The University of Memphis men’s and women’s basketball teams united to celebrate the start of the college basketball season Thursday night on Beale Street, taking the traditional “Memphis Madness” to the city’s most famous landmark.
Ballin’ on Beale ushered in a new era for the Tigers, as it marked the first time Memphis Madness was moved from FedExForum and Elma Roane Fieldhouse to the historic Beale Street.
This two-hour event was free to the public and featured live music, free food and ice cream, and T-shirts tosses to the crowd. The on-court activities included a T.I.G.E.R. game between head coaches, a shooting challenge that involved the players, fans, and alumni, and a meet and greet for fans to connect with their favorite players.
Hundreds of fans dressed in Tiger blue gathered to express their excitement for the 2025-2026 campaign. Beale Street was packed, as many current students, alumni and casual fans flooded the surrounding area in support of the new season.
Among these fans was University of Memphis alumni Elahni Ware. Ware, 23, graduated from the University of Memphis in May of 2024 and has been a Tiger fan since she was 10 years old.
“I’ve been a fan of the Tigers since my dad took me to my first game at 10 years old,” Ware said. “I’ve become a huge fan over the years, and I love this outdoor environment as opposed to the FedExForum too.”
Coming off a 29-6 record and an AAC tournament championship win last season, there are many die-hard fans that have high expectations of the University of Memphis men’s basketball team this season. With 15 new players on the roster and an experienced coaching staff, the men’s Tigers have high hopes for the year.
Long time Tigers fan Rickey Stevenson is a season ticket holder and ecstatic for this coming season.
“Man, I love the Tigers, and I love the recruiting we’ve done in the offseason to help get our team better,” said Stevenson.
Stevenson, 26, is a construction management major at Murray State University and during every semester, he makes time to come and support the Memphis Tigers.
“Even though we may have some chemistry issues because of a brand-new roster, I think once we hit our stride, we can be a force to be reckoned with come March Madness time,” Stevenson said. “I definitely plan on missing a class or two to attend some of our pivotal games this year for sure.”
With anticipation at an all-time high, Memphis Tigers fans are gearing up for the home openers next month, with the women’s opener on Nov. 3 and the men’s home opener on Nov. 8. If Ballin on Beale was any indication, fans around Memphis are thrilled to see the Tigers play basketball.