While the March Madness tournament is now a massive global event, it had a very humble beginning. On March 27, 1939, the first-ever NCAA men’s basketball tournament came to an end with the University of Oregon defeating Ohio State University to become the first national champions.
In its first year, the tournament was much smaller than the one we see today. The idea for a national championship was first proposed by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and only eight teams were invited to compete.
The final game was held at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The Oregon team, known for their tall players, was nicknamed the “Tall Firs.” They played a fast and strong game, defeating Ohio State with a final score of 46–33. At that time, only about 5,500 fans attended, and the tournament actually lost money in its first year.
Over the decades, the tournament grew in both size and popularity, till it eventually earned the name “March Madness” describing the excitement and unpredictable nature of the games.
By the 1950s and 60s, television began broadcasting the games. As more teams were added and the stakes got higher, the tournament became a cultural phenomenon that stops work and school schedules every spring.
By 2005, college basketball had become the most popular sporting event for gamblers, second to the Super Bowl. Much of this activity happens during the tournament through office pools, internet sites, and sportsbooks in Las Vegas.
People who may not watch a single basketball game all season often find themselves following the scores to see if their predictions were right.
Today, 68 teams compete in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. With over 300 schools competing in Division I, only the best earn an invite. Teams get in by either winning their conference tournament or being selected by a special committee based on their season record and rankings.
Four games are played to determine the final four teams allowed into the round of sixty-four before the first weekend of the tournament.
Once the field of sixty-four is set, games start on Thursday and Friday with the higher ranked teams playing against teams.
Lower ranked or “seeded” teams that make a long run in the tournament are often known as Cinderellas.
All games are played at neutral sites to prevent teams from having an unfair advantage. By the last game on Friday night, the field of sixty-four teams is cut in half. Thirty-two teams then square off on Saturday and Sunday, with the surviving sixteen teams advancing.
The winner is crowned as college basketball’s national champion for the year.
The 87th edition of the tournament began on March 17 and will conclude with the championship game on April 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
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