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College Basketball Invitational
Third tier postseason collegiate men's basketball tournament
Third tier postseason collegiate men's basketball tournament
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| title | College Basketball Invitational |
| current_season | 2025 College Basketball Invitational |
| logo | CBI 2019 shield.png |
| pixels | 160px |
| caption | College Basketball Invitational |
| sport | Basketball |
| founded | 2007 |
| inaugural | 2008 |
| teams | 16 |
| country | United States |
| champion | Illinois State (2025) |
| most_champs | No team has won more than one title |
| website | https://www.gazellegroup.com/main/cbi/ |
| TV | ESPN2 (2022–present) |
| FloCollege (2021-present) | |
| ESPNU (2016–2019, 2025–present) | |
| CBSSN (2014–2015) | |
| AXS TV (2009–2013) | |
| Fox College Sports (2008) | |
| related_comps | NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament |
| National Invitation Tournament | |
| College Basketball Crown | |
| CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament | |
| Founder | The Gazelle Group |
FloCollege (2021-present) ESPNU (2016–2019, 2025–present) CBSSN (2014–2015) AXS TV (2009–2013) Fox College Sports (2008) National Invitation Tournament College Basketball Crown CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament The College Basketball Invitational (CBI) is a men's college basketball tournament created in 2007 by The Gazelle Group. The inaugural tournament occurred after the conclusion of the 2007–08 men's college basketball regular season. The CBI selects sixteen teams that are not selected for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), and who are willing to pay a $27,500 entry fee to participate. In the CBI, prior to 2020 teams competed on home courts. After the post-COVID pandemic revival, the tournament has been staged at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. The CBI is a single-elimination tournament (prior to 2021, the tournament was single elimination until the final two teams were determined, after which the championship was determined by a championship series with a best two-out-of-three format). Since the tournament's 2021 revival and adoption of the single-site format, the championship is also determined by a single game. In 2023, the CBI introduced NIL funding of $40,000 to be distributed in the following manner: $25,000 to the champion, $10,000 to the runner-up, and $2,500 to each semifinalist.
While these tournaments provide a chance for teams to continue their season, they are often unpopular among higher-profile teams due to the stigma of playing in a tertiary tournament. In 2014, Indiana Hoosiers athletic director Fred Glass declined a CBI invitation. He expressed, "We're Indiana. We don't play in the CBI."
The inaugural CBI
The 2008 College Basketball Invitational was the first new postseason tournament since the Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament in 1974. The opening round was played on March 18, 2008, and March 19, 2008, with the second round being played on March 24, 2008. The semifinals took place on March 26, 2008. The championship was a best-of-three series with games being played on March 31, April 2, and April 4, 2008. The bracketing was done in east, west, south and midwest regions.
Tulsa was crowned the champion in the 2008 tournament.
Television
In the inaugural year, games were available in local markets on DirecTV and Fox Sports Net. The games could also be viewed on the official website. The 2009-2013 tournament broadcasts were changed to HDNet with four first-round games, two quarterfinal games, both semifinal games, and all three championship games being broadcast (HDNet changed its name to AXS prior to the 2013 tournament). CBS Sports Network televised the 2014 and 2015 tournaments. On February 1, 2016, the CBI announced an exclusive television partnership with ESPN to broadcast the Championship Series of the CBI. ESPNU televised the best-of-three Championship Series from 2016 to 2019.
The following is an overview and list of the announcers and television networks to broadcast the tournament.
Champions
Presenting sponsors
- 2008–2010: none
- 2011–2012: Zebra Pen
- 2013: Buick
- 2014–2016: none
- 2017: Five Four
- 2019, 2021–2022, 2024: Roman/Ro
- 2023: Discount Tire
- 2025: Purple Innovation
References
References
- (January 27, 2009). "Fourth postseason hoops tourney announced".
- Shaffer, Jonas. "Towson men's basketball declines postseason tournament invitations".
- (November 14, 2007). "Group starts third postseason tourney featuring 16 teams". ESPN.
- Osterman, Zach. "Hoosiers miss NIT, decide to end season".
- "College Basketball Invitational introduced as new postseason event". The Gazelle Group.
- "College Basketball Invitational online viewing prices". The Gazelle Group.
- "Fox College Sports to broadcast inaugural College Basketball Invitational". The Gazelle Group.
- "HDNet to Broadcast 2009 College Basketball Invtnl". Albany HDTV.
- "HDNet to Broadcast Live Coverage of the 2010 College Basketball Invitational". PR News Wire.
- "2013 March Madness: CBI Championship Schedule". Eye on Sky and Air Sports.
- "2014 College Basketball Invitational (CBI) Championship Schedule". Eye on Sky and Air Sports.
- "2015 CBI, CIT, & NIT TV & National Radio Info". Eye on Sky and Air Sports.
- "ESPNU to air CBI Championship Series". Gazelle Group.
- (2022-03-03). "FLO HOOPS TO TELEVISE COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL FIRST ROUND AND QUARTERFINAL ROUND GAMES". College Basketball Invitational.
- (March 11, 2020). "Statement regarding 2020 CBI".
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
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