March 1 – 5, 2018 is guaranteed to be a slam-dunk in Albany County thanks to the return of the MAAC Men's & Women's Basketball Championships to the Times Union Center! 2018 marks the 19th time that Albany has hosted the event, more than any other location. Even if you aren’t a basketball fan, there are a variety of exciting events scheduled off the court! Check out our list of events for all the ways you can get in on the MAAC excitement.
MAAC Band Jam
Date: Friday, March 2
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Times Union Center Atrium
Amp up your excitement for the return of the MAAC Championships to downtown Albany during the popular Band Jam event on Friday at noon. Pep bands and spirit squads from the MAAC colleges and universities will put on a high-energy performance to kick the weekend off on a high note.
Hannaford MAAC-n-Cheese Fest
Date: Friday, March 2
Time: 4:00 - 6:30 PM
Location: Albany Capital Center
Downtown is about to get cheesy during the third annual Hannaford MAAC-n-Cheese Fest! Sample gourmet mac & cheese bites from local restaurants and sip on craft beer from New York breweries during this delicious event. Purchase a $8 ticket to taste five samples of mac & cheese from participating restaurants, including Ama Cocina; Allie B’s; Angelo’s 677 Prime; City Beer Hall; Cider Belly; Excelsior Pub; Parish Public House; Philly Bar and Lounge; Public House 42; Tala; Wellington’s; and Wolff’s Biergarten.
The event is family-friendly with basketball-themed inflatables and a balloon artist to keep your little ones happy!
I LOVE NY 3-on-3 Corporate Basketball Challenge
Semi-Finals
Date: Friday, March 2
Time: 4:00 - 6:30 PM
Location: Albany Capital Center
Championship Game
Date: Sunday, March 4
Time: 4:30 PM
Location: Times Union Center
This time around it is not just college basketball players competing, but corporate teams from the Albany area will square off in the first I Love NY 3-on-3 MAAC Corporate Basketball Challenge!
The tournament-style competition began on Saturday, February 24 and Sunday, February 2 with 14 local companies competing. The four semi-finalists will go head-to-head during the annual Hannaford MAAC-n-Cheese Fest. The I LOVE NEW YORK 3-on-3 MAAC Corporate Basketball Challenge championship game will be held on Sunday, March 4 prior to the start of the MAAC Men's semi-finals.
The following businesses and organizations will be competing: AYCO; Berkshire Bank; The Bonadio Group; CAP COM Federal Credit Union; Capital District YMCA; CDTA; City Rocks; Hannaford Supermarkets; Mazzone Hospitality; National Grid; Northwestern Mutual; Pioneer Bank; and the Times Union Center.
MAAC Men's & Women's Championship Games
Dates: Thursday March 1 - Monday, March 5
Location: Times Union Center
Of course, don’t miss the main event – men’s and women’s basketball! Cheer on the men and women college basketball players as they go to head-to-head to win the championship. Check out a full schedule for the championship games here.
MAAC College Fair
Date: Thursday, March 1
Time: 4:30 - 6:30 PM
Location: Albany Capital Center
Are you a high school student dreaming about attending one of the 11 MAAC colleges and universities? If so, you won’t want to miss the MAAC College Fair! Representatives from Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College will be onsite to provide academic information for prospective students and parents.
A major perk of attending? Attendees will be given a free ticket voucher to either the MAAC Men’s or Women’s Basketball Championship game on Monday, March 5!
2018 ECAC eSports Expo
Date: Thursday, March 1
Time: 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Location: Albany Capital Center
Not all sports competitions take place on the field or a court! eSports, a competition using video games, is a rapidly expanding scene on the collegiate level. MAAC is a four-team eSports tournament that is open to the public on Riot Games' League of Legends featuring ECAC and MAAC member schools. Teams from Canisius College, Siena College, SUNY Canton and Stevenson University will be competing.
