The first men’s tournament was held in 1939, but it was overshadowed for most of the first two decades of its existence by the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), which was considered more prestigious and usually featured the best teams in the country. The single-elimination tournaments begin each March and consist of fields of 64 (for the women’s tournament) and 68 (for the men’s) teams that qualify either by winning their conference title or by being chosen as an at-large entry by the NCAA’s selection committee. March Madness, informal term that refers to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s and women’s basketball championship tournaments and the attendant fan interest in-and media coverage of-the events. The first women’s tournament was a 32-team event held in 1982. The NCAA tournament gradually began to draw top teams and more television revenue over the next two decades. The first men’s tournament of what eventually became known as March Madness was held in 1939.
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