You don’t have to be a huge fan of college basketball to know it’s March Madness time – from the constant barrage of advertising to the office pools, it’s kind of hard to miss. But you have to be a certain kind of dedicated fan to actually go the games live – right?
Not necessarily.
Some sports are easier to watch on TV, but basketball is one that is enhanced by being in the arena during the games. And when the stakes are as high as the NCAA Championship, the atmosphere just can’t permeate a television screen. So whether or not your team is a Cinderella team that just feels lucky to have made the playoffs, one of the Final Four, or somewhere in between, seeing the NCAA March Madness games in person is a great experience.
The trouble is that if you’re waiting to see where your team is playing (or if your team advances) before you make travel plans, you could get caught out. Last-minute travel is notoriously expensive, so obviously you’re better off booking as soon as you possibly can. We’re here to help, too, with some links to help you find the best deals on trips to the various cities hosting the NCAA tournament games this year.
>> The NCAA Championship Tournament in 2012 runs from March 13-April 2
For some of those so-called Cinderella teams, just making it to the NCAA playoffs is a dream come true. But for four teams, the dream doesn’t end when the playoffs begin. Four teams will make it through to a coveted place in the NCAA Final Four – and if your team is one of them, you’ll want to be there.
When you’re watching the games leading up to the NCAA March Madness tournament and you’re hoping your team makes the playoffs, it seems like you have to wait forever for those games to actually happen. But if you’re lucky enough to have your team make it through the first and second rounds to the regional games, there are only a few short days between the second round and the regionals – so you’ve really got to be on your toes if you’re planning to go to the games.
Seeing your favorite team play during the NCAA’s March Madness tournament is, for many, a dream come true. Of course everyone wants their team to be in the Final Four, but just getting to the big dance is a victory in and of itself for some teams.
When you’re considering taking a trip to see a big sporting event, you’re probably prepared for the prices on airline tickets to be higher than usual. The airlines, after all, know a whole bunch of people are going to be buying tickets to the same place at roughly the same time – they’d be silly not to raise prices, right? That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t still find a good deal – or at least not get stuck paying through the nose for airfare.
If you’re a hard-core football fan, then you’ve probably got “go to the Super Bowl” on your lifetime to-do list – whether or not it’s your team in the big game. Luckily, organizers typically give the Super Bowl to cities in the lower half of the United States – so even though the game’s in the winter, fans will get the added bonus of warm weather to go along with the championship game.
When you’re a student, it just so happens that it’s an excellent time to travel. It might seem like you’d have too much else going on – all that school and whatnot – and wouldn’t have the budget required to get out and see the world.