🏀 Countdown to March Madness 2027
March Madness is Tuesday, March 16, 2027
When Is March Madness 2027?
March Madness 2027 is on Tuesday, March 16, 2027. March Madness is the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, one of the most exciting sporting events in America. The single-elimination tournament features 68 college teams competing for the national championship, known for its upsets and buzzer-beaters.
March Madness Dates for the Next 10 Years
| Year | Date | Day of Week |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mar 19, 2024 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | Mar 18, 2025 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | Mar 17, 2026 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | Mar 16, 2027 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | Mar 14, 2028 | Tuesday |
| 2029 | Mar 13, 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | Mar 19, 2030 | Tuesday |
About March Madness
March Madness is the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, one of the most exciting sporting events in America. The single-elimination tournament features 68 college teams competing for the national championship, known for its upsets and buzzer-beaters.
History & Origins of March Madness
March Madness refers to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, a single-elimination tournament that has become one of the most popular sporting events in America. The tournament began in 1939 with just 8 teams and has expanded to 68 teams today. The term "March Madness" was first used in 1939 by Illinois high school official Henry V. Porter for the state basketball tournament. CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger popularized the term nationally in 1982. The tournament's expansion to 64 teams in 1985 created the modern bracket format that captivated the nation, spawning billions of dollars in bracket pools and becoming a cultural phenomenon.
Traditions & How to Celebrate March Madness
- Filling out tournament brackets and entering bracket pools with friends and coworkers
- Watching games during work hours (costing employers billions in lost productivity)
- Cheering for Cinderella teams — lower-seeded underdogs who make deep runs
- Attending Selection Sunday watch parties to see bracket announcements
- Wearing school colors and displaying team flags
- Setting up multiple screens to watch simultaneous games
- Debating picks and analyzing matchups with friends
- Attending the Final Four weekend, often held in massive domed stadiums
Fun Facts About March Madness
No one has ever verified a perfect bracket out of the estimated 9.2 quintillion possible combinations.
Warren Buffett once offered $1 billion for a perfect bracket.
A 16 seed beat a 1 seed for the first time when UMBC defeated Virginia in 2018.
The tournament generates over $1 billion in TV advertising revenue annually.
Studies estimate American companies lose $17.3 billion in productivity during March Madness.
The tournament's "One Shining Moment" song has played after the championship game since 1987.