“March Madness” didn’t originate with the NCAA Tournament. Here is a look back at where the term came from and how the NCAA landed ownership of the name.

General view of March Madness signage prior to the first round of the Women's Div 1 NCAA Basketball Championship between Mercer Bears and UConn Huskies on March 19, 2022, at Harry A. Gampel ...

The term “March Madness” was first used by Henry V. Porter, a high school official in Illinois, in 1939. But the term wasn’t officially used in reference to college basketball until 1982, ...

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The 2026 NCAA Basketball Championship Trophy made an appearance in Terre Haute Friday. Now, this isn’t the 2025 Championship Trophy, that’s in the hands of ...

There has also been some “madness” over the rights to use the phrase “March Madness.” The IHSA trademarked it in 1989, and in 1996 sued to stop an NCAA sponsor from distributing a video ...