This year’s Final Four is going to be a blockbuster set of affairs.
After what has been a thrilling March Madness so far, the last four teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament remain.
The first game of the Final Four features the Auburn Tigers taking on the Florida Gators.
Following the conclusion of that game, the Houston Cougars will take on the Duke Blue Devils, and presumptive No.1 pick in the NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg.
Why do March Madness Final Four games start at weirdly staggered times?
The Final Four is being played on Saturday, 5 April, 2025, live from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Fans will have noticed that both games tip-off at pretty conventional times.
The Florida v Auburn starts at 5:09 p.m. CT, while the UConn vs Alabama game gets underway at 7:49 p.m. CT.
Many will be asking why the games start at such specific times, and not at 5:00 p.m ET and 8:00 p.m. ET, respectively.
The reason is because of pre-game ceremonies, like the singing of the US national anthem.
These ceremonies start at more conventional times, either on the hour or half past the hour, which has a slight knock-on effect for the game starting.
Sports are all about maximizing viewership and advertising revenue, and starting a game slightly before or after the hour allows networks to get a known amount of extra advertising in at the beginning of the game, when viewership is highest.
Most fans will automatically tune in on the hour, so having the first Final Four game start at 5:09 p.m. allows for more commercials.
However, the earlier rounds of March Madness games are usually staggered to maximise the viewing experience for fans.
By doing this, games will end at different times, allowing for people to hop from one game to the next and watch every (hopefully) thrilling end to a game.
In terms of the Final Four, expect each game to last around 2 hours and 25 minutes.
The tip-off time for the second game of the Final Four may be later than scheduled if the first game goes to overtime.
How to watch March Madness in the UK
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March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year for basketball fans, with a total of 68 teams battling it out to become the Division 1 college champions.
This year UConn have the chance to become only the second team ever to complete a March Madness three-peat, having emerged victorious for the last two years.
talkSPORT will have the latest news on the tournament, but for UK basketball fans the way to watch is through Sky Sports. The broadcaster will be showing EVERY March Madness game through their Sky Sports + streaming service.
Click here to sign up to a Sky Sports subscription, or read our article on the best Sky Sports deals available now.
