NCAA to Use March Madness Branding for 2022 Women's Tournament

"March Madness" will no longer apply solely to the men's NCAA tournament beginning in 2022.

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA announced it will use "March Madness" marketing and branding for the 2022 women's NCAA tournament. 

Wednesday's announcement marks a reversal of course for the NCAA, who previously solely used March Madness as a phrase associated with the men's NCAA tournament. 

The NCAA faced criticism in March for the inequities between the men's and women's tournaments, which went beyond branding concerns. Teams in the women's tournament received less access to weight rooms and equipment than their male counterparts, and there were also differences in the food and gift bags athletes received.

NCAA president Mark Emmert called the unequal training accommodations at the women's NCAA tournament "deeply disappointing" in March. A gender equity report on basketball championships was released in August. 

"Women's basketball has grown tremendously over the past several years, and we remain focused on our priority of enhancing and growing the game," Lynn Holzman, the NCAA's vice president of women's basketball said in Wednesday's statement. "The brand recognition that March Madness carries will broaden marketing opportunities as we continue that work to elevate the women's basketball championship."

The 2022 women's NCAA tournament will begin on March 14. The Final Four will be held at the Target Center in Minneapolis on April 1.