30 March Madness Party Ideas

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March Madness gets us excited to root for our college favorites each spring — or at least root for an underdog upset. While it might be hard to predict the perfect bracket, these ideas make it easy to plan a fun March Madness party. Swish!

Before Tip-Off

  1. Bracketology - Invite friends to a private online bracket — you'll have plenty of sites to choose from — and compete for the best bracket. Give small prizes during your party for categories such as overall winner or most upset picks.
  2. Send Custom Invites - Send customized basketball invites with SignUpGenius to collect RSVPs. Choose from hundreds of stock themes or design your own invitation for a custom look with your team's colors. Don't forget to ask friends to bring snacks if it's a potluck-style event.
  3. Booth Review - If your party is opening weekend, set up multiple screens with different games to capture the most of March Madness. You can also stream games live online, so make sure you have a strong Internet connection and plenty of moveable seats.
  4. College Colors - Invite friends to wear jerseys or team-specific gear from their favorite college team. See which color dominates the party!
  5. Name Tags - With a big group of people, it's likely some guests won't know each other. Set up basketball-themed name tags for guests to wear and meet others. Add a fun twist by making people write in quotation marks what their basketball nickname would be.
  6. Hoops-themed Playlist - While in-game audio is unquestionably a priority, music is definitely an important piece of a lively party. Plan ahead and create your own basketball-themed playlist to accompany a fun environment. Genius Tip: Need some inspiration? Sports movies usually have great soundtracks — here are 25 classics to browse for inspiration.
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