ESPN Events has announced that the State Farm Champions Classic will return to New York City in 2025. The men’s college basketball event, featuring teams Michigan State, Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky, is scheduled for November 18 at Madison Square Garden. This marks a return to the venue where the Classic debuted in 2011 and was previously held in 2016, 2019, and 2021.
The matchups for the 2025 event include Michigan State facing Kentucky and Duke playing against Kansas. Before this event, on November 12, 2024, the Champions Classic will host its 14th annual edition at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. This year’s games will see Michigan State take on No. 1 Kansas at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by No. 7 Duke against No. 23 Kentucky at 9 p.m.
State Farm has been sponsoring the Champions Classic since it began as a doubleheader in 2011. Tickets for the upcoming New York event are set to go on sale in fall of next year with fans encouraged to sign up for pre-sale access through ESPN’s official website.
The Champions Classic is notable for featuring three of the top four all-time winningest programs in men’s college basketball: Kansas ranks first, Kentucky second, and Duke fourth. Michigan State also boasts a significant achievement with a record streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances recognized as the longest nationwide.
Since its inception in 2011, each team involved has reached at least one Final Four appearance. Combined, they have secured a total of nineteen NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships: eight by Kentucky, five by Duke, four by Kansas and two by Michigan State. Additionally, sixty-nine NBA first-round draft picks have participated in this annual showcase.
The current records for teams within the State Farm Champions Classic stand with both Duke and Kansas holding an eight-win-five-loss record while Kentucky and Michigan State share five wins against eight losses each.
