A : Midnight Madness is a ‘through the night’ amateur basketball competition designed to find the best players in Britain, then provide them with the opportunity of a lifetime, representing the UK internationally through one of our travelling teams.  Our travelling teams compete in tournaments worldwide as British ambassadors, with the aim of widening horizons, creating positive cultural exchange and increasing the profile of British basketball talent on an international platform.

A : No.  Midnight Madness is an amateur, open-access competition, which is open to all players of all abilities.  We do not pay players to play at any stage of our competition.  The purpose of our competition is to provide a pathway and platform to highlight the talents and abilities of UK basketball players and provide them with opportunities that will widen their cultural and aspirational horizons.

A : To find the UK’s ultimate team, we have a 3 stage competitive process players must go through to earn their place on the final 10:

The first stage is ‘Midday Madness’ where all players are invited to step up and ‘show and prove’ they belong amongst the top players in the country for their respective age group.  We are currently running the competitive opportunity for under 21 males and over 21 males, however also have ‘open play’ female-only courts and coaching clinic opportunities for females and under 16’s at all Midday Madness events (click here for details).

The aim for players at Midday Madness (the quarter-final stage), is to earn themselves a ‘Golden Ticket’, which gives them passage through to the semi-final stage at the Midnight Madness Qualifier.  There are 10 Golden tickets up for grabs at each event for both U21’s and O21’s.  Players earn Golden Tickets by being amongst the top 10 players on the day, as scored by our Ball Without Bias (BWB) player evaluation system, which is aimed at removing all bias from the player selection process.

Players are given the opportunity to prove their ability by playing in full court 5 on 5 open run basketball on the ‘Show n Prove Courts’.  If good enough, a player will be given a promotion to the ‘Elite Court’ from one of our talent scouts, who are on hand throughout the event, watching all the action.

Once on the Elite Court, players will be put into fives by position, and go head to head in an attempt to try and score as many individual points on the BWB leaderboard as possible.  

Individual points are scored for each player performing on the Elite Court by a team of statisticians and senior talent scouts seated courtside, judging players on a range of fundamental basketball skills, flair and creativity that give a true reflection of a player’s ability and suitability in representing the Midnight Madness UK team. 

Please note: points are not just scored by the number of times a player puts the ball through the hoop, BWB rewards good all-around, team basketball.  We are looking for good TEAM players! (Click here for more information on the BWB system).

At the end of the event, the top 10 players sitting atop of the leaderboard progress through to the next round.

The second stage is the Midnight Madness Qualifier (the semi-final stage), which takes place on 8th August at the Jesse Boot Arena in Nottingham.  Players who have successfully earned themselves a ‘Golden Ticket’ to this stage will go head-to-head in full-court 5 on 5 open run basketball, in attempt to claim a spot in the finals.  The format will remain the same as Midday Madness Elite Court, with players being evaluated using the BWB system and being selected by position (Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward, Centre).

To qualify for the finals, players need to be selected as one of the top 40 (for U21’s) or top 20 (O21’s) at the end of the event.  The top 20 O21’s will progress straight through to Wembley.  The top 40 U21’s will progress through to an invite only ‘Boot Camp’ where they will be put through more focused skills and drills and full court 5 on 5 play session, giving our coaches and talent evaluators a more in-depth opportunity to work out exactly who the best 20 players are.

The third stage is the MM Finals Night experience, at Wembley Arena.  The top 20 players from each age category are placed on 2 balanced teams and battle it out in the Final U21 and O21 showcase for a spot on one of the travelling teams.

All the events are free of charge for all participants and openly accessible to all players, regardless of the level on which they may play.  However places are limited, so all players are advised to pre-register to avoid disappointment on the day.

A : Ball Without Bias 2.0™ Scoring System

A : Each qualifying event will have a leader board displaying the top players on the night, which will be updated throughout the event.

A : The Show n Prove Street Courts will be regulated by appointed Court Monitors, however the action will be free flowing open play.  Players will call their own fouls, with the Court Monitors overseeing that all calls are fair and appropriate.

The Elite Court will always be regulated by qualified referees.

A : Yes – providing players are UK residents and over 16 years of age.

A : First, pre-register via the website, as playing spaces will be limited and only successful pre-registration guarantees a chance to play.

To secure your playing spot in this competition, you are advised to register online for a ticket as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

All players will be required to sign a participation waiver, allowing them to participate in the event.

Players aged 16 or 17 will need to get the consent of a parent/guardian to participate in the events.

A : There are 9 Midday Madness qualifying events taking place across the UK this year, on the following dates/places:

Date	Venue	Time
Sunday 29th June	Mountbatten LC, Alexandra Park, Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth, PO2 9QA	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm
Saturday 12th July	Bristol Academy, Russel Town Avenue, Bristol BS5 9JH	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm
Sunday 13th July	Greenbank Academy, Greenbank Lane, Liverpool L17 1AG	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm
Saturday 19th July	Bletchley LC, Princes Way, Bletchley, Bucks MK2 2HQ	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm
Sunday 20th July	The Score, 100 Oliver Road, Leyton, London E10 5JY	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm
Saturday 26th July	Kelvin Hall, 1445 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AW	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm
Sunday 27th July	Westgate LC, West Road, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 1SG	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm
Saturday 2nd August	Jesse Boot Arena, Greenwood Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG3 7EB	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm
Sunday 3rd August	Brixton Recreation Centre, 27 Station Road, London SW9 8QQ	U21’s: 2pm-6pm O21’s: 6pm-10pm

A : No.  You only have to attend one to win your Golden Ticket through to the semi-final.  If you are unsuccessful in winning a Golden Ticket at one event, you are not restricted from trying again at another Midday Madness event.

A : Midnight Madness Qualifier (the semi-final stage) takes place on: 8th August at Jesse Boot Arena, Greenwood Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG3 7EB.  U21’s competition is between 6pm-12middnight, O21’s competition is between 12 midnight and 6am.

A : Finals Night takes place on: 16th August at Wembley Arena between 7pm-12 Midnight.

A : The MM travelling teams will be competing in international competition throughout the year, with the schedule being updated as the year goes on.

Current schedule for the O21 mens team at present:

18th-24th August, 2008: Miami, Florida, USA – Battle Of The Atlantic

Early July, 2009: Paris, France – Quai54 Tournament

Current schedule for U21’s team at present:

Mid-February, 2009: Phoenix, Arizona, USA – Teams TBC from China, USA, Europe.

The MVP of the U21 Finals at Wembley will also qualify for a separate trip to the USA in Autumn 2008, the full details of which will be updated on our website later this summer.

*Please note that the organisers reserve the right to change or modify this schedule when/if it becomes necessary for any reason
**All players wishing to be considered for selection must hold a valid UK passport or equivalent and be eligible to travel to the USA or Europe without issue

A : No.  The Golden Ticket gets you in the door and placed on the Elite Court at the Qualifier – but the only thing that will keep you in front is your game.  Hungry wildcards who make it up from the Show n Prove courts can just as easily be amongst the final 10 on the night if they out play a Golden Ticket player and amass more points on the elite court on the night.

A : As a player, your priority should be on winning a Golden Ticket at a Midday Madness event, as this is the only guarantee you have of progressing through to the semi-final stage.  However, we are holding back 10 places for ‘Last Chance Show n Prove’, which will take place on one court at the MM Qualifier.  This court is going to be full of players competing for one of the last wildcard spots into the semi-final, making qualification much harder than at the Midday Madness events – but for the lucky few, ‘Last Chance Show n Prove’ gives you one last chance to make it through.

A : The events provide a full day of basketball entertainment for the whole family, featuring:

• Youth coaching clinics for 8-16 year olds
• Female only open play opportunities & competitions
• Show & Prove courts for U21’s & O21’s
• Elite Court action
• Slam Dunk Search
• Athletic Testing
• Gaming Zones
• Live DJ’s
• Prizes & Giveaways
• FREE Nike Midnight Madness’08 T-shirt for ALL participants
• FREE Nike Midnight Madness reversible Elite Vests for all Elite Court players
• FREE bottled water/energy drinks for all participants

MDM events are also heavily involved with local community basketball development, working with clubs and networks in ensuring that players drawn into MDM can continue to play and be involved with the game throughout the year.  Through our Reach & Teach programs we strive to work with existing local providers in strengthening and building better access and grassroots playing opportunities for the whole community.

A : At Midday Madness events, the first 2 hours of competition are open to all players within the appropriate age group, who play on the Show n Prove Courts attempting to earn qualification to the Elite Court.  The Elite Court action is reserved for the last 2 hours of each run and is strictly for players who have qualified up from Show n Prove.

                *Please note that ALL players must qualify through Show n Prove this year – there are no ‘seeded’ player allocations or preferential treatment for any player, regardless of status.

Upon entry all players will receive a FREE Midnight Madness playing T-Shirt, which they are required to wear on court at all times.

The rules on the Show n Prove courts:

1. All players wishing to participate on court must have correctly registered for participation and filled out the waiver form prior to consideration.
2. Registered players must then approach a court monitor on the court on which they are to play and have their name entered onto the order of play board.
3. If a player loses, he/she is responsible for re-registering with the court monitor to play again.
4. Winner stays on.  2 pointers count for 1 and 3 pointers count for 2.
5. All games are to 7, or whoever is up after 10 minutes running clock.  In the advent of a tie, teams will play an extra 60 seconds – or until the first team scores (whichever comes first).  In the advent of scores being tied after the extra period of time, both teams will automatically come off and be replaced by then next 2 awaiting teams. 
6. In the advent of extra time, a court monitor will officiate the extra time period.  Any defensive foul committed will result in a free throw for the offensive team.
7. Players call own fouls during regular play.  No weak calls, play hard but fair.  In the advent of weak calls continually being made, a court monitor will take over the responsibility for making calls.
8. Players are responsible for being ready to go on court when their team is called up.  If a player is not ready and available, he/she will lose their place.
9. Players who are selected by scouting staff will be given an elite player card and asked to go and register their name with the Court Monitor on the Elite Court.
10. In order to be eligible for Elite Court consideration, a player must win a minimum of 2 games in succession with his teammates (however winning 2 games in succession does not automatically guarantee you an Elite Court place).
11. Any team on Show n Prove who win 6 games in succession will automatically qualify the whole team up to Elite Court and be asked to give their Show n Prove court position up to the next waiting team.
12. The Court Monitors decision on ANY dispute is FINAL.
13. The organisers reserve the right to remove anyone from the games, or the event at any time, or any future events.

Players who earn selection for the Elite Court will receive a FREE Midnight Madness Reversible Elite Vest which they are required to wear at all times on the Elite Court.

The rules for the Elite Court:

• All players will be listed on the order of play board by Court Monitors.
• If a player loses, he/she is responsible for re-registering with the court monitor to play again.
• Winner stays on.  2 pointers count for 1 and 3 pointers count for 2.
• All games are to 7, or whoever is up after 10 minutes running clock.  In the advent of a tie, teams will play an extra 30 seconds – or until the first team scores (whichever comes first).  In the advent of scores being tied after the extra period of time, both teams will automatically come off and be replaced by then next 2 awaiting teams. 
• All Elite Court games will be officiated by referees who will be promoting hard but fair play. 
• All fouls in the act of shooting will be rewarded with 1 free throw.
•    Players are responsible for being ready to go on court when their team is called up.  If a player is not ready and available, he/she will lose their place.
•    Arguing with officials, behaving in a disruptive, threatening or abusive manner will not be tolerated at any time. 
• The Court Monitors decision on ANY dispute is FINAL.
• The organisers reserve the right to remove anyone from the games, or the event at any time, or any future events.

A : No, you do not have to bring a team.  Ultimately players will be scored as individuals and are free to come to the event as individuals.  However for those wishing to play with friends/team mates – you may come to the event as a team and be entered onto a Show n Prove court as a team, providing you arrive together and enter your names on the order of play boards together.

A : At the conclusion of the Midnight Madness Qualifier the top 10 players will be notified of their success at the event, then followed up with an official players invite to Finals Night.

A : At the conclusion of the final, the final 10 will be presented along with other awards handed out on the night.  This will be followed up with a formal letter of congratulations for the successful players.

A : Yes, the popular elements of previous MM events will all be back – bigger and better for summer 2008.  The live dj’s, upfront PA’s, the best in street dance, Chill Out Lounge, Gaming Zone and Cinema areas are all back in full effect.  Players can also see how the measure up against the competition in our Athletic Testing Zone where you can get your vertical jump, height, weight and wingspan measured – just like the pro’s.

A : Access to Midday Madness events are 100% FREE for both participants and spectators, however require players and spectators to pre-register for a ticket to avoid disappointment of non-entry on the day.

Both participant and spectator tickets are limited, but are available for each venue and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. You will be asked to list the places you’d like to play/spectate in order of preference, and we’ll try to accommodate your top choices providing there are spaces still available. 

In order to give everyone a fair chance to participate, once you have a spot confirmed at one of the events, you will be moved onto a ‘waiting list’ for other events, if you plan on attending more than one Midday Madness.  Once all the top choice selections at each venue are filled, we then fill remaining spaces from the ‘waiting list’.  Chances are, you will get to attend more than one event, if you choose to do so, but the priority at each venue will go to those who have indicated it as their top choice selection. 

You must complete the online registration form to apply.  Providing there are still spaces left on your chosen event, you will be sent a confirmation email to the email address you supply, which you need to print off and bring along to the event to gain entry.

A : Access to Midday Madness events are 100% FREE for spectators, however require all spectators to pre-register for a ticket to avoid disappointment of non-entry on the day.

Tickets are limited, but are available for each venue and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. You will be asked to list the places you’d like to spectate in order of preference, and we’ll try to accommodate your top choices providing there are spaces still available. 

In order to give everyone a fair chance to come along and watch and be a part of the ‘Madness’, once you have a spot confirmed at one of the events, you will be moved onto a ‘waiting list’ for other events, if you plan on attending more than one.  Once all the top choice selections at each venue are filled, we then fill remaining spaces from the ‘waiting list’.  Chances are, you will get to attend more than one event, if you choose to do so, but the priority at each venue will go to those who have indicated it as their top choice selection. 

You must complete the online registration form to apply.  Providing there are still spaces left on your chosen event, you will be sent a confirmation email to the email address you supply, which you need to print off and bring along to the event to gain entry.

A : Player spots at the MM Qualifier will be filled by the Golden Ticket winners from the Midday Madness events in the first instance, who will be uncovered as we travel from venue to venue over the summer months.  However, there will be a limited opportunity for players who were unable to win a Golden Ticket, to come to Midnight Madness Qualifier and compete for one of the last 10 places in the semi-final, on the ‘Last Chance Show n Prove Court’.

Players interested in registering for ‘Last Chance Show n Prove’ will be given an opportunity to do so online after the conclusion of our last Midday Madness event on 3rd August.  Again, playing spots will be limited, so all interested players are advised to be ready to register for one of the spots online on the 4th August.

A : Spectator places at the MM Qualifier are 100% FREE, however require you to register for your free ticket.  Places are limited, so all spectators are encouraged to register early to avoid disappointment of missing out on the event.  Register for your free ticket here.

A : Tickets for MM Finals Night are available at the Wembley box office , and are priced at £15 for limited courtside seats, £10 for all general seats and £5 for children.

A : After 3 years of being over-subscribed for our Finals Night show-piece event, the time had come for us to move to a bigger venue to accommodate more of the many thousands of people who have expressed an interest in tickets for the Finals.  We want to share the experience with as many people as possible.  Moving to Wembley gives us 4,000 more tickets than we’ve ever had available for Finals Night in previous years (moving us up to 7,000+ capacity).

The move to world reknowned Wembley Arena coupled with our quest to bring our audience the best in UK basketball entertainment dictates the introduction of ticket pricing to cover costs, but we’re proud of the fact that we’ve been able to keep the prices extremely accessible for our audience and dramatically cheaper than anywhere else in the country for anything close to what we’re providing on the night. 

A : All players and spectators are only eligible for ONE ticket per EVENT. If you have friends you would like to also attend, they must register individually for their own ticket.

A : As many as you like

A : Email helpside@midnight-madness.com with your name and original email address listed when you registered and you will be sent another validating email ticket.

A : There will be NO tickets on the door. If you are unsuccessful in your application, you can try and pre-register for a ticket to another event. No ticket, no entry.

A : We are committed to helping develop the game and increase positive participation across the UK.  The MDM Coaching Clinics are FREE 2 hour basketball coaching clinics delivered by a team of exceptional coaches, led by former England International and GB U20’s Assistant Coach Junior Williams.  The clinics focus on introducing and developing basketball fundamentals and underpin the importance of skills development and proper practise techniques for the developing player.

A number of MM Ambassadors will also be on hand to inspire, motivate and share their experiences of travelling overseas with Midnight Madness, delivering positive messages that will stay with the young players after the MDM is over.

At each clinic, there will be awards for participants with the best attitude, hardest worker, most potential and MVP – while ALL participants will receive a FREE Nike Midnight Madness Clinic T-Shirt.

A : We are committed to helping develop the women’s game and increase female participation across the UK. For the first time ever, we are introducing female-only open court at all the MDM events.  The female-open court sessions will run from 12 midday to 2pm and provide multiple courts for females aged 16-adult to come along and play full-court 5 on 5 pick up basketball.

All players will receive a FREE Nike Midnight Madness female baller tee-shirt, while our talent scouts will be on the look out for the very best players to select the top 20 from across the tour to participate in an elite female players camp at the end of the summer.

A : We take pride in providing the best slam dunk compeition in the UK every year – this year is no different.  Fresh for 2008 we are inviting the worlds BEST slam dunk kings to Finals Night in Wembley in August to battle it out for the MM Slam Dunk crown.  We need to find the VERY BEST the UK has to offer, to represent the whole of the UK in that competition against the worlds best.

The Slam Dunk Search is staged at all MDM events and invites ‘high-risers’ to compete for a spot at the Midnight Madness Qualifier where the UK representative for the Finals Night Slam Dunk competition will be chosen.

To register your interest as a potential slam dunk competitor please click here.