Boys Tournament

It seems like only yesterday that March Madness began playing in Peoria to full houses and rave reviews. That's why we are happy to be Playing in Peoria.

Plans for the operation of the thirteenth March Madness Experience™, and the many other activities held in conjunction with the annual IHSA Class Boys State Final Basketball Tournaments at the Peoria Civic Center, are falling into place. The nationally-recognized March Madness Experience ™ will operate both weekends again this year. In addition, the Tuesday between the two tournaments has been designated as the day in which students and young adults with disabilities will be able to Access The Experience. All venues of the March Madness Experience will be modified to accommodate individuals with disabilities during the Access The Experience events, enabling a whole different segment of March Madness fans the ability to enjoy themselves.  And on Class 1A/2A weekend wheelchair basketball teams from across the state will be in action on the center court of the March Madness Experience. 

On Saturday, March 15, 2008, the fifth "Learning From The Legends" basketball clinic will be held in the March Madness Experience (Exhibit Hall).  This year the free clinic is sponsored by Minerva Sportswear, and will offer instruction on basketball skills for boys and girls in grade 4th-6th.  Coaches from the Illinois Basketball coaches Association will serve as the clinic instructors.

Sponsors Make It Happen

Ameren, Caterpillar, OSF Childsren's Hospital and Prairie Farms will be the Title Sponsors.  These companies have been offsetting the substantial costs of producing "The Best Addition To The Tradition" of America's Original March Madness® since the inception of the event in Peoria. None of the operation of the March Madness Experience™ could be possible without the Organizing sponsors: Bradley University, City of Peoria, Peoria Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau (PACVB), Peoria Civic Center and Peoria Park District.  Providing another level of sponsorship are the MVP sponsors. Included in this group are COUNTRY Insurance and Financial Services, Fun on the Run, OSF HealthPlans and Sport Court. The different venues and displays will be sponsored and created by national, state and local companies. The Elite Eight ™ level of sponsors include: CEFCU, Central Illinois Chevrolet Dealers, Chase Bank, Dick's Sporting Goods, Illinois American Water, MultiAd Services, Inc. of Peoria, Nevco Scoreboard Company, Peoria Journal Star, Star Transport, Wilson Team Sports. Sweet Sixteen® level sponsors over the years are: Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association (HISRA), Heritage Bank of Central Illinois, Illinois National Guard, PepsiAmericas of Morton. Those at the Supporting Sponsor level are: A&M Products of Princeton, Biehls Cleaners of Peoria, Cat Rental, Centerplate of Peoria, Great Plains Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center of Peoria, Kitchen Cooked Potato Chips of Farmington, Peoria Officials Association (POA) and Watts Copy Systems.

What is the Experience?

The March Madness Experience™ is an interactive basketball playground for children of all ages housed in the 100,000 square foot Exhibit Hall of the Peoria Civic Center. It includes a variety of basketball skill events, historical displays and educational venues. There is a media area where radio and television stations covering March Madness® originate their shows. Fans without tickets to the games can watch them in the Exhibit Hall on big screen televisions. Fans in need of hotel/motel rooms in the greater Peoria area can make reservations at the Information Booth just outside the entrance to the Exhibit Hall. Throughout the time it is open to the public, numerous special activities are conducted on the three full-sized Center Courts at the March Madness Experience™, including the hugely popular Peoria Journal Star Jump Ball Jamboree. More than 2,000 volunteers, not only from the Greater Peoria Area but from throughout Illinois, are needed to keep the March Madness Experience™ operating during both weekends. It will be open Thursday through Saturday each weekend on the following time schedule:

Class 1A/2A (March 6-8)
Thursday: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

The state tournament games will be played in the Carver Arena. The Scholastic Bowl State Final Tournament will be conducted Friday (March 16) in the meeting rooms of the Civic Center.  The March Madness Experience™ is in the Exhibit Hall. All of these venues are under one Peoria Civic Center roof.

Admission For The Experience

Admission to the March Madness Experience™ will be free to persons with a game ticket to the respective state tournament. For fans without game tickets, the price of admission to the March Madness Experience™ will be $2.00 per person.

Since the beginning of the March Madness Experience twelve years ago, nearly 800,000 people have attended the interactive basketball playground.

Great Prizes for Fans

Fans will have a chance to win the "Pot of Gold" at the end of the CEFCU Rainbow Shot.

Fans also can win one of eight basketballs autographed by coaches and members of each of the competing teams. Each autographed ball will be on display in the Exhibit Hall by the IHSA Store. Fans can register for the Elite Eight™ Basketball Raffle at the IHSA Store. Each raffle ticket costs $1.00. All proceeds from the raffle go to the scholarship fund for the annual IHSA All-State Academic Team. Last year more than $1,000.00 was generated from the raffle and donated to the Activities Foundation, helping to underwrite scholarships for deserving young people.

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