Although March Madness for the NCAA officially starts on the 18th, New York City is kicking the season off by bringing back their annual March Political Madness event. After their three year long hiatus they came back on March 6th for another friendly competition at Nike’s New York Headquarters.
This will be New York’s third time hosting, with a roster of fresh new faces from different government departments. Senators, District Representatives, and other departments come together to play ball and set politics off the court. They currently have 26 players listed and 6 coaches, which is almost 3 times more than past couple years, 2023’s roster of 9 politicians.
Along with politicians, NBA G-League player George Beamon makes a feature representing the small town of Roslyn, New York. His 18.8 point average is a large advantage over any opposing team, especially against non-professionals.
Competition may have been fierce in the moment when the scores for blue and red are tied but at the end of the day New York’s are able to come together and meet the community. Advantages or skill is not the main show case of the event. New Yorkers are able to watch and play along their legislatures, bringing politics and people together.
“The theme here is making politics fun!” Skye Ostreicher states from the 2023 event, Ostreicher also exclaimed, “And have a positive and fun feeling about who their local legislators are!”
With the rise of social media in politics, citizens are able to see the personalities of their representatives through their posts. It has made an effective marketing strategy. Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win is significant because of his social media campaign, and it is possible that it has inspired City & State NY to bring March Political Madness back to get closer to their citizens.
New York’s March Political Madness 2026 was sold out before the event started. There’s a likely chance that the tournament will come back next year, perhaps featuring more politicians than this year. It is a great opener for the incoming March Madness, and New York has already had events planned for watch parties.
Basketball has brought many New Yorkers together. Whether it’s cheering for their local team or their local politicians, sports will continue to be a significant part of New York’s culture and community.
