NCAA Tournament First and Second Round Tickets

NCAA Tournament: First and Second Rounds

Some of the best tournament action takes place during these early games, when Cinderella stories are made and brackets are busted. In the 2018, for example, fans saw some of the most surprising upsets in tournament history, including the first time a No. 1 ever lost to a No. 16 seed. That's right — little-known University of Maryland at Baltimore County (UMBC) took down Virginia, the tournament's top seed, in one of the most exciting March Madness games ever played. Other top teams including North Carolina, Michigan State, Arizona, Cincinnati, and Xavier failed to make it out of the first two rounds to the Sweet 16. There's no question the 2023 field will see some similar circumstances, but it's anyone's guess who the upstart teams will be.

This year's First & Second Round will take place March 16-19, 2023.

NCAA Tournament Early Rounds Ticket Prices

Tickets to Early Round games are subject to change. NCAA Tournament Early Round "full strip" tickets typically sit around $250.00-$350.00, though individual tickets are available both lower and higher than that figure depending on the specific seating section.

What does a "Full Strip" of tickets mean?

A full strip of tickets includes a ticket to each of the sessions hosted at that venue. For the first and second round locations, this would include tickets to the two afternoon session games, the two evening session games, and the two second round games in the third session. In the case of the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, a full strip would include tickets for the games at the location for both those rounds. In the case of the Final Four, a full strip includes tickets to the two semifinal games as well as the Championship game.

Why are tickets broken into sessions?

Unlike most sporting events, in the case of the NCAA Tournament many tickets include admission to more than a single game. In the First Round, Second Round, and Sweet 16, each session includes admission to back-to-back games. However, in the case of the First Round Session 1 tickets do not include admission to the games in Session 2, and vice versa, even though the games are on the same day.