The NCAA will reportedly use “March Madness” branding in association with the women’s basketball tournament starting next year.
Should note NCAA said WBBT can use it a few weeks ago, but will officially be part of branding in Minneapolis and beyond now. We’re a few years away from the formal bid process, but increased chatter next cycle will include a joint MBB/WBB Final Four as early as 2027.— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) August 17, 2021
Should note NCAA said WBBT can use it a few weeks ago, but will officially be part of branding in Minneapolis and beyond now. We’re a few years away from the formal bid process, but increased chatter next cycle will include a joint MBB/WBB Final Four as early as 2027.
The NCAA had already said the women’s tournament could use the phrasing, but according to Athlon Sports’ Bryan Fischer, it is now officially going to be a part of the branding moving forward, beginning with the 2022 tournament in Minneapolis.
Implementing “March Madness,” which previously was used exclusively with the men’s basketball tournament, was one of the recommendations of the Kaplan report released earlier this month. The gender equity review, conducted by an outside law firm, found that the NCAA had undervalued the women’s tournament.
Still a few years away is a joint men’s and women’s basketball tournament, another recommendation of the Kaplan report. Fischer reports that the men’s and women’s Final Four could be played on the same site as early as 2027.