Chicago’s United Center to Host 2023 State Farm Champions Classic

• ESPN Events’ season-opening college basketball showcase event featuring Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State returns to the United Center for the first time since 2017

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.

Future Champions Classic Matchups

Nov. 14, 2023 (Chicago, Ill.)

Michigan State vs. Duke

Kansas vs. Kentucky

2024

Kansas vs. Michigan State

Kentucky vs. Duke

2025

Michigan State vs. Kentucky

Kansas vs. Duke

* 2024-25 event sites TBD

History

• Champions Classic games annually rank among the most-viewed college basketball games of the season. The 2021 event averaged 1.7 million viewers on ESPN.
• The event features three of the top four all-time winningest men’s college basketball programs: Kansas (first), Kentucky (second) and Duke (fourth), while Michigan State has made 24 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, the second-longest active streak in Division I.

Since the Champions Classic began in 2011, all four teams have reached the Final Four at least once, with Kentucky (2011-12), Duke (2014-15) and Kansas (2021-22) winning national titles.

• The four participating programs have combined for 19 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships (since 1939): Kentucky (eight), Duke (five), Kansas (four) and Michigan State (two).

 

About ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of 34 collegiate sporting events nationwide. The roster includes five early-season college football games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and a college softball event, which accounts for approximately 400 hours of live programming, reaches nearly 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in more than 10 markets across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.

Media Contacts:

Charley Green, Champions Classic: [email protected]

Amy Ufnowski, ESPN: [email protected]