Marquee Men’s College Basketball Programs Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State will Continue Annual Doubleheaders for Next Three Years
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2024, the 34-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, the premier regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans
Michigan State - Duke - Kentucky - Kansas
ESPN Events’ State Farm Champions Classic season-opening college basketball event featuring Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State is set to be played at the United Center in Chicago on Nov. 14, 2023.
The neutral site doubleheader that debuted in 2011 and features four of the most accomplished programs in the history of the sport returns to the Windy City for the fourth time in the event’s history and first time since 2017. The United Center also hosted the Champions Classic in 2013 and 2015. The 2024 and 2025 venues will be announced at a later date.
Tonight’s 12th annual State Farm Champions Classic will feature No. 4 Kentucky facing Michigan State at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by No. 7 Duke and first-year head coach Jon Scheyer playing No. 6 and reigning NCAA champion Kansas at 9:30 p.m., at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
State Farm has been the title sponsor of the Champions Classic since the inaugural doubleheader in 2011.