March Madness
NCAA Basketball Tournament
Example
How's your bracket holding up?
Busted after the first day
That's why they call it March Madness!
March Madness definition by Slang.net - The Slang Dictionary
This page explains what the slang term "March Madness" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been manually compiled and written by the Slang.net team.
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March Madness is the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament that begins in March and lasts three weeks. The tournament's first year was in 1939 with just eight teams, but it has since expanded to 68 teams for the men and 64 for the women.
Origin of March Madness
The name "March Madness" originated in 1939 when Illinois high school official Henry V. Porter used the term in an essay for the Illinois Interscholastic describing the Illinois high school boys basketball tournament. However, it wasn't popularized in relation to the NCAA tournament until 1982, when CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger uttered it during tournament TV coverage.
Growth of March Madness
Since 1982, the name has become synonymous with the tournament as it has grown into one of the premier American sporting events. Even if you are not a sports fan, you will see the name everywhere during March, including on TV, on social media, in advertisements, and in bracket pool office competitions.