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 2007รข€"08 men's college basketball regular season. The CBI selects 16 teams that are not selected for the NCAA Tournament or the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), and who are willing to pay a $50,000 entry fee to participate. In the CBI, teams compete on home courts. The CBI is a single-elimination tournament until the final two teams are determined, after which the championship is determined by a championship series with a best-two-out-of-three format.
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
On February 1, 2016, the CBI announced an exclusive television partnership with ESPN to broadcast the Championship Series of the CBI. In the inaugural year, games were available in local markets on Fox Sports Net and DirecTV. The games could also be viewed on the official website. The 2009 tournament broadcast was changed to HDNet with four first round games, two quarterfinal games, both semifinal games, and all three championship games being broadcast. HDNet changed its named to AXS and aired the 2013 tournament. CBS Sports Network televised the 2014 and 2015 tournaments. ESPNU televises the best-of-three Championship Series in 2016 and 2017.
The following is an overview and list of the announcers and television networks to broadcast the College Basketball Invitational (or CBI).
Past champions
Presenting sponsors
- 2008-2010 None
- 2011-2012 Zebra Pen
- 2013 Buick
- 2014-2016 None
- 2017 Five Four
See also
- Women's National Invitation Tournament
- NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament
- NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament
- NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament
- NAIA Men's Basketball Championships
- NAIA Women's Basketball Championships
References
External links
- Official website
