What is March Madness? Everything you need to know about the NCAA tournament

March is the month for all sports enthusiasts, especially basketball fanatics, as the NCAA tournament, branded as March Madness, just began. If you're into basketball, you probably have an idea about what March Madness is. However, for those who are not familiar with what it is, we'll provide you with all the necessary details.

There is nothing more exciting than catching up on a good game, be it basketball or any other sport. It is equally thrilling to watch a good game in the comfort of your home or at the arena. As long as the match is a tight one, it is worth it. However, basketball enthusiasts are psyched for the 2025 March Madness, which began on March 19.

March Madness is an annual event that refers to the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I men's and women's college basketball tournament, which is primarily known for its distinctive format that involves single-elimination, unforeseeable upsets, and of course the thrill of a national championship at stake. Even though March Madness is typically an American event, a certain population in Europe and other places also follows it.

Now if you're wondering about the significance of the word "madness" in March Madness, well, the term basically tries to capture the essence and feel of the tournament. To give you a bit of history, the first NCAA tournament was held in 1939 and eventually became one of the biggest and most popular basketball events in the United States.

A total of 68 teams from across America take part in the tournament. Earlier it was fewer teams; the 68-team format began in 2011. March Madness has been going on for 86 years now, but the tournament has not lost its charm. People are as excited about the event as they were back in the day.

Format of the NCAA tournament, March Madness

As we mentioned, 68 teams compete in the tournament involving 7 rounds of single-elimination brackets. Right before March Madness begins, a conference tournament is held, where 32 teams naturally win to qualify for the main tournament. And the other 36 teams qualify after they receive a wild card, or as they call it, an at-large bid, depending on how they performed during the season.

The at-large bids are decided by the NCAA's Selection Committee, which then ranks all the teams and puts them in the bracket. And all of this is publicly announced and revealed on Selection Sunday, which is typically the Sunday before the tournament.

The NCAA March Madness is split into four regions, and each of those regions consists of 16 to 18 teams. The regions are usually named as per their geographic location. The host cities for each of those regions keep on changing every year. We have listed some of the cities that have hosted the tournament's final rounds over five times. Check out the list below.

• Between 1940 and 1960, Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium hosted the finals 9 times.
• Between 1958 and 1969, Louisville's Freedom Hall hosted the finals 6 times.
• Between 1943 and 1950, New York's Madison Square Garden hosted the finals 7 times.
• Between 1982 and 2022, New Orleans' Caesars Superdome hosted the finals 6 times.

How To Watch NCAA March Madness 2025

Most people who cannot catch the games live rely on watching them on TV or streaming platforms. And when it comes to streaming platforms, you also have the option to watch the game later. NCAA's official television partners are CBS, TruTV, TNT, and TBS. Besides that, if you wish to catch the games on streaming platforms, in that case, your options are HBO MAX, Paramount+, and Hulu+Live TV.