Early era (1939–1970)
The first tournament was held in 1939 and was won by Oregon. It was the idea of Ohio State coach Harold Olsen. The National Association … See more

Cutting down the nets
As a tournament ritual, the winning team cuts down the nets at the end of regional championship games … See more

NCAA tournament win totals
The top ten programs in total NCAA victories:
*Vacated victories not included
Most Final Four and … See more

Final Four venues
Until 1952, the national championship was played at a separate site from the national semifinal games, which were considered regional finals. Forty-one different venues have hosted the final rounds, and several have hosted more … See more

The tournament consists of 68 teams competing in seven rounds of a single-elimination bracket. Thirty-two teams automatically qualify … See more

A total of 333 teams have appeared in the NCAA tournament since 1939. Because the NCAA did not split into divisions until 1957, some schools that have appeared in the tournament are no longer in Division I. Among Division I schools, 46 have never made the … See more

Television contracts
Since 2011, the NCAA has had a joint contract with CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery. The coverage of the tournament is split between CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV.
Broadcasters from … See more