11 Fun March Madness Party Ideas For Your Crew (2024)

Are you a basketball fan throwing a March Madness party for your pals? Here are 11 fun March Madness party ideas. March Madness is the NCAA Men’s Division I basketball tournament that highlights the best college basketball teams across the nation. It’s where legends are made and future NBA megastars are scouted.

It’s also an awesome excuse to gather with your friends and celebrate some amazing athletics, which is where these March Madness party ideas come in! We’re also including seriously great venues from Peerspace, the largest digital marketplace for hourly event venue rentals. Combine these ideas with a dream Peerspace venue, and your gathering will be its own stuff of legends. Read on for our top recommendations!

1. Shoot some hoops together on a private basketball court

When you’re not watching the basketball games themselves, get into the action by shooting some hoops with your friends. If you don’t have a space of your own where you can play basketball, one of our favorite March Madness party ideas is to make sure that you rent an event venue or other space that includes a basketball hoop or even an entire court.

So how do you make that happen? With the help of Peerspace! When you use Peerspace, you discover and book venues from local hosts, including venues with basketball courts! Unlike on Airbnb and similar websites, Peerspaces are listed for parties, so you’re allowed to gather with your friends in a unique space and enjoy all the amenities the host has jam-packed their venue with!

Here are some of our favorite basketball courts that you can book on Peerspace for your March Madness party:

• This urban home in Decatur, Georgia (pictured above) with a custom basketball court and a large backyard, so you and your friends will have plenty of space to play.
• This blackout studio space in Dallas’s Design District that includes a half-court with a basketball hoop that’s been painted black.
• This industrial basketball court warehouse space in Tempe, AZ with roll-up garage doors and a full basketball court that will make you and your friends feel like the pros.
• This downtown container bar in Chicago, IL with a basketball hoop and half court, a bar, a lounge, and a golf simulator.
• This industrial gym basketball court in Decatur, GA that includes a lounge, a food bar, and several other indoor sports courts.
• This amazing private basketball gym in Compton, CA with a full-sized court and multiple hoops as well as a commercial kitchen and dining area.
• This basketball court and event space in Peabody, MA that’s a private half-court with professional flooring, high ceilings, and great lighting.

As you can see, Peerspace makes it easy to locate and rent amazing basketball courts in cities across the country! While all of these spaces have one thing in common — the ability to play as much b-ball as you want — they also offer unique aesthetics and a variety of amenities.

To find your perfect spot, visit our basketball court landing page and search in your location!

2. Put together a basketball-themed playlist

Music is an essential part of crafting the perfect party. If you put together a playlist full of bangers and plenty of songs on the theme of basketball, you’ll have the ideal soundtrack prepared for your gathering. (Note that all the songs don’t have to be about basketball, but including a few of your favorites will make your whole party that much more cohesive.)

In case you need some suggestions, here are 27 of the best songs about basketball from a wide variety of genres and decades. And in case you need a venue that boasts a dance party-worthy vibe and a basketball court, check out this unique infinity pool basketball court mansion in Pasadena, CA! It’s a gorgeous 5,800-square-foot home with room after room of exquisite living spaces that include several dance spaces and a speaker system throughout the home’s interior and exterior.

3. Dress code: represent your favorite team

Planning to have any kind of dress code? Then one of our top March Madness party ideas is to have everyone wear their favorite team’s jersey or at least some form of clothing with their team on it. If guests have different preferred teams, this will probably stir up some competitive feelings, making the party even more fun!

Want to add another theme to your March Madness party? Then check out our “Space Jam” party ideas!

4. Hang a basketball banner to dress up your party venue

Another solid March Madness party idea: hang up a basketball-themed banner! Options include this March Madness banner from Pelican Burlap or this cool “Slam Dunk” pennant banner from 4EverNAlways. We also love this affordable, three-dimensional balloon banner for a slightly different style than the classic paper pennants.

Do some searching on the internet before you decide. There are tons of possibilities out there that’ll suit whatever decorating aesthetic you’re going for.

5. Keep a tally of all your team’s wins using a tournament bracket sign

You can track the results of all the games in the tournament using a big, easy-to-read tournament bracket sign, like this one from VictoryStore on Amazon. It’s not the cheapest choice out there, but it’s worth the extra cost. In fact, if you write on it with a dry-erase marker, you can simply erase everything at the end and reuse it again at next year’s March Madness party.

6. Ramp up the celebratory vibes and serve a basketball-shaped cake

Using this easy recipe from Taste of Home or another comparable recipe of your choice, baking your guests a basketball cake is basically a no-brainer for a March Madness party! All you need for this impressive yet surprisingly simple recipe is a box of cake mix, some vanilla frosting, orange food coloring, and a few pieces of black shoestring licorice.

Don’t have tons of space in your kitchen for this idea? No problem, simply rent a Peerspace venue near you that includes a spacious, well-equipped kitchen and get to baking! And when you book a Peerspace home that has both a kitchen and a private basketball court, you can shoot some hoops with your friends while the cake is cooling. As an example, check out this home in Upper Marlboro, MD with a basketball, a kitchen, a pool, and so much more!

7. Give out basketball-themed party favors

Giving out party favors on the March Madness theme is another way to take your party to the next level. Possible party favors to include in bags of goodies for your guests include these realistic basketball stress balls, these chocolate foil-wrapped basketball chocolates, and these “Nothin’ but Net” basketball-themed cups.

For added thematic appeal, you can even give them out in these mini party favor sneaker boxes with custom colors and designs.

8. Send out basketball-themed party invitations to get your crew stoked

Give your guests plenty of warning – at least a few weeks’ notice for your party will allow them to make space on their calendar. And when it comes to basketball-themed invitations, you’ve got plenty of different designs to choose from.

This classic black and orange March Madness invitation is an excellent choice, as is this shots-themed invite that’s also customizable with all your party details. You can also go the more affordable route and print out your invitations, like these free ones courtesy of Fun Happy Home.

Next, check out our sporty basketball photoshoot ideas to create epic memories during your party!

9. Grill up some chicken wings for your guests

Guests attending sports-themed parties will expect plenty of chicken wings. They’re a classic at any sports-related party, whether it’s your March Madness party, a Super Bowl party, or something slightly less common like a US Open watch party.

Already have a go-to chicken wing recipe that you know is a total crowd-pleaser? Why not switch it up? You can’t go wrong with any of the ones on Food and Wine’s list of 30 (!) next-level chicken wing recipes.

10. Put a basketball hoop over the garbage can

This ingenious, hilarious March Madness party idea comes to us from Bustle. They suggest putting a miniature basketball hoop above your garbage can. That way, people can practice their shooting form each time they throw anything away! This mini hoop from Overtime is one product that will work, but there are plenty of others to choose from online.

11. Be a total baller by hosting an outdoor March Madness party in a luxurious backyard

Prove to your guests that you are a total baller by booking a Peerspace venue like this luxurious backyard space in Katy, TX for hosting your March Madness party ideas. This private luxe outdoor space comes equipped with a pool that has a water basketball hoop, and that heats for those chillier March nights once the sun sets. You and your guests can also enjoy the hot tub, the grill, the TV, speakers, and the color-changing lights to create an awesome party atmosphere.

While this venue is definitely baller worthy, it boasts a super affordable price tag of just $100 per hour! Nab this place up while you have a chance and host a March Madness party your guests will be talking about long after the games end for the year.

March Madness party ideas: conclusion

We hope these March Madness party ideas have you looking forward to hosting an epic gathering! Start by booking an amazing Peerspace to host your party and then utilize a few of these suggestions.

Remember, on Peerspace, you can book a basketball court, a basketball-themed home, a sports bar, or anything else that feels right to you. Start your search for the perfect venue and enjoy as many games as you like in a new, inviting setting!

Find unique event venues on Peerspace