Host a March Madness Party

March Madness whips basketball fans into a frenzy like the Super Bowl sparks football fanatics. It begs for a gathering. If you plan to host a March Madness party for this annual NCAA championship, here are some tips and ideas.

Pick your date

Ironically, March Madness actually concludes in April, so if you want to plan your party for the finals, mark your calendar for Monday, April 2. The Final Four are played back to back on Saturday, March 31, giving you about five hours of game time. Click here to get the full NCAA March Madness schedule.

Choose your team and theme

Are you rooting for a particular NCAA team? Whether your favorite is a top seed or an underdog, use their mascot as part of your party plans—like the Wildcats, Blue Devils, Tar Heels, Wolverines, Buckeyes, Bulldogs, or Cavaliers. Incorporate the school colors into your decorating and have plenty of team logos on your tables and walls. Or just go for a general basketball theme if you don’t want to commit to just one college.

Print out a bracket and have extra copies for your guests, along with a stash of pencils so they can fill it in and make predictions for the remaining games. You can also create a poster-size bracket using a dry erase board and painter’s tape.

Pick your seats

Are you planning to gather your guests in front of your living room television? If you have a home theater room, your guests will revel in the experience (and you can keep the chaos to one room).

Otherwise, plan your viewing area to be free of obstacles—both those that block the screen and those that can cause a stumble. You don’t want your guests to call a foul on you!

As you’re planning the layout for your party, consider the kid-friendly design. Stash away anything that could be tossed, kicked, or broken. As much as you might like to encourage the basketball theme, you might want to reconsider having any actual basketballs in play in your home!

It’s all about the food

The basketball games provide the entertainment. You provide the food. Just like a Super Bowl party, the feasting is half the fun. If you have an open floor plan and  breakfast bar in your kitchen, use it as your buffet. It’s easily accessible for serving and clean-up and makes it easy for your guests to munch without cluttering your kitchen. 

Anything for dipping is a slam dunk at a gathering, so it fits perfectly into your March Madness party. From the simplicity of chicken tenders, pretzel nuggets or chips and dip to skewered satays or fondue, give your guests a menu of flavors to experience. You can even set out dessert cups (like the ones used for frozen yogurt and ice cream) filled with individual servings of your dippers and dips. 

If you want to keep going with the basketball jargon, serve up turnovers—which could be anything from spanakopita to hand pies or mini-calzones. 

Whatever you decide to serve, make it easy to eat, like finger foods. There’s less mess, people can juggle a plate while jumping up and down, and you don’t need to provide as many utensils. Use picks and skewers instead of forks. Insert a spreader in each dip. 

Any sports-related party is as much about the game as the experience of watching it with friends who share your enthusiasm. As the host of the March Madness party, you’re the captain of the team of partygoers. When you have fun, they will, too.

If you love entertaining and your home doesn’t quite meet your standards, consider moving to one of Baker Residential’s homes and communities. We build energy-efficient, single-family and townhome communities in the Carolinas and the Northeast. Talk to us soon so that next year, your March Madness party can take place in a new home!