As one of the most exciting and unpredictable events in all of sports, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness, captures the attention of basketball fans across the country each year. March Madness features 68 teams competing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the annual college basketball national champion. This year, March Madness begins on Tuesday, March 14, and concludes with the National Championship game on Monday, April 3.

Setting the Scene

The tournament is broken down into four regions, with 16 teams competing in each region. The top four teams in each region are designated as the #1 seeds, a coveted position, while the remaining teams are seeded based on their strength and performance throughout the regular season and conference tournaments. The seeds are announced on Selection Sunday, which will take place on Sunday, March 12.College Basketball’s “One Shining Moment” is Taking the Court in March

The tournament begins with the First Four, a play-in game for the four lowest-seeded teams. From there, the field is narrowed down to 64 teams, with each region featuring four rounds of play before the Final Four teams are determined. The Final Four is then held in a single location, with the two semifinal games and the national championship game determining the winner. This year, the Final Four and the National Championship Games will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

One of the most exciting aspects of March Madness is the potential for upsets. Each year, there are several teams that are not expected to make a deep run in the tournament but manage to pull off surprising victories, for example, the Saint Peters Peacocks in the 2022 tournament. These upsets can be thrilling for fans and frustrating for those who have picked favorites in their bracket. Lower-seeded teams who rack up multiple underdog victories against higher-ranked teams are often dubbed “Cinderella” teams, making it further in the tournament than expected. Anyone else thinking of #11 seed Loyola Chicago and Sister Jean beating #9, 7, 6, and 3-seeded teams in the 2018 tournament?

Bracketology

With all 68 teams ranked and seeded in a bracket, the tradition of filling out a personal March Madness bracket has become a phenomenon in and of itself. Millions of fans across the country take part in friendly bracket pools, trying to predict the outcomes of each game in the tournament. While it’s nearly impossible to pick a perfect bracket, the challenge of trying to do so adds to the excitement of the tournament and usually, there is money or a prize on the line for bracket challenge winners. Billionaire businessman Warren Buffet offers a bet of $1 billion each year to the fan who completes a perfect bracket. While this is an incredibly exciting offer, it is also nearly impossible to predict all of the upsets.

March Madness is also a showcase for some of the top college basketball players in the country. While some of these players may go on to have successful careers in the NBA, many will look back on their time in the tournament as a highlight of their college experience.

Overall, March Madness is a time for fans to come together and celebrate the excitement and unpredictability of college basketball. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just tuning in for the first time, the tournament is sure to provide plenty of excitement and memorable moments.

Get Your Head in the Game & Head to the Games with ParkMobile

Now that we’ve covered the game plan for March Madness, let’s get into this year’s tournament. As mentioned before, the official tournament tips off with the first four play-in games from March 14-15 at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Once two of these teams are crowned winners, they join the remaining 62 teams in the first round.

The first and second rounds will be played in a variety of locations, with the first round from March 16-17 and the second round from March 18-19. If you’re heading to one of the eight hosting cities for the matchups, ParkMobile is available for either reservations at the venue or parking around the city.

Below, we have highlighted the cities where ParkMobile is available for zone parking and which venues offer parking reservations for this year’s March Madness fans.

First/Second Rounds on March 16 & 18, 2023:

  • Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena

  • Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena

    • Reserve your parking here.

  • Orlando, FL – Amway Center

    • Reserve your parking here.

  • Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center

    • Reserve your parking here.

First/Second Rounds on March 17 & 19, 2023:

  • Albany, NY – MVP Arena

  • Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena

    • Reserve your parking at Nationwide Arena here.

  • Denver, CO – Ball Arena

    • Ball out at Ball Arena and get your parking here.

  • Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum

The weekend after the first and second rounds is the Sweet 16 followed by the Elite 8. These games are broken down by region, including West Regional, East Regional, Midwest Regional, and South Regional. A city in each region will host one Sweet 16 game and one Elite 8 game, so there are four host cities.

Sweet 16/Elite 8 on March 23 & 25, 2023:

  • Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena

    • Viva Las Madness! Reserve your parking at T-Mobile Arena here.

  • New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

    • Reserve your parking at MSG here.

Sweet 16/Elite 8 on March 24 & 26, 2023:

  • Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center

    • Reserve your parking for T-Mobile Center in KC here.

  • Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center

    • Reserve your parking in Louisville here.

The last stretch of March Madness is scheduled for April 1 & 3, 2023 in Houston, Texas. They say everything’s bigger in Texas, so we’re expecting the Final Four teams to come out strong for their matchups. It all comes down to this! ParkMobile can be found around the City of Houston, making it easy for fans to park, pay, and cheer on their favorite team.

As we inch closer to the Big Dance, sharpen up on your basketball knowledge, find the bracket challenge you’re joining, and get ready to put your game face on. Whether you’re a regular college basketball fan, or only tune in for the yearly madness, the competition is known to be fierce. Just remember, if your team wins or loses, or your bracket is a flop, ParkMobile is always your number one cheerleader. For more info, check out our page on March Madness.