March Madness is here. With about 10.7 million viewers tuning in to watch 68 teams battle for supremacy, the NCAA basketball tournament is one of the most thrilling events in sports.
Whether or not you’re a sports fan, throwing a March Madness party is a great way to boost the morale of your workforce. From the competition setup to filling out brackets, this party can get your colleagues to participate in a company-wide activity and encourage bonding.
However, throwing a basketball-themed party can be challenging. Below are tips for throwing the ultimate March Madness party for your workforce.
Rent a Heated Outdoor Tent
During March Madness, Chicago is usually cold. This is why renting a heated outdoor tent is a great solution for hosting a March Madness party for your workforce.
Indestructo tent rentals provide a comfortable and weather-proof space for your colleagues to watch the games, even if the weather is not ideal. The heated tents extend the outdoor season and create a warm, comfortable atmosphere for the event. This allows your guests to focus on having fun at the party instead of feeling chilly.
When renting a tent, choose the size and style that best suits your needs.
Decorate Your Tent
To create a festive atmosphere, decorate your heated outdoor tent for the NCAA tournament party. Start by setting up video screens around the tent so that everyone can watch the game. Sound equipment can help enhance the viewing experience for guests.
You can use tables, chairs, and platforms to create different areas within the tent, such as the bar and food area. Remember to hang NCAA or team-themed banners, lights, and balloons. Other ideas include setting up a table with team pennants and using team-themed plates and cups.
Indestructo Party Rental can help you turn your outdoor tent into a beautiful and festive winter wonderland for your NCAA tournament party.
Fill Out March Madness Brackets
Filling out a March Madness bracket adds to the fun of the whole event. This is a relatively hassle-free way to engage employees and boost office morale. Even if they aren’t dedicated basketball fans, they can simply fill out random team names throughout a bracket.
You can organize a company pool and make it optional for employees to participate. To make it more exciting, you can offer a prize to the top winners. It’s a good idea to announce the winners during the party so that everyone can celebrate together.
When it comes to prizes, there are plenty of options that don’t require a big budget. You can opt for gift cards, basketballs, and more. Ensure you pick prizes that you think your employees will truly enjoy.
Invest in a Bar Section
Set up a portable bar for your March Madness viewing party to make it easy for guests to get drinks. You can spice things up by offering drink specials.
Ensure you serve drinks that are specific to the NCAA tournament. Here are some ideas for drink specials:
- “Slam Dunk” Beer: Offer discounts on draft beers during halftime
- “Buzzer Beater” Cocktails: Create a special menu of cocktails that are representative of the tournament, such as “Buzzer Beater” Margaritas or “Final Four” Martinis
- “Half-time” shots: Offer shots of whiskey or tequila
- “Champion” punches: Create a special punch bowl that your employees can enjoy
- Team-themed cocktails: Create a special drink menu with team-themed colors
- Non-alcoholic options: Offer mocktails, soft drinks, and juices to cater to guests who do not drink alcohol
Offer Food Specials
Food specials can add a fun and festive touch to your NCAA tournament party. You can create special menu items that are themed around the tournament, such as:
- “March Madness” burger
- “Bracket Bites”
- “Half Time” pizza or wings specials
- “Slam Dunk” sliders
- “Homerun” hot dogs
This will give your guests something unique to try, making the party more memorable.
Plan Games and Contests
To make your March Madness more exciting, plan games and contests. Some ideas for games and contests that you can plan for a basketball tournament viewing party include:
Bracket Contest
Have your employees fill out a bracket predicting the winners of each game in the tournament. The person with the most correct picks wins a prize.
Halftime Shooting Contest
Set up a basketball hoop and have your colleagues attempt to make as many shots as possible during halftime of each game. The person with the most shots makes wins a prize.
Trivia Contest
During commercials or timeouts, ask questions about NCAA basketball history, current players, and teams. The colleague with the most correct answers wins a prize.
Halftime Prediction Game
Let your staff make predictions about the score of the game at halftime. Then, give a prize to the person with the closest prediction.
Pick-A-Team
Have your employees pick a team at the start of the tournament, and they can only cheer for that team. The last team standing wins a prize.
Prop Bet
Create a list of prop bets such as “Will there be a buzzer beater in this game?” or “How many rebounds will Player X get?” and have your employees place their bets. The person with the most correct bets wins a prize.
Organize the Dress Code
To create a team spirit, encourage guests to dress up in their favorite NCAA team’s colors. Send out invitations specifying a “college colors” dress code. During the party, you can provide team gear, such as t-shirts, hats, scarves, etc., as a gift for your employees.
Add a Photo Booth
Photo booths are a fun addition to any party. When planning a viewing party, set up a photo booth with team-themed props for guests to take pictures in their gear. You can also choose to decorate the photo booth with an NCAA-themed backdrop.
Plan a Fun March Madness Party This Year!
With the right party ideas, your March Madness party can be a blast for your employees. It can also be a great opportunity for workplace bonding.
If you need heated tents and accessories for your viewing party, look no further than Indestructo Party Rental. Contact us to request a quote.
