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| Image via cbssports.com |
Our March Madness Family Traditions
We love sports around our house, but even if you don’t, March Madness is a great time of year for families. Our March Madness family traditions have kept us close to extended family across the country and added some of the most fun competition our own household has ever had. Here is what we do.
Extended Family March Madness Traditions
In our extended family, everyone over the age of 9 gets to participate in our March Madness bracket pool. We create our own family group through CBSSports.com, and everyone submits their brackets before the start of the tournament. CBSSports keeps track of everything and has its own calculated scoring system.
Jolly trash talk ensues over email as the standings are reported after each round. The fun thing about March Madness is that it is rarely the most avid sports fan who wins — I am often in the top three. My dad always ponies up cash for first, second, and third place, but you could do it differently. Even when we have lived far from family, we always feel especially close during the month of March as parents, siblings, and nephews bond over some friendly competition.
Our Own Little Family March Madness Traditions
My boys are all old enough to make their own brackets. We print them out and tape them to the fridge and cross out our losers and circle our winners as the tournament progresses. You get one point for any first-round winner, two points for any second-round winner, and so on — it is not especially technical, but it keeps everyone involved and excited as we watch games together or check out the highlights.
The winner of our family bracket gets to choose the family activity the weekend after the final game, and the whole family has to happily oblige. Depending on who wins our March Madness family traditions challenge, we might be spending the evening cleaning the garage or indulging in a steak dinner. I might choose pedicures for all if I win this year. Wish me luck.
How to Start Your Own March Madness Family Traditions
Go to CBSSports.com and create a private group for your family. Share the link so everyone can join and submit their brackets before the games start — you have to have your picks in before the first games tip off, so don’t wait too long. Print individual brackets for your household, tape them to the fridge, and add your own prize for the winner. Even families with no sports knowledge at all can fully enjoy March Madness family traditions because the tournament is beautifully unpredictable that way.
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Frequently Asked Questions: March Madness Family Traditions
How do you do a March Madness family bracket?
For our March Madness family traditions, we create a private group through CBSSports.com and everyone over age 9 submits their bracket before the tournament starts. CBSSports tracks everything and runs its own scoring system. The best part: it is rarely the most avid sports fan who wins. Trash talk flows over email and even families far apart feel especially close during March.
What is a good March Madness family prize?
For our extended family tradition, the prize is cash for first, second, and third place. For our own family fridge bracket, the winner picks the family activity the weekend after the final game and everyone happily obliges. Depending on who wins we might end up at a steak dinner or cleaning the garage. The unpredictability is half the fun.
Do you have to know sports to enjoy March Madness family traditions?
Not at all — this is one of the best things about March Madness as a family tradition. It is rarely the most avid sports fan who wins. Random picks, gut instincts, and backing the team with the best mascot all have a real chance. The genuine unpredictability of the tournament keeps everyone invested from the first round through the final game.
GO GREEN! LOL