Women's College Basketball can now use "March Madness" branding

In news that makes you go “why was this ever a thing?”, the NCAA will now allow Women’s College Basketball to use the term “March Madness” for branding and marketing purposes.

The move by the NCAA, which was announced on Wednesday, is one of two important decisions made by the organization in an effort to create a more equal playing field for women’s college basketball compared to the men. In addition to the allowance of “March Madness”, which was previously reserved exclusively for the men’s side, the NCAA has introduced a new budget for the men’s and women’s tournaments.

Starting this season, "March Madness" will also be used in marketing and branding the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament.

In addition, a new budget format has been implemented for the men's and women's tournaments. https://t.co/KWXPAFytDE

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 29, 2021

These are two moves that should have been implemented long, long ago, and are necessary for the advancement of women’s college sports. The NCAA was heavily criticized during the 2021 NCAA Tournament for the clear discrepancies in amenities (specifically workout facilities) and financial distributions between the women’s and men’s tournaments. Also, considering the women’s tournament coincides with the men’s in March, it only makes sense that both sides should be allowed to use the phrase.

In a report filed in August by civil rights attorneys at Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, the law firm declared that the NCAA prioritizes men’s college basketball “over everything else in ways that create, normalize and perpetuate gender inequities.” The moves made on Wednesday were put in place to help amend those issues.

“This is just the start when it comes to improving gender equity in the way the two Division I basketball championships are conducted,” UT San Antonio athletics director and chair of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball oversight committee, Lisa Campos, said in a statement. “Adding the March Madness trademark to the Division I women’s basketball championship will enhance the development and public perception of the sport.”

It’s better late than never for the NCAA, but there is still a long way to go in order to make up for *waves hands all around* everything else the organization has done. It will be nice to finally see “March Madness” used in the women’s tournament, though.