Selection Sunday this year will fall on Sunday, March 12
Yes, that’s right — Selection Sunday is that “late” into the month. Obviously, March Madness can’t begin and brackets cannot be filled until all the teams have been revealed on the annual event called “Selection Sunday”.
In 2017, that day falls nearly halfway through the month on Sunday, March 12th, 2017 — that’s two weeks into March before we find out the 68 college teams that will comprise the the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament. Selection Sunday is a huge event so it’s broadcasted nationally on CBS and on ESPN and streamed live on NCAA.com.
Not only that, but television camera crews from both networks travel to all of colleges around the country to capture the teams’ reactions the moment they hear that their team has been seeded and that they have a chance to play in the “Big Dance”.
Once all the teams have been chosen, seeded and the printable brackets are printable, the “First Four” round will play that Tuesday and Wednesday to see which two teams will advance to the first round. Then the first round will commence four days after Selection Sunday; on that Thursday.
Is Selection Sunday Always So Far Into March?
Apparently it is according to the past several years.
It makes sense when you look at the NCAA schedule of games and tournaments. After the NCAA regular season finishes up on March 5th comes the the dozens of conference tournaments eating up the second week of March. Then when all of those conference tournaments have determined a winner, this is typically the time when the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee (say that five times fast) holds their event. Here’s the last ten dates of Selection Sundays:
| Year | Selection Sunday Date |
|---|---|
| 2017 | March 12 |
| 2016 | March 13 |
| 2015 | March 15 |
| 2014 | March 16 |
| 2013 | March 17 |
| 2012 | March 11 |
| 2011 | March 13 |
| 2010 | March 14 |
| 2009 | March 15 |
| 2008 | March 16 |
| 2007 | March 11 |
If you think this year is late into the month: In 2013, the tournament didn’t select teams until March 17th! That means the first round didn’t start until the 21st of March.
March Madness to April Insanity
Though the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is synonymous with the month of March, the tournament always stretches into April. The actual championship game that determines the winner usually falls on the first few days of the following month.
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