A new postseason college basketball tournament called The College Basketball Crown is set to launch in 2025, promising to be a top alternative to the NCAA tournament and NIT. The tournament will feature 16 teams and partnerships with major conferences, Fox Sports, and AEG.
Taking place over a week in Las Vegas next April, The College Basketball Crown will include two automatic qualifiers from the Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East conferences that didn’t earn NCAA bids, along with 10 at-large teams chosen by a committee. All games will be broadcast on Fox or FS1, providing a national platform for the tournament.
Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman expressed excitement about the new tournament, seeing it as an innovative addition to the college basketball landscape. With support from Fox Sports, AEG, and event partners, the tournament aims to provide a high-quality postseason opportunity for coaches, players, and schools involved.
As The College Basketball Crown emerges, questions arise about the future of other March Madness alternatives like the NIT. The NCAA’s Dan Gavitt has suggested that the NIT’s viability could be in jeopardy as new tournaments enter the scene. The arrival of this new tournament with significant backing further adds to the competitive landscape of postseason college basketball.
