Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Sports Desk • Basketball

MBA Finals

The MBA Finals are the championship series of the Military Basketball Association, a basketball league for U.S.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

The MBA Finals are the championship series of the Military Basketball Association, a league for U.S. military service members and veterans. They cap the league playoffs and determine the season champion.

What it is

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.

Key details

The league was founded in 2017, and the first MBA Finals tournament was held in Colorado Springs in 2018. Later editions have been hosted in cities including Denver, Wichita, and Philadelphia. The postseason format includes Eastern and Western Conference Finals that feed into the championship tournament.

Why it matters

Reports on the league describe the MBA as more than a basketball competition, emphasizing camaraderie, mental health, and suicide prevention for military communities. The Finals serve as a platform to promote these goals.

In short

  • Championship series of the Military Basketball Association for U.S. service members and veterans.
  • First held in 2018 in Colorado Springs; league founded in 2017.
  • Emphasizes camaraderie, mental health, and suicide prevention.
  • Postseason includes conference finals leading to the MBA Finals.
Canadian angle

None known; the MBA Finals are a U.S.-based military basketball championship with no clear Canadian connection in the available sources.

Quick questions

What are the MBA Finals?
They are the championship series of the Military Basketball Association, determining the season winner.
Who plays in the MBA Finals?
Teams that advance through the league’s playoff and conference finals stages compete for the title.
When was the first MBA Finals tournament held?
The first MBA Finals tournament was held in 2018 in Colorado Springs.

Sources

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. TwinSportsTV (YouTube) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a133GAO4l04
    Supports: Shows the 2023 MBA Finals in Wichita, Kansas, and the event timing.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.pdf
    Supports: Describes 2025 conference finals and the MBA Championships as the postseason championship event.