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Final four

The Final Four is the culminating stage of the men's basketball tournament, known as March Madness, in which the four surviving teams from a 68-team single-elimination compete in two semifinal games followed by a game, all held at a single predetermined venue. This event determines the annual national champion among the top college teams and attracts widespread national attention as the pinnacle of the postseason. The NCAA tournament originated in 1939 with just eight teams, expanding gradually to its current 68-team format by 2011, but the distinctive term "Final Four" was first coined in print in 1975 by sportswriter Ed Chay of the Plain Dealer, who used it to describe Marquette University's performance in the 1974 tournament. The NCAA officially embraced the phrase starting in 1978 and registered it as a in 1981, solidifying its exclusive use for the organization's events. Since then, the Final Four has become a cultural phenomenon, generating significant economic impact for host cities—such as the $440 million infusion into from the 2025 event through direct spending, , and exposure—while drawing tens of millions of television viewers annually. Beyond its competitive structure, the Final Four highlights the tournament's role in elevating college basketball's prominence, with associated festivities like the and enhancing fan engagement and contributing to the NCAA's substantial media rights revenue, which exceeded $1 billion annually under the current broadcast deal as of 2025. The event also underscores broader themes in collegiate athletics, including parity among teams, as underdogs frequently advance, and its parallel counterpart in the women's tournament mirrors this excitement while promoting gender equity in sports visibility.

Overview

Definition

The Final Four is the semi-final stage of the men's and tournaments, where the last four remaining teams compete for a chance to advance to the . This stage represents the culmination of the single-elimination bracket, following the regional semifinals and finals, and pits the tournament's elite programs against one another in a high-stakes environment. During the Final Four, the four teams are divided into two semifinal matchups, with the winners proceeding to face off in the game. These semifinal games occur on the same day, typically a , while the championship follows shortly after, often on the following , creating a compact weekend of competition that builds intense anticipation for the title. The term "Final Four" derives directly from the four teams left competing for the national title, emphasizing the exclusivity and prestige of this stage in determining the champion. It is held annually in early at a predetermined neutral-site arena or dome, selected years in advance to accommodate large crowds and provide an impartial venue for the contests.

Scope in NCAA Tournaments

The Final Four in the men's basketball has been contested annually since the inaugural event in , marking the conclusion of a single-elimination that determines the national champion. Originally featuring an eight-team field, the expanded incrementally over the decades, reaching 64 teams in and further to 68 teams in 2011 through the addition of the play-in games. Despite these changes to the overall field size, the Final Four structure itself—comprising national semifinals and a championship game among the four surviving teams—has remained consistent, typically held over a weekend in early at a predetermined neutral-site venue capable of accommodating large crowds. In parallel, the women's NCAA Division I basketball tournament introduced its own Final Four in 1982, following the NCAA's assumption of sponsorship for women's championships from the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). The format closely mirrors the men's, with the four semifinalists advancing to a weekend culminating in the national championship, but the women's event began with a smaller 24-team field and underwent phased expansions: to 40 teams in 1986, 48 in 1989, 64 in 1994, and 68 in 2022 with the addition of play-in games. As of 2025, both the men's and women's tournaments maintain a 68-team format. This growth reflected increasing participation and interest in basketball, establishing the Final Four as a marquee event with its own legacy of competitive dynasties and standout performances. While both tournaments share structural similarities in their Final Four stage, key differences include distinct selection processes, broadcasting agreements, and recognition of separate and Most Outstanding Player awards, underscoring their independent governance within the NCAA framework. Historically held at separate venues to accommodate logistical demands and regional bidding, the men's and women's Final Fours occurred in different cities through 2025, with the men's event in , , and the women's in , that year. As of late 2025, the events continue to operate independently for enhanced focus on each, though NCAA discussions have explored potential co-location in the same host city post-2031 to elevate joint visibility and fan experience.

History

Origin of the Term

The term "Final Four" was first coined in by Ed Chay, a sportswriter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, in a 1975 article published in the Official Collegiate Basketball Guide. Chay used the phrase to describe the four teams—Marquette, North Carolina State, , and UCLA—that advanced to the semi-finals of the 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, specifically noting that Marquette "was one of the final four." This usage emerged in the context of the NCAA tournament's growing prominence, though the phrase itself was novel at the time. The inaugural NCAA tournament in involved eight teams across two regions, with the four regional winners converging for semi-final and championship games in ; however, contemporary reports referred to this stage simply as the "national finals" or "semi-finals," without employing "Final Four." In the 1940s and 1950s, print media extensively covered postseason events, including the (NIT)—which began in 1938 with six teams and featured a semi-final format—and the NCAA's early iterations, which expanded slightly but remained small-scale. Archival reviews of newspapers and guides from this era, such as those from the and , reveal no instances of the "Final Four" terminology applied to these competitions, which were instead described using terms like "quarterfinalists" or "final contenders." The phrase's introduction in 1975 reflected evolving journalistic shorthand amid the NCAA tournament's expansion to 32 teams by 1975 and increased national interest. Chay's phrasing quickly caught on in sports writing, appearing in subsequent coverage of the 1975 NCAA tournament to denote its semi-finalists—Louisville, Kentucky, UCLA, and Syracuse—helping solidify the term's association with 's climax. The NCAA formally adopted "Final Four" in its promotional materials starting in 1978.

NCAA Adoption and Evolution

The (NCAA) began incorporating the term "Final Four" into its official publications during the 1970s, marking a pivotal shift in branding for the Division I men's . The phrase first appeared in the 1975 edition of the NCAA's Official Collegiate Basketball Guide, where sportswriter Ed Chay used it to describe the four surviving teams advancing to the national semifinals and championship. By 1978, the NCAA had fully embraced the term in its tournament communications, and it registered "Final Four" as a in 1981 to protect its growing cultural significance within . Over the decades, the overall structure of the men's basketball tournament has expanded significantly to reflect the sport's popularity, evolving from an initial 8-team field in 1939 to 16 teams in 1951, 32 teams in 1975, 64 teams in 1985, and the current 68-team format introduced in 2011 with the addition of play-in games known as the . Despite these changes to the bracket size and early rounds, the core Final Four format—featuring the champions of the four regional brackets competing in semifinals followed by a game—has remained consistent since 1952, providing a stable climax to the tournament. This enduring structure underscores the Final Four's role as the tournament's signature stage, emphasizing single-elimination intensity among elite programs. Key logistical evolutions have enhanced the Final Four's spectacle and accessibility. The semifinals and championship have long been contested at a single neutral site, but the use of large domed stadiums began in 1971 at the in , with a return to such venues in 1982 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, which accommodated over 60,000 spectators and set a for expansive settings. From onward, the NCAA has rotated hosting duties among various major cities, utilizing a mix of prominent arenas and stadiums—such as in , in , and the in —to support increasing fan attendance, media coverage, and economic impact while maintaining the centralized format. In parallel, the NCAA launched its Division I in 1982, establishing a separate Final Four that same year at the in , where Tech defeated Cheyney State for the inaugural title; this event has since mirrored the men's structure, growing alongside it to promote gender equity in the sport.

Tournament Mechanics

Selection and Qualification

The Men's Basketball Selection Committee, consisting of 12 members who serve five-year terms as athletic directors and conference commissioners, oversees the selection and of teams for the annual . These members, nominated by their respective conferences, convene after the conference tournaments conclude to evaluate eligible teams using a standardized set of criteria that emphasize overall performance and competitive context. Key evaluation factors include a team's win-loss record, , success within their conference, and performance in the NCAA Evaluation Tool () rankings, which were introduced in 2018 as a more comprehensive metric than the previous (). The NET incorporates adjusted efficiency margins, game location, and a system to classify wins and losses—such as Quadrant 1 victories against strong opponents on the road—providing a nuanced view of a team's resume without overemphasizing margin of victory. Conference success plays a pivotal role, as it influences both automatic qualification and at-large consideration, ensuring representation from high-performing leagues while balancing regional and competitive diversity. The tournament field comprises 68 teams: 31 automatic bids awarded to the winners of their respective conference tournaments and 37 at-large bids selected by the committee based on the aforementioned criteria. At-large selections, along with the full bracket reveal, are announced on Selection Sunday, traditionally held on the second Sunday in March. Prior to the main bracket, the First Four play-in games feature the four lowest-seeded at-large teams competing for the final two #11 seeds and the champions of the four smallest conferences vying for the remaining #16 seeds, expanding the field to 64 teams divided into four regional brackets of 16 teams each. Within each region, teams advance through the bracket by winning successive rounds, with the regional semifinal (Sweet 16) and regional final () determining the participant for that region's spot in the Final Four. No team receives direct entry to the Final Four; qualification requires prevailing in both regional games, ensuring that only the most successful teams from the initial 68 reach the semifinals held at a neutral site. This structure maintains the tournament's merit-based progression, where early qualification through selection yields only an opportunity within a competitive regional pod.

Format and Logistics

The Final Four stage of the basketball tournaments features two national semifinal games followed by a championship game, held over a compressed weekend at a predetermined neutral-site venue. For the men's tournament, the semifinals are played on , with the championship game occurring on the following . In the women's tournament, the semifinals take place on , followed by the championship on , a schedule that has been in place since 2017 to stagger with the men's event and enhance overall visibility. Venues for the Final Four are selected years in advance and must meet NCAA criteria for large-scale events, typically utilizing domed stadiums or arenas with capacities exceeding 70,000 spectators to accommodate fans, media, and ancillary activities. The 2024 men's Final Four, for instance, was hosted at in , which offers a basketball configuration capacity of about 63,400, expandable to over 73,000 for major gatherings. Similarly, the 2025 men's event occurred at the in , , with a capacity of approximately 72,000. Operational logistics encompass team preparations, fan engagement, and event coordination under the March Madness branding. Teams participate in open practice sessions the day prior to the semifinals, which are free and open to the public, allowing fans to observe workouts and interact with players. Fan zones, such as the Men's Final Four Fan Fest presented by , provide interactive experiences including games, concerts, and merchandise areas, often held at nearby convention centers from through . The men's and women's Final Fours operate as separate events in distinct host cities but feature aligned scheduling and shared promotional elements since the 2025 season to boost cross-audience appeal. All Final Four games are broadcast nationally across , , , and as part of a long-term media rights agreement with and Sports, ensuring comprehensive coverage from semifinals through the championship. These broadcasts include shows with performances and analyses, as well as ceremonial elements like trophy presentations and player awards to enhance the event's spectacle.

Trademark and Legal Aspects

Registration and Ownership

The "Final Four" trademark is owned by the (NCAA) and was registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) under Registration No. 1,488,836 on May 17, 1988, covering entertainment services in International Class 41, specifically association services for conducting annual college-level tournaments. The mark's first use in commerce dates to 1977, establishing priority based on continuous use in connection with the men's championship semifinals and final. Ownership encompasses related phrases including "The Final Four," "Final 4," and "Women's Final Four," with the latter protected under separate registrations such as No. 1,792,749 for similar entertainment services in Class 41. The NCAA maintains the through periodic renewals every ten years, with the most recent occurring on March 22, 2018, ensuring its continued validity until the next renewal period in 2028.

Usage Restrictions and Enforcement

The NCAA mandates licensing agreements for any commercial use of the "Final Four" , including merchandise production and corporate sponsorships, to maintain control over its branding and generate revenue. For instance, serves as an official partner through a long-term deal that grants and rights across NCAA championships, encompassing promotional activities tied to the Final Four. These agreements, managed in partnership with (CLC), contribute to the NCAA's revenue from television and rights, which totaled $948 million in 2024. Restrictions on the strictly prohibit unauthorized commercial exploitation, such as incorporating "Final Four" into business names, promotional specials, or campaigns, to prevent and dilution of the mark's value. The NCAA's policies explicitly bar direct or indirect use of the term in connection with goods or services without prior written consent, though nominative is permitted for non-commercial purposes like journalistic reporting or editorial coverage of the event. The NCAA's Licensing Office oversees this monitoring, employing proactive surveillance of online, print, and broadcast media to identify violations. Enforcement actions demonstrate the NCAA's aggressive protection strategy, including cease-and-desist letters, lawsuits, and against infringers. In the , the NCAA targeted apparel vendors selling unlicensed Final Four merchandise, collaborating with local to seize goods ahead of events like the 1994 tournament in . During the , the organization issued cease-and-desist demands and pursued litigation against entities misusing the mark in promotions, such as a 2017 suit against Kizzang LLC for operating online and contests featuring "Final Four" without authorization, resulting in a 2018 federal . Penalties for violations can include court-ordered , monetary damages, attorney fees, and fines, with willful infringement potentially leading to awards exceeding $100,000 per instance under federal trademark law.

Broader Usage

In Other Sports Contexts

The concept of the Final Four has been adapted in various non-basketball NCAA championships to describe the culminating stages of tournaments involving four advancing teams. In NCAA Division I women's volleyball, the term officially designates the semifinals and championship final, where the four regional winners compete in a single-elimination format to determine the national champion; this structure has been in place since the tournament's inception in 1981, with the 2025 event scheduled for Kansas City. For Division I softball, the Women's College World Series (WCWS) employs a similar eight-team double-elimination bracket divided into two four-team pools, with the winners advancing to a best-of-three championship series; while not officially trademarked as "Final Four," media and fans often refer to the pool stage or advancing teams in this manner, as seen in the 2025 WCWS where Texas defeated Texas Tech in the finals after navigating the bracket. In Division I baseball, the Men's College World Series (MCWS) follows a parallel format with eight teams split into two four-team double-elimination brackets since the 1950s, culminating in a best-of-three championship; the structure, established after the tournament's expansion from earlier formats, leads to informal "Final Four" references for the bracket winners, as in the 2025 event where LSU claimed the title over Coastal Carolina. Beyond NCAA competitions, the Final Four descriptor appears informally in professional and international contexts to highlight late-stage rounds with four teams. In the , the four remaining teams—two from each conference entering the conference finals—are frequently called the "NBA Final Four" by media outlets, emphasizing the parity and high stakes as in the 2025 playoffs featuring the Knicks, Pacers, Timberwolves, and Thunder. The incorporates a four-team phase for the semifinals and final, a format used prior to the expansion to eight teams, with the term "Final Four" commonly applied to the medal contenders, such as in the 2023 tournament where the , , , and advanced. Adaptations of the Final Four model are prominent in international club basketball, particularly the , which has hosted an annual Final Four since the 1987–88 season to crown its champion through semifinals and a final among the top four teams; Panathinaikos holds the record with seven titles in this era, underscoring the event's prestige across 19 host cities from 1988 to 2025, including the 2025 edition in won by Fenerbahçe Beko. In American college football, the expanded 12-team , introduced for the 2024 season, features semifinals involving the four quarterfinal winners, which media dubbed the "Final Four" to evoke basketball's intensity; this culminated in the 2025 national championship following the January semifinals at the Fiesta and Bowls. The NCAA restricts official use of "Final Four" as a primarily to its men's and tournaments, enforcing it against commercial applications while generally permitting descriptive references in for other events to maintain narrative consistency across competitions.

Non-Sports Applications

The term "Final Four" extends beyond into and as a for selecting the top four options from a larger pool. In hiring and , it is commonly used to describe the shortlist of leading candidates, as in references to the "final four candidates" during job searches to evoke the intensity of selection. This usage appears in resources, emphasizing strategic narrowing of applicants to focus on contenders. However, when employed in commercial advertising, such as promotional campaigns implying association with the NCAA tournament, it risks legal challenges from the NCAA for potential if it suggests endorsement. In politics and elections, "Final Four" serves as a shorthand for the remaining top contenders in competitive races, drawing on the tournament's elimination format. For instance, during coverage of the 2020 U.S. Democratic presidential primaries, media described the leading candidates—such as , , , and —as an "all-white Final Four," sparking discussions on racial diversity in the field. This metaphorical application highlights the phrase's cultural resonance for high-stakes narrowing processes without direct athletic ties. Beyond these areas, the term appears in education and entertainment contexts. In college admissions, it denotes a student's or institution's top four preferred schools when evaluating options, as seen in academic analyses of liberal arts college selection where the "final four colleges chosen" represent prioritized choices based on criteria like multiculturalism and curriculum fit. In entertainment, it titles media content, such as the 2010 episode "The Final Four" from the television series The Middle, which uses the phrase to depict a family's competitive household dynamics analogous to a championship showdown. The NCAA maintains strict oversight of "Final Four" as a registered , issuing cease-and-desist letters for unauthorized commercial applications that could confuse consumers or dilute the mark's association with its basketball tournament. In , for example, the targeted violators through actions, including promotions by businesses like restaurants using the term in tied to the event. Despite this, the NCAA permits non-commercial, descriptive uses—such as factual reporting on elections or educational discussions—under principles, provided they do not imply sponsorship or commercial intent.

Cultural and Economic Impact

Media and Popular Culture

The Final Four stage of the men's basketball tournament has been a cornerstone of broadcast television since acquired the rights to the entire event in , marking a shift from previous coverage by and ushering in an era of widespread national exposure. This partnership has evolved, with retaining primary responsibility for the Final Four semifinals and championship game, often sharing production elements with Sports networks like under a long-term agreement. The broadcasts have consistently drawn massive audiences, exemplified by the 2015 between and , which averaged 28.3 million viewers—the highest for a title game since 1997. Beyond live coverage, the Final Four has deeply influenced , embedding itself in films, television, and music as a symbol of high-stakes drama and underdog triumphs. In cinema, movies like (1994) depict the intense world of recruiting and tournament aspirations, starring as a coach navigating ethical dilemmas to build a competitive program. Similarly, (1998), directed by , explores a father's quest to influence his son's recruitment amid the allure of March Madness glory, featuring and . On television, the tournament inspires parodies and references, such as in episodes of that poke fun at bracket fever and fan obsession during the postseason. In music, the tradition of —a montage song composed by David Barrett and first used by in 1987—has become synonymous with the championship, playing annually to highlight emotional highlights and cementing its status as an enduring anthem of the event. Iconic moments from the Final Four and broader tournament have fueled widespread media narratives and cultural references, amplifying the event's mystique. The 2018 first-round upset of top-seeded by No. 16 seed UMBC (74-54) stands as the most shocking result in NCAA , shattering the myth of 16-over-1 invincibility and inspiring countless articles, memes, and discussions about stories. Celebrity engagement has further elevated its profile; former President , an avid basketball enthusiast, annually filled out public brackets from 2009 to 2016 and resumed the tradition post-presidency, such as predicting to reach the 2025 Final Four alongside , , and . The rise of social media in the 2010s has exponentially increased the Final Four's cultural reach, transforming it into a global conversation driver with hashtags like #FinalFour trending annually on platforms such as (now X) and during the semifinals weekend. This digital amplification allows fans to share real-time reactions, memes, and predictions, extending the event's entertainment value far beyond traditional broadcasts. Documentaries have also captured its legacy, notably ESPN's installment Survive and Advance (2013), which chronicles State's improbable 1983 championship run under coach , emphasizing themes of resilience and destiny through interviews with players like .

Economic Significance

The NCAA generates substantial revenue from the men's basketball tournament, with the 2024 edition contributing over $900 million primarily through television rights and ticket sales, representing a significant portion of the organization's total fiscal year revenue of $1.38 billion. The Final Four weekend, encompassing the semifinals and game, plays a key role in this influx, accounting for a disproportionate share of ticket revenue due to high demand for these culminating events, though exact figures vary by year based on attendance and broadcasting agreements. Hosting the Final Four delivers a major economic boost to local communities, as evidenced by the 2024 event in , which generated $429 million in total economic impact and $256.9 million in contributions statewide. This included $153.2 million in labor income and supported 3,374 job years, with visitor spending driving surges in and sectors; while specific hotel occupancy rates reached near-capacity levels across the metro area, local businesses reported increased patronage from the influx of over 70,000 attendees. Similar patterns occur in other host cities, underscoring the event's role in stimulating short-term economic activity through and utilization. Broader economic effects extend to sponsorships and ancillary benefits, with serving as the presenting sponsor of the Final Four Fan Fest, enhancing visibility and revenue through integrated marketing activations that leverage the event's audience. The women's Final Four adds to this landscape, with the 2024 edition in generating $32.9 million in direct spending for , contributing to growing overall tournament economics since increased alignment with the men's event began amplifying joint promotional opportunities. Underpinning these impacts is the NCAA's television rights agreement with and , valued at $8.8 billion through 2032, which secures long-term funding stability and amplifies the Final Four's national reach.

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