How to Host a March Madness Watch Party and Bracket Bash

March Madness is three weeks of upsets, buzzer beaters, and bracket drama. It is also the perfect excuse to host friends, family, or coworkers for a watch party. Whether you are planning one big Saturday or a series of game nights throughout the tournament, a little structure goes a long way. Set a jersey dress code, build a bracket wall, and give guests an easy way to share photos. By the time the championship game rolls around, you will have a full album of memories from the entire run.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide works best for:

• Hosts planning a home watch party with friends, roommates, or family
• People organizing a bracket bash at the office or in a shared space
• Anyone who wants to host multiple watch parties over the three weeks of games
• Hosts who want photos from the tournament without chasing people through group chats afterward

This is not for you if you prefer watching games alone or you are planning a formal event. This guide focuses on casual, repeatable watch parties.

Set the Stage With a Jersey Dress Code

A jersey dress code creates instant energy. Guests arrive in team colors, and the room looks like a real tournament atmosphere before tipoff.

How to Pull It Off

Keep the ask simple: “Wear your favorite college jersey or team colors.” For guests who do not follow college basketball, any sports jersey works. You can also assign colors based on which side of the bracket they picked.

Simple Decor That Matches

• Team color tablecloths, plates, and napkins
• Mini pennants or printed logos for the snack table
• A photo corner backdrop in team colors for group shots

For Multiple Parties

Reuse the same decor throughout the tournament. Encourage guests to rotate jerseys as their teams advance or get knocked out. The dress code becomes part of the tradition.

Build a Bracket Wall Everyone Can Follow

A physical bracket wall gives guests something to gather around besides the TV. It makes wins and upsets feel real, and it adds a layer of friendly competition.

How to Set It Up

Print a large bracket or tape together letter-size sheets on a wall. Give each guest a colored marker or sticker to mark their picks. Add a simple key so everyone can see who picked which teams.

Keep It Going Across Multiple Parties

Update the bracket after each round. Take a quick photo of the wall at the end of every party so guests can see the progression. By the Final Four, your bracket wall tells the story of the whole tournament.

Optional Prize Ideas

Add stakes with a small prize for the winner: a gift card, a team hat, or hosting rights for next year’s tournament.

Plan Easy Snacks and Halftime Activities

Keep the menu simple and repeatable. You do not want to cook a full spread for every game night.

Food That Works

Finger foods are your friend: wings, sliders, veggie trays, chips and dips. Pick one “signature” item you bring back at each party. It becomes part of your tradition.

Low-Effort Games

• Prop bets on common game moments (three pointers made, total timeouts, overtime)
• Bingo cards with tournament clichés (“Cinderella story,” “one shining moment”)
• A simple points system tied to your bracket wall picks

Halftime Activities

Use halftime for quick group photos in jerseys. Have guests record short prediction videos for the next round. These clips are fun to look back on when someone actually calls the upset.

Capture the Memories With Gather Shot

A March Madness watch party generates plenty of photo-worthy moments: the jersey lineup, the bracket updates, the celebrations after a big win. The challenge is getting all those photos in one place.

Gather Shot is a photo sharing platform for events that makes this simple. Create one event for your entire tournament run, print a QR code, and display it near the TV or snack table. Guests scan the code with their phone camera and upload directly. No app to download, no account to create.

Why This Works for Multiple Parties

Keep the same Gather Shot event open for the whole three weeks. Tag photos by round (“Sweet 16,” “Elite Eight,” “Final Four”) so you can find them later. At the end of the tournament, download a highlight set to share with your crew.

Take one final group photo in jerseys in front of the completed bracket wall. Upload it to your Gather Shot album as the tournament finale image.

Frequently Asked Questions

How early should I send invitations for a March Madness watch party? One to two weeks before your first game is ideal. For multiple parties, send one invite with all the key dates so guests can plan ahead.

What if my guests are not serious basketball fans? Focus on the jersey dress code, snacks, and bracket competition. Keep the bracket wall friendly and low pressure. Use timeouts to explain what is happening in the game.

How many people is ideal for a bracket bash at home? Six to twelve people usually works well. Everyone can see the screen and gather around the bracket wall without crowding.

Do my guests need an app to share photos with Gather Shot? No. Guests scan your QR code and upload directly in their mobile browser. No downloads or accounts required.

Can I reuse the same Gather Shot event across multiple watch parties? Yes. Keep one event open for the whole tournament so all your photos, videos, and bracket updates live in one place.

Make This Tournament One to Remember

You now have a jersey dress code, a bracket wall plan, and a way to capture every upset and celebration. Create your free Gather Shot event in minutes, print your QR code, and start collecting memories from day one. For more ideas on gathering photos from groups, check out our guide on the best ways to collect event photos from guests .