The College Basketball Crown Announcement
The College Basketball Crown, a new postseason tournament for teams that miss out on the NCAA Tournament, will announce its 2026 bracket on March 16 at 5:30 p.m. ET, as reported by USA TODAY Sports. The highly anticipated reveal will be part of the FS1 program “First Things First,” featuring hosts Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes. In addition, Fox Sports analysts LaPhonso Ellis and Danny Perkins will provide insights during the announcement.
About the Tournament
Launched in 2025, the College Basketball Crown takes place in Las Vegas and aims to offer recognition and rewards to teams not participating in the NCAA Tournament, focusing on name, image, and likeness prizes. The inaugural tournament in 2025 comprised 16 teams, culminating in Nebraska’s triumph over Central Florida, which secured $300,000 for the victors while the runner-up received $100,000. Semifinal teams Boise State and Villanova each earned $50,000 for their performances.
2026 Tournament Structure
Following their success in the first edition, Nebraska’s momentum carried into the following season where they finished as runners-up in the Big Ten regular season. For 2026, the tournament will slim down to just eight teams, including the top two from the Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East conferences that fail to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, plus two wild card teams selected by the organizing committee. This structure aims to mitigate the disruption of teams withdrawing from postseason play after missing March Madness, thus reducing the risk of players entering the transfer portal and impacting roster stability.
Event Schedule
Fans can look forward to the bracket reveal just a day after the NCAA and NIT tournaments announce their fields on March 15. The schedule for the College Basketball Crown includes games played from April 1-5, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, airing on Fox and FS1. The event will feature quarterfinal matchups on April 1-2, semifinals on April 4, and the final on April 5.
Conclusion
This year’s announcement implies a thoughtful strategy to maintain competitive integrity and provide valuable tournament experiences for teams and players who might otherwise see their seasons abruptly end.
