The Story Behind March Madness
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Hello friends!
Can you believe it’s March already?
I’ve always loved March (and not just because it’s the month when I was born).
March signals that spring is around the corner, and it also brings that wonderful phenomenon we know as…
March Madness!
Ask any basketball fan (and most Americans) and they can tell you why this time of year is so special.
I grew up in Indiana, where you can’t graduate from high school unless you can nail a three-pointer.1
Even James Naismith, who invented basketball in Massachusetts said:
“Basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport.”
Take that, Kentucky and Kansas!
But, how did March Madness become a billion dollar industry?
I was curious…
Before we begin, a quick intro for those who aren’t familiar with the Madness...
What is “March Madness”?
“March Madness” refers to a magical three week period, starting in mid-March, when 68 college basketball teams compete in seven rounds to become the national champions of the NCAA Tournament.
Why is it called “March Madness”?
“March Madness” was first used in reference to basketball by an Illinois high school official, Henry V. Porter in 1939.
It didn’t become associated with the NCAA until broadcaster Brent Musburger used it during the 1982 NCAA Tournament.
The “madness” of the tournament comes from the incredible drama and upsets it gives us each year.
Small schools beat big schools — and schools with huge basketball programs can be defeated by schools you’ve never heard of (looking at you, Oral Roberts!).
While top teams tend to make it to the Final Four, there are Cinderella stories every year (like Butler in 2010) where teams greatly exceed expectations and contribute to the madness.
It’s a single elimination tournament, so you never know what’s going to happen and who will make it to the next round.
That’s what makes March Madness so exciting – and so fun!
But how did it get started?
Meet Harold Olsen – The Man Behind the Madness.
In 1938, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) held their first college men’s basketball competition in New York City.
It was sponsored by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association, and the games were played at the city’s famous Madison Square Garden.
But they only invited six teams to compete – and two of those teams were from New York.
Harold Olsen, the coach of Ohio State men’s basketball team and chairman of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Basketball Committee, wanted to create a true national tournament that could compete with the NIT.
So in March 1939, Olsen worked with others to hold the first NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
It included eight teams from across the nation, with regional games held in Philadelphia (for eastern teams), and San Francisco (for western teams).
The Final Four and championship were played at Northwestern University’s gym in Evanston, Illinois – a significantly smaller (and less glamorous) setting than New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Interestingly, Olsen’s Ohio State Buckeyes made it to the championship, but were defeated by the Oregon Webfoots (colloquially referred to as the ‘Tall Firs’), 46-33.
The NCAA Tournament is a bit of a Cinderella story itself.
Although the tournament would grow to become a huge moneymaker, in 1939, it lost money.
Organizers gave away tickets to get fans to go to the games and the tournament ended $2,600 in the red.
They also struggled to compete with the NIT for media coverage and attention (perhaps challenging since the NIT was sponsored by the Basketball Writers Association!).
When the tournament began, there was limited national media coverage of college basketball, and playing in New York City gave the NIT and its teams more exposure.
The NIT was seen as the most glamorous of the post-season tournaments, and many teams wanted to compete in it rather than the NCAA Tournament.
But that changed.
The NCAA Tournament grew, and by 1951, they had 16 teams competing.
By 1975, they had 32 teams.
NBC then moved televised coverage of the NCAA championship from Saturday afternoon to Monday evening, providing the NCAA Tournament with prime-time television exposure the NIT could not match.
By 1985, 64 teams were competing in the NCAA Tournament – and the exposure and interest has grown significantly over the years.
Games are now broadcast on four networks, and many fans also livestream the games (watching on their phones, tablets and computers).
Olsen’s dream of a national championship tournament came true.
The three-week celebration of March Madness has become one of the most famous annual sporting events in the United States – where even non-basketball fans get involved filling out brackets and competing in office pools.
And the once-prestigious NIT is now operated by the NCAA, and regarded as a secondary tournament for teams that did not make the NCAA grade. 2
One more thing…
One Shining Moment was introduced as the March Madness anthem in 1987 - when the INDIANA HOOSIERS were the champs!
If you’re not convinced why March Madness is so special, then check out this video of One Shining Moment and let it (and the smooth vocals of Luther Vandross) convince you.
Even More Madness!
For decades, the NCAA used the label “March Madness” exclusively for the men’s Division I basketball tournament, while the women were branded with the less-exciting “Women’s National Tournament.”
But in 2022, the NCAA announced that both the women’s and men’s Division I basketball tournaments would use the “March Madness” label.3
Selection Sunday is March 17, so make sure you fill out your brackets for both the women’s and men’s tournaments this year!
Recent Work and Writing
I’ve been too busy at SXSW the past week to write about it… but yes, I have a lot of thoughts about the Royal Family’s communication and the latest “Kate Gate” scandal…
But while I do not have a story to share today, I can offer you this delightful meme:
And here are a few other stories I wrote (in case you missed them):
What’s Holding Women Back? — Is it women’s mindsets that hold them back? Or something else? I investigate…
Enough of the Ghosting — It may be more common these days, but that doesn’t mean it’s OK.
Communication Wonders & Blunders — Find out which communication moments from CEOs, politicians, entertainers, and companies caught my attention in January — and what we can learn from them.
How Can I Help?
I’ll keep saying it: Communication matters.
If you want to improve your communication (and get all the good things that come with that), I’m your gal.
So many companies could reap massive rewards – from performance and culture to retention and engagement – by improving their communication.
So, if you know someone who could benefit from some help (as even the most seasoned leaders do), please get in touch and check out my website for more information.
You can also see my Top 10 list of what I can (and can’t) do for you here.
And if you see any communication examples (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that you think are worth analyzing or sharing, please send them my way!
Stay Curious!
-Beth
Just kidding - but we DO love our basketball.
For some, the NIT stands for: ‘No Invite Tournament’, ‘Not Important Tournament’, and ‘Nobody's Interested Tournament’.
About time!
Invented in the States... by a Canadian! We have a heritage minute about it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiJJIacdF-E