Long Beach State will play host to a premier men’s college basketball tournament in 2025 featuring Division-I, Power 5 and mid-major schools.

The inaugural Battle At The Beach will include multiple games on three consecutive days during the early-season Thanksgiving tournament window, Nov. 19-21, 2025. All of the games will be nationally televised.

The organizer, a consulting firm called The 44 Group, said Long Beach and the iconic Walter Pyramid were an optimal fit.

“Long Beach is an often-overlooked gem – the culture is unlike anything I’ve seen in all of my travels,” Jason Tilton, founder of The 44 Group, said in a statement.

Cal State Long Beach Walter Pyramid. File photo.

The tournament is a collaboration between the consultants, the city and Long Beach State to create a “year-over-year signature Long Beach sporting event.”

The Long Beach State men’s basketball team, which earned a spot in this year’s NCAA March Madness tournament for the first time since 2012, will also compete.

Athletic Director Bobby Smitheran said the tournament will give added visibility to Long Beach State’s brand and talent.