OU Mens BB Chooses College Basketball Crown in Vegas 1-5 Apr

There’s a $500K NIL prize too. I could see this grow and replace NIT someday. Vegas is a great place to grow it.

Nebraska won it last year in inaugural season

“With an NIL prize pool of $500,000 raising the stakes for every game, the College Basketball Crown provides fans with more elite competition and compelling storylines during the most exciting time of the year”

Two-time All-American and NBA veteran Jim Jackson calls the action throughout the entire tournament, pairing with FOX Sports’ lead college basketball announcer Gus Johnson for the semifinals and championship matchup on FOX, with play-by-play announcer Tim Brando on the call for the quarterfinals on FS1. Allison Williams serves as sideline reporter for the quarterfinals, while Kristina Pink joins for the semifinals and championship.

The studio team provides bridge show, pregame, and postgame coverage throughout the tournament. FOX Sports’ studio coverage is anchored by hosts Mike Hill and Rob Stone, with insight and analysis from LaPhonso Ellis, Casey Jacobsen and Donny Marshall.

Launched by FOX Sports and AEG, the College Basketball Crown is a premier postseason college basketball tournament which debuted in March 2025 in Las Vegas at MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena. Featuring eight elite teams from the Big Ten, Big 12, BIG EAST, and additional at-large participants, the tournament offers a highly competitive postseason opportunity for student-athletes and fans alike. Key partners of the College Basketball Crown include:

Vivid Seats – Founding Partner; Official Ticketing Provider

GHOST® – Founding Partner; Official Energy Drink and Hydration Partner

JSX – Founding Partner; Official Air Carrier

Circa Resort & Casino – Founding Partner; Official Host Hotel of the Referees

MGM Resorts International – Official Team Host Hotel

Mercury Insurance – Official Insurance Partner

Spectrum – Official Cable & Internet Partner

Business Wire Article LINK

This makes me sad at how far the NIT has fallen. This tournament looks legitimately more compelling.

That’s interesting. So it’s the premium class NIT.

Why not? Sounds like a good idea.

Agree. And I should add, some of the games are on Fox which is a major network. The others on FS1 which most have.

Its a small enough event with only 8 teams yet Vegas can make it big. This will be its 2nd year.

And the players wanted to go there vice NIT. I imagine its a lot funner than any other city that NIT ends up with. You know at most you play 3 games so its not a grind.

I’m not even sure where NIT is telecast. Having this on 1-5 April is good too. By then fans are down to way less teams to watch in NCAA so you are not competing with so many other college schools for viewers like this coming weekend and next.

NIT isn’t in MSG anymore

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Seems like a good alternative to the NIT, reality is myself and the majority of America won't pay a lick of attention to it, same as the NIT, because it's Big Dance season.

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The charm is its not head to head with NCAA.

The NCAA final is 6 Apr. this one is 5th. They will be in the same timeframe yet won’t go head to head. And all the big weeks like this one and next week will be over

So its not going to get lost in the March Madness, and has a nice niche date wise.