ABSTRACT
This chapter examines March Madness as a mega media event that includes both male and female athletes performing in the elite ranks of sport. It explains how the men's and women's NCAA tournaments have contributed to the global expansion of basketball, which in turn has impacted the rosters of teams that compete each year, and by extension, the content of televised sport. In the United States, individuals frequently attend sporting events in person, but those living in other parts of the world may experience such events solely through media channels. To qualify for an NCAA basketball tournament, a team must win its conference tournament or receive an at-large bid. Before starring with the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Hakeem Olajuwon played in three Final Fours with the University of Houston Cougars, becoming a consensus All-American in 1984. Indeed, during the 1980s, just two additional athletes from African nations played college basketball in the United States.
