March Madness Events in Kansas City

March is LOADED with college basketball in Kansas City — this year, more than ever before.

Filling up nearly 20 of the 31 calendar days in March, college basketball is taking over Kansas City’s crown jewels of sports entertainment hosting: T-Mobile Center and Municipal Auditorium.

Below, explore the many electrifying March Madness events taking place in Kansas City that captivate audiences of the thousands. Also, discover the delicious food and fun activities that come along with all the madness.

What are the March Madness Events in Kansas City?

The college basketball lineup kicks off right away on March 1 and continues until the last week of the month with these action-packed events:

Kansas City has a long history with basketball and has thrived by hosting the sport for over 100 years. Let’s take a look at where and how you can watch these big-time tournaments.

2023 MIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships

March 1 — March 5 / Municipal Auditorium

Both the men’s and women’s tournaments will feature 10 of the best 14 teams to compete in a 9-game, single-elimination competition.

Tickets are available now. The championship games are Sunday, March 5. The men’s tip-off is at 1 p.m. and the women’s at 3:30 p.m.

2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship

March 8 — March 11 / T-Mobile Center

As one of the most popular events in Kansas City (when the Chiefs and Royals aren’t winning championships), the Big 12 Tournament brings in crowds by the thousands as fans from all over Big 12 nation descend upon this great city.

This is one of the premier conference tournaments in the country. It lives in KC. For 14 straight years, the Big 12 teams battle it out in T-Mobile Center (before named Sprint Center) for the automatic bid into the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Nine games stretched over four days. And, the Big 12 champion will be crowned Saturday, March 11. All-session tickets are on sale now.

2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship

March 9 — March 12 / Municipal Auditorium

Just four blocks away from the action is the Women’s Big 12 Tournament that tips off a day after the men’s.

The women will have a nearly identical schedule to the men as well. The nine-game thriller will boil down to the championship game Sunday, March 12. Tickets are available now to purchase.

This year marks the third consecutive in which both the Women’s and Men’s Big 12 Basketball Championships will take place in KC. This city couldn’t be more proud to hold that honor.

Hoops Central at KC Live!

March 8 —April 3 / KC Live! Block

During the Big 12 Tournaments, you can enjoy your time in-between game sessions at Hoops Central’s Miller Lite Fan Fest in Power & Light.

The entertainment district transforms for the whole extended weekend. Streets are blocked off to set up basketball courts and make room for vendor booths.

But, the tournament festivities feature far more than just basketball, such as:

  • Spirit rallies
  • The Big 12 Run
  • Contests and giveaways
  • Live music
  • And so much more

The KC Live! Block is set up as a giant outdoor viewing area with 30+ TVs and a 32 ft. HDTV in the middle of it all, showing all the games. And, the Hoops Central party continues all month long until the NCAA Men’s Championship game April 3.

Plus, this is the perfect time to check out the College Basketball Experience connected to the T-Mobile Center. This unique, interactive museum of college basketball history has extended operational hours for the month of March in celebration of the sport.

85th Annual NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship

March 13 — March 18 / Municipal Auditorium

The NAIA men’s tournament is college basketball’s oldest national championship, dating back to 1937. And, this will be Kansas City’s 77th time hosting.

In a span of six days, you can watch as 16 teams enter the gauntlet, but only one team will come out victorious Saturday, March 18. All-tournament and single-day tickets are available now.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Regional

March 24 &  March 26 / T-Mobile Center

The road to the Final Four runs through Kansas City this year, and the town is buzzing. The T-Mobile Center will host the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

There is just something about the words “Sweet” and “Elite” that go so well with Kansas City. Tickets for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games are going quickly. The all-session tickets are already sold out. But you can get more details here on how to buy ticket packages now.

March Madness Events in Kansas City: Where To Eat, Park And More

No matter which tournament you decide to attend, there is plenty of choices for a good meal in the four blocks sandwiched in between the two event spaces.

If you can’t get enough of sports, then try out these fan-raving sports bars in the Power & Light District:

For more of a sitdown type restaurant to enjoy conversation and good libations, check out these restaurants that line 14th St.:

But, before you can get to any of the tasty meals at one of the March Madness events in Kansas City, you’ll have to deal with parking.

The simplest option is to find a parking garage if you’re willing to pay. When it comes to street parking, almost every spot will have a time limit or be metered, which makes it more difficult to find a spot that’s not too far away.

Some recent additions to downtown KC have made parking much easier. Thanks to the KC Streetcar, you can park anywhere along Main Street from Union Station to the River Market and catch a free ride to the March Madness tournaments. No matter how you get there, you are sure to have a ballin’ time at the March Madness events in Kansas City.