Officials Unveil Fan Experiences and Community Events to Tip Off Men’s Basketball Championship

INDIANAPOLIS – On Wednesday, the NCAA and Indiana Sports Corp, together with Indiana University Indianapolis and the Horizon League, announced a lineup of free and low-cost fan events for the upcoming 2026 NCAA® Men’s Final Four® taking place April 3-6 in Indy. These ancillary events will give college basketball fans the opportunity to celebrate through family-friendly activities throughout National Championship Week:

  • NCAA® Men's Final Four®  Fan Fest® presented by Capital One: April 3-6 at the Indiana Convention Center featuring interactive games, celebrity appearances, and autograph sessions. Fans can even have their photos snapped with the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship trophy and pick up official Men’s Final Four merchandise and swag from NCAA partners.
    • Free entry for Capital One card members, 2026 Men’s Final Four Game Ticketholders, kids 12 & under, active & non-active military personnel (with ID) and college students (with valid ID).
    • The first 2,000 people to visit the Men’s Final Four Fan Fest page on NCAA.com/mensfinalfour and use the code TIPOFF26 will get free tickets to the Men’s Final Four Fan Fest presented by Capital One. Limit 2 per transaction.
  • NCAA® March Madness® Music Festival® presented by AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola: April 3-5 with local and big-name artists taking the stage at American Legion Mall throughout the free music festival. No ticket required, this event is free to the public.
  • NCAA Reese's Men's Final Four Friday®: April 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium, this free event showcases open practices for the participating Men’s Final Four teams, as well as the top senior student-athletes from around the country in the Reese’s NABC All-Star Game. Free parking available.
  • NCAA Men's Final Four Dribble presented by GEICO: April 5 at Carroll Stadium, the first 3,000 registered participants ages 18 and under, alongside their guardians, will dribble along a one-mile course through Downtown Indianapolis concluding at Victory Field. Participants will receive an official Men's Final Four Dribble presented by GEICO Wilson basketball, branded t-shirt, and free entry into Fan Fest immediately following their completion of the route. 
  • NCAA® Men's Final Four®  Tip-off Tailgate:  April 3-6 on Georgia Street where fans can enjoy watch parties, team pep rallies, music, interactive games, plus food and beverages! The event is FREE for fans of all ages!

For more information on these events, visit ncaa.com/mff/events.

City of Indianapolis officials joined NCAA dignitaries and Indiana Sports Corp  at a news conference at Christian Park, site of the NCAA Men’s Final Four Legacy Project presented by Dove Men+Care. By early April, Christian Park will receive a basketball court renovation to help create a true basketball and sports destination on the near eastside of Indianapolis. The completed renovation will be revealed in March. This initiative is one of numerous community projects set to enhance the city as Indianapolis prepares to host the tournament.

“The fan events at the Men’s Final Four continue to grow as fun and exciting activities for everyone, regardless of whether they have a ticket to the basketball games,” said Dan Gavitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball. “NCAA Corporate Champions and Partners do an amazing job lending their support to all fan activities, many of which are free or family-cost friendly. We hope everyone in Indianapolis has a chance to enjoy what this event brings to a city.”

“The Men’s Final Four is more than the games on the court, it’s about bringing the entire community into the experience,” said Patrick Talty, President of Indiana Sports Corp. “These fan events are designed to make sure everyone can be part of this celebration and feel the energy of March Madness in Indianapolis.”

2026 will be a true celebration of basketball as three Indianapolis venues will help crown four champions over a five-day period when the Men’s Final Four and NIT semifinals and championship games, as well as the Divisions II and III title games, are staged April 2-6. It will mark the first time all four champions will be determined in a single city.

Indianapolis will host the Men’s Final Four for the ninth time, with the Horizon League and IU Indianapolis serving as the host institutions for the 2026 event at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis is second all-time in hosting Men’s Final Fours, behind only Kansas City which hosted 10 times between 1940 and 1988. Indy does hold the record for most March Madness games with 163 hosted as of 2024. Indy most recently hosted the Men’s Final Four in 2021 when for the first time the entire NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship was held in central Indiana in a controlled environment coming out of the pandemic.

###

About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being, and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite companies as official corporate partners: Buffalo Wild Wings, GEICO, Great Clips, Intuit TurboTax, Invesco QQQ, LG, Marriott Bonvoy, Nabisco, Pizza Hut, Reese’s, Samsung Galaxy, The Home Depot, Unilever, and Wendy’s.

About Indiana Sports Corp
Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization focused on bringing premier sporting events to Indiana to drive economic vitality, facilitate a vibrant community with civic pride and garner positive media attention. Because of this, Indiana Sports Corp is able to provide positive, sports-related opportunities for youth in the community. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.