Resolution Criteria

The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game will be held on April 6th, 2026 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. This market resolves YES if the champion team has BOTH:

1. An animal mascot (see clarifications below)

2. Blue as their primary team color (see clarifications below)

Resolution will be determined using:

1. Official NCAA championship records

2. The champion’s official athletic department website

3. Official brand/color guidelines published by the school

If ambiguity remains, the school’s official athletic brand guide will take precedence over third-party descriptions.

Definition of “Animal”:

An “animal” is defined as a living biological organism belonging to the kingdom Animalia, whether wild or domesticated.

The mascot must represent:

• A real extant or historically real species (e.g., wolf, wildcat, bear, eagle, bulldog, wolverine), OR

• A broadly recognized real animal category (e.g., “Tigers,” “Huskies,” “Gators”).

The following do NOT qualify:

• Mythical or fictional creatures (e.g., Devils, Demons, Dragons, Phoenixes)

• Human figures or occupations (e.g., Boilermakers, Cavaliers, Spartans)

• Weather or natural phenomena (e.g., Hurricanes, Cyclones)

• Abstract concepts or colors

• Plant life

• Objects or machinery

Clarification Rule:

If the mascot name could ambiguously refer to either a real animal or fictional character, the determination will rely on the official athletic department’s stated mascot description.

The presence of a costumed or anthropomorphic mascot does not affect qualification if the underlying species is a real animal.

Blue as Primary Team Color Requirement

The champion must list blue as one of its official primary athletic colors.

Definition of “Primary Team Color”:

A color qualifies as “primary” if:

• It is listed as an official primary athletic color on the school’s official athletic website, brand guide, or NCAA team profile.

• It is consistently used as one of the team’s dominant colors across uniforms, logos, and branding.

Blue does qualify if it is one of two co-equal primary colors.

Blue does NOT qualify if it is:

• Listed only as an accent or tertiary color

• Used minimally or decoratively

• Not officially designated as primary

Examples (for clarity only):

• A team whose official colors are “Maize and Blue” qualifies.

• A team whose official colors are “Red and Blue” qualifies.

• A team whose official colors are “Black and Gold” with blue trim does not qualify.

*The specific shade of blue (navy, royal, Carolina blue, light blue, dark blue, etc.) does not matter.

If a school lists multiple official athletic colors without distinguishing primary versus secondary, all listed official athletic colors shall be considered primary for purposes of this market.

This description was partially generated by AI with market creators careful review.