MBA Finals
The MBA Finals are the championship series of the Military Basketball Association, a basketball league for U.S.
The MBA Finals are the championship series of the Military Basketball Association, a basketball league for U.S. military service members and veterans. The Finals cap the league playoffs and determine the season champion.
Overview
The MBA Finals are the concluding championship event of the Military Basketball Association season. They bring together qualified teams from the league’s playoff structure to decide the annual champion.
History
The Military Basketball Association was founded in 2017, and the first Finals tournament was held in Colorado Springs in 2018. Coverage from later years shows the event expanding to larger venues and different host cities, including Denver, Wichita, and Philadelphia.
Purpose and mission
Reports on the league describe the MBA as more than a basketball competition, noting its emphasis on camaraderie, mental health, and suicide prevention for military communities.
Tournament format
The MBA postseason includes conference finals leading into the MBA Finals. A 2025 league newsletter describes Eastern and Western Conference Finals feeding into the championship tournament.
Key facts
- The MBA Finals are the championship round of the Military Basketball Association season.
- The league was founded in 2017 and has used the Finals to promote camaraderie, mental health, and suicide prevention within the military community.
- The first MBA Finals tournament was held in Colorado Springs in 2018.
- The Finals have been held in different U.S. cities, including Denver, Wichita, and Philadelphia.
- A 2025 newsletter said top teams from the Eastern and Western Conference Finals advance to the MBA Finals Tournament.
None known; the MBA Finals are a U.S.-based military basketball championship with no clear Canadian connection in the available sources.
Frequently asked questions
What are the MBA Finals?
Who plays in the MBA Finals?
When was the first MBA Finals tournament held?
Who is the MBA for?
What is the purpose of the league?
References
- WPVI (6abc) — https://6abc.com/post/military-basketball-association-united-states-service-members-tournament/14696406/Supports: States the MBA Finals are the championship event and gives a 2024 host location in Philadelphia.
- Denverite — https://denverite.com/2022/07/17/military-basketball-its-5-v-5-on-the-court-and-a-much-bigger-battle-off-it/Supports: States the MBA was founded in 2017, the first Finals were held in 2018, and describes the league’s mission and host cities.
- TwinSportsTV (YouTube) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a133GAO4l04Supports: Shows the 2023 MBA Finals in Wichita, Kansas, and the event timing.
- Military Basketball Association (Facebook) — https://www.facebook.com/militarybasketballassociation/posts/the-mba-2025-2026-mba-season-will-be-upon-us-very-soon-as-discussed-on-the-2-jul/1268003215126517/Supports: States that the MBA postseason consists of the Eastern Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, and the MBA Finals.
- Military Basketball Association newsletter — https://digitalshift-assets.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/pw/006a5c15-02cf-4dbe-bb88-ff4c5ab56be8/f-9548c020-db8b-467c-be00-11643d25afc7/MBA%20Newsletter%20-%20March%202025.pdfSupports: Describes 2025 conference finals and the MBA Championships as the postseason championship event.