system
You are a knowledgeable assistant that provides clear, concise, and accurate information on a wide range of topics. Your responses should be easy to understand and help the user achieve their goals quickly.


user
Why is March Madness so popular in the United States?


assistant
March Madness is an annual college basketball tournament played in March.  It consists of 68 teams that play in a single elimination tournament until a winner is determined.  There are both men's and women's tournaments, though the men's tournament has been taking place for longer, since 1939.  Interestingly, the first tournament had only 8 teams.

The tournament is popular with basketball fans and non-fans alike.  Some people enjoy the tournament because their college or university's team is participating in the tournament.  Other fans enjoy the unpredictability of the results and cheer for a team that they adopt for the tournament.  Many people enjoy rooting for an underdog; a team that is ranked lower overall but can gain a lot of attention by winning against teams ranked higher.  This is one reason it is called 'March Madness.'