During the month of March, 68 universities compete passionately to win the NCAA Tournament – March Madness. The tournament began in 1938, originally a high school basketball tournament in the state of Illinois, March Madness is famous beyond the buzzer-beaters and full of unexpected moments, always keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
For many, the tournament is more than just a game. Sumaya Farah, a freshman on the Briar Woods High School girls basketball team, watches the tournament every March to see teams battle it out for the top.
“My favorite part of March Madness is trying to guess and see who would match up against other teams that we’ve never seen play before,” said Farah.
This sense of unpredictability is exactly why millions tune in every year. Despite the unknown outcome of the games, many people find themselves enjoying the tournament because of the uncertainty. Unlike many other tournaments, March Madness allows fans to pick teams and create brackets, made up of familiar and unfamiliar teams. This makes for a thrilling experience that’s accessible to all, whether you’re a basketball fan or not.
Even casual fans get excited about March Madness. Oumniya Sharhan, a freshman at Briar Woods High School, has no prior knowledge about March Madness and basketball, but is aware of the solidarity the tournament brings to fans.
“Even without having much prior knowledge of basketball, I myself picked teams from places I’ve never heard of. It makes for a friendly competition between a variety of people across the country,” said Sharhan.
The excitement of March Madness doesn’t stop at the games either. Beyond watching the tournament, many people are connected by shared experiences like filling out brackets, interacting on social media, and making predictions with co-workers, friends, and family. Fans also bond over surprising upsets and cheering on their favorite teams.
Joey Babick, the JV boys basketball coach at Briar Woods High School, provides his insight on how fans are engaged during March Madness.
”There is a lot of pride in one school that they went to, or a team that they follow, or someone they grew up watchings, so that gives the pride and the excitement around March Madness,” said Babick.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan of the sport or just in it for a possible underdog story, March Madness has a way of pulling everyone into the excitement and thrill. From the unexpected upsets to the (most friendly) bracket battles, March Madness has turned a tournament into a tradition that’s celebrated by a nation, year after year.
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