What Is March Madness Selection Sunday?
Selection Sunday marks the start of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament, also known as “March Madness.” The 68 teams that will compete in the tournament are announced on this day. A selection committee chooses the teams of athletic directors and conference commissioners from around the country.
They use a variety of criteria to select teams, including regular season records, the strength of schedule, overall record against tournament-level opponents, wins over ranked opponents, and more.
Where Can I Watch Selection Sunday?
The announcement of the tournament field usually begins with a selection show on CBS Television Network at 6 p.m. ET on Selection Sunday. During this show, each team’s seed (its position within the tournament) is announced along with its region (the part of the country in which each team will play). Fans then have several days to fill out their brackets before the first round begins on Thursday afternoon in March.
Importance of Selection Sunday
The importance cannot be overstated; for many fans, it marks the start of one of the most exciting times of year – when college basketball takes center stage for three weeks leading up to April’s national championship game. It’s also a time when any team can make an unexpected run and emerge as a Cinderella story – something that captures America’s imagination every single year.
The announcement of the bracket is often followed by much discussion and debate about which teams were snubbed and which ones got lucky with their seedings.
