament began on November 8, 2024. The 2025 March Madness Men's NCAA basketball tournament, on the other hand, is scheduled for April 5 and 7, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the championship | NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament |
| Other names | March Madness, The Big Dance |
| Number of teams | 68 |
| Format | Single-elimination tournament |
| Location | United States |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Month | March |
| Year of commencement | 1939 |
| Venues | Large indoor football stadiums |
| Selection Sunday | 6 p.m. ET Sunday, March 16, 2025 |
| Final Four | Saturday, April 5, 2025 |
| Championship dates | April 5 & 7, 2025 |
| Championship venue | Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas |
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What You'll Learn
The 2024-25 NBA season
The season also witnessed the retirement of several notable players. On July 2, 2024, Kemba Walker announced his retirement from professional basketball, followed by Gordon Hayward on August 1, and Joe Harris on August 15. Derrick Rose also retired from the sport on September 26.
The 2024-25 season included some memorable team performances. On October 25, the Golden State Warriors made history by becoming the first team to open their season with two consecutive wins by at least 35 points. The Cleveland Cavaliers went on a remarkable 15-game winning streak, which was eventually snapped by the Boston Celtics on November 19. On November 8, the Cavaliers achieved another feat by becoming the first team in NBA history to win their first ten games while scoring a minimum of 110 points.
The NBA also saw changes in broadcasting rights and agreements. Diamond Sports Group, facing bankruptcy, signed a long-term deal with 13 NBA teams, agreeing to broadcast their games through at least the 2024-25 season. The Portland Trail Blazers and Root Sports mutually ended their television agreement, with the Trail Blazers signing a new deal with the Sinclair Broadcast Group. The Chicago Bulls, along with other Chicago-based sports franchises, launched the Chicago Sports Network, replacing their previous regional broadcaster.
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2025 March Madness
The 2025 March Madness, also known as the 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, is the 86th annual edition of the tournament. It began on March 18, 2025, and will conclude on April 7 with the national championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The tournament features 68 teams out of 355 eligible Division I teams. The teams compete in a single-elimination format to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's college basketball national champion for the 2024–25 season. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) broke records with 14 out of 16 teams qualifying for the tournament. Meanwhile, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) saw historic lows, with only Duke making it past the first round.
The Final Four teams for the 2025 tournament are Florida, Duke, Houston, and Auburn—all of which are #1 seeds. This is only the second time in tournament history that all four #1 seeds have made it to the Final Four, the first being in 2008, which was also played in San Antonio. The championship game will see a matchup between Florida and Houston, with Florida ultimately winning the national championship.
The March Madness app and websites like CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV provide coverage of the games, with some requiring subscriptions or authentication. The March Madness app also offers Fast Break, a feature that provides whip-around coverage of games, similar to NFL RedZone, during the first weekend of the tournament.
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Men's DI college basketball championship
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, often referred to as the national championship of college basketball, is an annual tournament that has taken place every year since 1939, except for 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament features the top level of play in the NCAA, with 68 teams taking part since 2011.
The semifinals of the tournament are known as the Final Four and are held in a different city each year. The host city of the Final Four alternates annually, with Indianapolis, the city where the NCAA is based, hosting the event every five years until 2040. The 2025 Men's DI College Basketball Championship will take place on April 5 and 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The winner of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship is typically regarded as the national champion of college basketball by the media. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been the most successful college in the tournament, having won 11 national titles.
It is important to note that the result of the 2013 championship, won by Louisville, was later vacated by the NCAA due to rules violations. This was the first occurrence of a men's basketball national title being vacated, and it happened again in 2020 when no official winner was declared.
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Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dedicated to Canadian-American physician James Naismith, who invented basketball in Springfield, the Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 1959 and opened its first facility in 1968. The Hall is dedicated to promoting and preserving the history of basketball and serves as the sport's most complete library.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend is an annual event that celebrates the Hall of Fame's newest inductees. The Class of 2023 Enshrinement Weekend took place from August 11 to 12, 2023, in Springfield, Massachusetts. The event included the Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala at Mohegan Sun on August 11, followed by the Enshrinement Ceremony on August 12. The Enshrinement Ceremony was televised on NBA TV and included the unveiling of the Class of 2023 rings and the presentation of the Hall of Fame jackets.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame also presents several awards each year in conjunction with the Final Four of the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments. These awards recognize the top players in Division I at each of the five standard basketball positions. The awards for men include the Bob Cousy Award for the top point guard, the Jerry West Award for the top shooting guard, the Julius Erving Award for the top small forward, the Karl Malone Award for the top power forward, and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award for the top center.
The Hall, in cooperation with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, also presents analogous awards for the top Division I women's players at each position. These awards include the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award for the top shooting guard, the Cheryl Miller Award for the top small forward, the Katrina McClain Award for the top power forward, and the Lisa Leslie Award for the top center.
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NBA preseason
The NBA preseason is an important part of the NBA calendar, allowing teams to prepare for the upcoming regular season. It is a time for teams to evaluate their rosters, try out new strategies, and work on improving their performance before the official games begin.
For the 2024-25 season, the NBA preseason will kick off on October 4, with games taking place across North America and beyond. On this date, the Celtics will take on the Nuggets in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as part of the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024, while the Toronto Raptors will face the Washington Wizards in Montreal, Canada, as part of the NBA Canada Series.
The preseason schedule continues with a packed calendar of games and events. On October 6, the NBA will host the Abu Dhabi Games and the Canada Series once again. The following days will see the start of the WNBA Finals, with Game 1 taking place on October 10 and Game 2 on October 13. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend will also be held on these dates in Springfield, MA.
The preseason continues with more WNBA Finals games on October 16 and 18, with the NBA preseason ending on the latter date. The WNBA Finals Game 5 will take place on October 20. October 21 is NBA Jersey Day, and also the day rosters are set for the NBA Opening Day. The 2024-25 NBA regular season will tip off on October 22, with the Kia NBA Tip-Off 2024 running until October 26.
The preseason is a crucial period for teams to gel, implement tactics, and make any necessary roster adjustments before the competitive regular season gets underway. It offers fans an early glimpse of their favourite teams and players, building excitement for the upcoming NBA campaign.
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Frequently asked questions
The 2024-25 NBA season starts on October 22, 2024.
The NBA Finals usually take place in June.
The 2025 March Madness tournament will take place in April.
The NBA preseason ends in the middle of October.
The NBA All-Star game usually takes place in February.
