March Madness Party Time
Basketball Party Ideas

"...a little March Madness may contribute to sanity"
Henry V. Porter, 1939

Every March the college basketball world goes crazy for the NCAA Championship games and the fans love every minute of it. The party starts with the best men's and women's college basketball teams and works its way down to 16 - then 8 - then 4 with the final two playing the Championship Game.

What's the only cure for March Madness? A basketball party, of course.

Whether it's for the Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final Four or the Championship...it's time to get all of your B-Ball loving friends together, fill the room with snacks and finger foods. Try to find someone with access to direct feed TV so you can get all the games going during the party. Set up foul zones for fans of opposing teams to have cool down periods when the action heats up and referee calls get extra wacky.

March Madness invitation ideas – Easy to do with just a printer. Go to a site where you can download basketball clipart or grab a copy of the current updated brackets. Use this as the background for your invitation - all you need to do is fill in the date of your party for your own fun invitations.

Ideally you should send invites 2 to 3 weeks in advance, but if you're planning a party for the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 regionals or any of the games coming up soon, you can either hand them out or use an online e-invite service to email your guests with the details.

If you'd like your guests to bring snacks, wine or beer, let them know what to bring in the invitation. Tell them when and where you'll be watching the games and let them know if you'll be hanging out before or afterward...

Decorating ideas - There are plenty of places online to get basketball themed party supplies - or check your local party supply store. You can also get creative and make banners for the NCAA teams who'll be the entertainment at your party using old sheets or poster board from your local art supply store.

Banners can be used to gather fans of opposing teams to keep them from getting too close in your party space - or just spread the banners around if your friends are easy going and don't get upset at dirty fouls!

Faux basketball hoops can be made from wire hangers and pieces of cloth... you can even put bowls inside the hoops to serve your March Madness Party snacks in true hoopster style. Plastic plates and cups in team colors fit the theme and make cleanup a breeze.

Party activities – You know the main activity will be watching the players on the screen so don't get too stressed thinking about other games to keep your guests busy. During commercials, you can have quick March Madness trivia contest or try a "mini pool" with just the teams you'll be watching. Let each guest pick the winners, the losers and the scores when they arrive - whoever comes closest to the real results wins a prize. You can give them a bottle of wine or a token of the winning team. If you have more than one gift ready, you can have your guests pick the half-time results, too.

The main ingredient of a successful Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four or Championship party is to have plenty of snacks, a good supply of drinks - both with and without alcohol - and plenty of comfortable seats positioned to watch the game.

Have the food scattered around the room so that getting something to eat or drink doesn't make your guests miss any important plays. You might even want to put a radio in the bathroom for those who need to be away from the action...

March Madness parties are relaxed and easy for the host as well as the guests. Don't plan on any extravagant foods that will keep you in the kitchen instead of watching the game. Make sure you have a few designated drivers on hand in case anyone celebrates their teams win or loss with a bit too much to drink. If you want designated smoking areas at your Sweet 16, Elite 8 or any March Madness Party, tell people beforehand and make sure to have a small TV or radio in the smoker's area. Welcome your guests, and get them settled so they know where everything is and enjoy...

Here's hoping your team makes it through the final round and you find the sanity that a bit of March Madness brings!

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About the Author...
Chiff.com Directory Editorial Staff