▢ Set Up a March Madness Bracket Competition:

• Invite residents to participate in a friendly March Madness Bracket Competition prior to the start of the tournament in mid-March. You can have residents fill out and submit paper brackets or an easier route would be to create an auto-scoring bracket online:

  • Create an account on ESPN's Fantasy site to join the Men's Tournament Challenge. 

  • Create a Group with your account and include the Group name (e.g., North Apartments Bracket Challenge!) and set the group to "Locked" and "Private" with a simple password. 

  • Once the Group is created, click "Invite Friends" and copy the invite link and password. Include this link & password in event promotion materials and in the Cobu Gathering description. 

• Encourage residents to complete their bracket in the days leading up to the first game; submissions cannot be made after the first tipoff! 

• Log in to your ESPN account during the game to find out who is leading in the Group Results section. 

• Have gift cards or small gifts available for the winners. 

• Alternative: If not enough residents joined the March Madness Bracket Competition in time, you can run a 1-day prop bet style challenge for just the final game. Examples of prop bet questions include:

  • • Which team will score first? 

    • Which team will have the most rebounds? 

    • Which team will have the most fouls? 

    • What will be the total final score?

▢ Source Supplies:

• Source decorations at your local hobby store or online.  

▢ Source Drink:

• Order drinks through a delivery service like Uber Eats or source them through the local beverage store. Estimate 2 alcoholic drinks per attendee and ensure you have non-alcoholic options available as well. 

▢ Set Up the Event:

• Ensure CBS, TBS, TNT or truTV is included in your television subscription to stream the March Madness final. 

• Choose and decorate a space for the event.

• Set up tables and chairs, so your residents can mingle. 

• Ensure you have multiple trash and recycling receptacles available throughout the common space. 

• Tip: Take pictures before residents arrive and post to social media. (You can also post in Cobu.)

▢ Cost Estimates:

• Supplies: $3 to $5 per person

• Drinks: $5 to $10 per person

• Prizes (optional): $50 to $100