Brooks Bratten

The doldrums of winter are fading away, and if you’re an NCAA basketball fan, the arrival of March means two things: stressing over picking the perfect bracket and walking around with the CBS college basketball theme song on repeat in your head.

Indeed, March Madness is here, and Bridgestone Arena is set to serve as a hub for Rounds One and Two of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Tournament, held in Nashville this week, March 16-18. For the reigning Pollstar Arena of the Year, it’s another opportunity to showcase why the building is consistently thought of as one of the top venues in the world.

“I think those first two days of the NCAA Tournament are the most exciting college basketball of the year, and it's awesome to be able to host those events,” Bridgestone Arena and Nashville Predators Senior Vice President of Entertainment & Marketing David Kells said. “It’s the big schools versus the little schools starting early in the afternoon and going till late at night; it’s just a fun day of sports.”

As far as the participants are concerned, Xavier, Cincinnati, Missouri, Florida State, Nevada, Texas, Georgia State, plus the winner of the North Carolina Central and Texas Southern matchup will all be headed to the Music City in the coming days, their sights set on a trip to the Final Four. Of course, you can be a part of the action by purchasing tickets to the games here, but if you simply can’t wait until Friday, there’s another excuse to take a “sick day” on Thursday.

On March 15, starting at 10:30 a.m. (CT), Lexus Lounge inside Bridgestone Arena will host a Tournament Watch Party, affording fans the chance to not only watch games around the country on the multitude of LED TVs, but to also take in the open practices of the teams who will be playing in Nashville just outside the lounge on the arena floor.

For $125 per person, the Lexus Lounge experience also includes unlimited draft beer, house wine and soft drinks, plus an unlimited buffet featuring a nacho and taco bar, wings, sandwiches and flatbread pizzas. There will also be a Jack Daniel’s sampling and the flagship radio station of the Nashville Predators, ESPN 102.5 The Game, will be broadcasting on site throughout the day.

“It’s a great way to play hooky in the middle of the day, come out and watch sports in a fantastic setting,” Kells said. “Anybody who’s been to the Lexus Lounge knows it’s an awesome place for watching events, and if they haven’t been, we hope they’ll give it a try. We have giant screens, great service and great food; it’s about as much fun as you can have in the middle of the afternoon on a Thursday.”

For more information on the Lexus Lounge watch party, click here, or call 615-770-7800.

This year’s NCAA appearance marks the fifth time Bridgestone Arena has hosted the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and the ninth time the first and second rounds of the tournament have been played in Nashville.