Kristian Ferrell
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual, open-invitation, single-elimination tournament played in the United States. Founded in 2014, the tournament features a cash prize for the winners, which was $2 million from 2016 to 2019, and has since been $1 million. The tournament has featured several current and former NBA players, including Hakim Warrick, Jason Williams, and Mike Bibby. TBT has also seen the participation of assembled alumni teams from some of college basketball's top programs. The tournament has been broadcast by ESPN and has grown to attract top talent from around the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | The Basketball Tournament (TBT) |
| Type | Single-elimination tournament |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location | United States |
| Participants | Former NBA players, assembled alumni teams from some of college basketball's top programs |
| Prize | Cash prize ($1 million in 2024) |
| Number of Teams | 64 teams (varied in previous years, as many as 97 teams in 2015 and as few as 24 teams in 2020) |
| Rules | Modified version of NCAA men's basketball rules with some exceptions, such as the adoption of the Elam Ending |
| Founding Year | 2014 |
| Founder | Real estate developer and TV producer Jonathan Mugar |
| Broadcasters | Fox, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), ESPN |
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What You'll Learn
History of the Tournament
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual, open-invitation, single-elimination tournament played in the summer across the United States. The tournament was founded in 2014 by real estate developer and TV producer Jonathan Mugar, and as of 2024, it is broadcast in the US on Fox and its sister network Fox Sports 1 (FS1).
The tournament features a cash prize for the winners, which was originally $500,000 in 2014, but this has increased over the years, with the prize money being $2 million from 2016 to 2019. Since 2020, the top prize has been $1 million. The prize money is awarded to the winning team's personnel. There are also prizes for the top 1,000 bracket entries submitted by fans, with the winner receiving $4,000. The number of teams participating in the tournament has varied, ranging from 24 teams in 2020 to as many as 97 teams in 2015. In recent years, the tournament 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. TBT has also featured assembled alumni teams from some of college basketball's top programs.
The inaugural TBT championship in 2014 was won by the Notre Dame Fighting Alumni, who defeated Team Barstool 72-68. The winning team, represented by former Fighting Irish players, donated the $40,000 prize to Coaches vs. Cancer. In 2015, Overseas Elite claimed the second annual TBT title, defeating Team 23, 67-65. Overseas Elite went on to become three-time TBT champions, repeating their victory in 2016 and 2017.
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Rules and Gameplay
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an open-invitation, single-elimination tournament played annually in the summer in the United States. The tournament features a cash prize, which has ranged from $500,000 to $2 million throughout its history, with the most recent tournament in 2024 featuring a $1 million purse. The number of teams has varied, but in recent years it has settled at 64 teams, divided into eight regions, with each regional winner advancing to the championship venue.
TBT uses a modified version of NCAA men's basketball rules. Games are played in 9-minute quarters instead of 20-minute halves. The only exception is that no player on either team may touch a shot that was in the air at the time the game clock expired for any quarter, even if it touched the rim, as long as it has a chance to enter the basket. Replay review is governed by NCAA rules, with one modification—any review allowed only in the last two minutes of a game under NCAA rules is allowed in TBT only if either team is within three points of the Elam Ending target score.
The Elam Ending is a rule change designed to preserve a more natural end-of-game finish. It calls for the game clock to be shut off in the fourth quarter. A Target Score is set by adding 8 points to the leading team's score (for example, if the score is 80-72, the Target Score is 88). The first team to reach the Target Score wins. This results in great defense and pure basketball possessions all the way through the end, as trailing teams are allowed to focus on getting stops rather than preventing the clock from running out.
Other general rules and regulations include:
- The home team is listed on the top of the left side of the schedule, wears light-colored jerseys, and sits to the left of the scorer's table.
- Teams warm up opposite their benches and shoot on that basket for the first half.
- The home team will keep the official scorebook for the game.
- A team must start the game with 5 players.
- Game time is forfeit time, except Friday night 6 pm games may have a 10-minute grace period.
- The size of the ball varies depending on the grade level of the players.
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Past Winners
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual, open-invitation, single-elimination tournament played in the United States, with a cash prize for the winners. The tournament was founded in 2014 by real estate developer and TV producer Jonathan Mugar, and the prize money has grown over the years, from $500,000 in 2014 to $1 million in 2024.
Since its establishment, several current and former NBA players have participated in TBT, including Hakim Warrick, Jason Williams, Dahntay Jones, Mike Bibby, Rudy Gay, Shaun Livingston, Chandler Parsons, and Austin Rivers. The 2018 tournament saw the basketball return of Greg Oden, who last played in the Chinese Basketball Association during the 2015-16 season.
While I cannot find a comprehensive list of past winners of TBT, here is a list of past winners of the NCAA men's basketball championship, also known as March Madness:
- UCLA has won an NCAA-record 11 men's basketball national championships (1964, 1965, 1967-1973, 1975, 1995).
- Kentucky (8 championships), North Carolina (6), and UConn (6) are the next most successful teams.
- In 1985, Villanova became the lowest-seeded team to win the championship, beating No. 1 seed Georgetown 66-64.
- Florida is the first team to win back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007, a feat not achieved since Duke in 1991 and 1992.
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Notable Participants
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) has featured several notable participants since its founding in 2014. The annual tournament, which offers a substantial cash prize to the winners, 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 edition.
TBT has also witnessed the basketball return of notable players, such as Greg Oden in 2018, who last played in the Chinese Basketball Association during the 2015-16 season. In addition to attracting professional players, TBT has seen the participation of assembled alumni teams from some of college basketball's top programs. For example, the 2014 inaugural championship was won by Notre Dame Fighting Alumni, represented by several former Fighting Irish players, including MVP Tyrone Nash.
The tournament has also had NBA players serve as boosters for different teams. In 2016, notable names such as John Wall, Kristaps Porzingis, Rudy Gay, Shaun Livingston, Chandler Parsons, and Austin Rivers boosted the tournament's profile. The following year, Carmelo Anthony acted as host for the tournament in Baltimore, where he played high school basketball.
As TBT gained popularity, it saw even more NBA involvement. In 2019, Chris Paul (Team CP3) and DeMarcus Cousins (Loyalty Is Love) entered teams, while Bobby Portis and Andre Drummond coached TBT sides. The tournament has also expanded its format, with 64 teams divided into eight regions, each vying for the substantial cash prize that has grown over the years.
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Broadcasting and Coverage
The broadcasting and coverage of the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, also known as March Madness, involve a variety of television networks and streaming platforms. The specific channels and platforms offering coverage may vary from year to year, but here is an overview of the broadcasting and coverage landscape:
Men's Tournament Broadcasting and Coverage:
The 2025 men's NCAA Basketball Tournament is primarily broadcast on CBS Sports and TNT Sports channels, with games televised on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. CBS and Turner Sports also feature Spanish play-by-play commentary in the United States. Additionally, every CBS game streams on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, while B/R Sports on Max carries the TBS, TNT, and truTV matches. Hulu + Live TV is another popular option, offering access to all tournament channels, including ESPN+ for extra college basketball coverage. Sling TV provides a more affordable option, although a digital antenna is required to watch games on ABC and CBS.
Women's Tournament Broadcasting and Coverage:
The women's tournament coverage in 2025 is primarily across ESPN platforms, including ESPN+ and ABC. ESPN has demonstrated a growing commitment to women's basketball coverage, signing an eight-year, $920 million media rights agreement with the NCAA. The decision to move the championship game from ESPN to ABC in 2023 contributed to the growing popularity of women's college basketball. Additionally, Hulu + Live TV provides access to all women's tournament channels, and Sling TV offers a more affordable option with a digital antenna for ABC and CBS games.
Historical Broadcasting Rights:
The broadcasting rights for the NCAA tournaments have evolved over the years. NBC Sports covered the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament from 1969 to 1981, becoming the first major network to broadcast the championship game. CBS then acquired the rights, and in 2011, they reached a 14-year, $10.8 billion agreement with Turner Broadcasting System for joint broadcast rights. This agreement included coverage on CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV, with streaming on Paramount+ or Max. ESPN International also acquired the rights for broadcast outside the United States as part of a $500 million agreement.
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Frequently asked questions
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an open-invitation, single-elimination tournament played each summer in the United States. It was founded in 2014 by real estate developer and TV producer Jonathan Mugar.
The number of teams has varied since its establishment, ranging from 24 teams in 2020 to as many as 97 teams in 2015. In recent years, the tournament has settled into a 64-team field.
The tournament uses a modified version of NCAA men's basketball rules. Games are played in 9-minute quarters instead of 20-minute halves. There is no overtime due to the adoption of the Elam Ending for all games. Additionally, no player on either team may touch a shot that is in the air at the time the game clock expires for any quarter, even if it has a chance to enter the basket.
The championship prize money was $500,000 in 2014, increased to $1 million in 2015, and was $2 million from 2016 to 2019. Since 2020, the top prize has been $1 million. The prize money goes to the winning team's personnel.
