It’s almost April, but March Madness continues! After a dramatic and exciting tournament, college hoops fans are gearing up for the grand finale: The NCAA® Division I Regional and National Basketball Championships. The Women’s Championship will take place in Minneapolis on April 3, while the Men’s Championship will take place in New Orleans on April 4.
For the 14th year in a row, Werner — a manufacturer of ladders, climbing products and fall protection equipment — is partnering with the NCAA® to provide custom ladders for the net-cutting ceremonies in both the men’s and women’s regional and national championship games. The custom Werner Podium Ladders used to cut down the nets are uniquely designed with a larger platform and higher guardrail to accommodate coaches and athletes safely and comfortably.
“The Werner name has stood for innovation for 100 years and we are proud to carry on this legacy through long standing partnerships like the one we have with the NCAA,” said Stacy Gardella, Head of Global Marketing Technology & Operations, WernerCo. “We are delighted to be a part of these winning moments and share in these experiences while keeping the players and coaches safe as they cut down the nets every year. And this year, we are pleased to offer additional opportunities for fans to be a part of the tournament experience.”
Extending The Basketball Fan Experience
This year, Werner is again helping March Madness fans reach new heights by expanding access to the champions. Werner has renewed its sponsorship of the exclusive Spanish language broadcast of the Men’s Final Four® games with Westwood One, offering fans another way to experience the excitement of the tournament.
Additionally, the NCAA Championship Podium Ladder will be touring in New Orleans and Minneapolis during the Men’s and Women’s Final Four weekend, offering fans the chance to “Step Up with Werner.” Sports enthusiasts can participate in a contest by taking photos of themselves with the Werner Championship Podium Ladder, uploading to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, tagging @wernerladderco, and using the hashtag #OfficialLadderOf for a chance to win a 3’ replica of the NCAA Championship Podium Ladder.
Honoring Basketball Coaches, Mentors
In addition to the tournament sponsorships, Werner also sponsors the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), and the Naismith Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year awards. Werner has been the title sponsor for the Naismith Awards since 2017, which is presented annually to the men’s and women’s coaches who achieve outstanding on-court success. Last year, Stanford University’s Tara VanDerveer and Gonzaga University’s Mark Few were honored as the recipients of the 2021 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s and Men’s College Coach of the Year Awards.
Watch “History of the Net Cutting” below to see how the post-game net cutting tradition began!
