Jordan's Furniture offers $50M refund if UConn wins NCAA titles

Retailer insures promotion as both Huskies teams reach Final Four

Apr. 3, 2026 at 10:05am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a college basketball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of bright red, blue, and yellow colors representing the dynamic energy and action of the sport.Jordan's Furniture's high-stakes NCAA tournament promotion adds an extra layer of excitement to March Madness for both fans and customers.Boston Today

Jordan's Furniture, a New England furniture chain, is offering to refund $50 million in sales to 20,000 customers if both the UConn men's and women's basketball teams win their NCAA championship games this weekend. The company took out insurance to cover the promotion, similar to a deal it offered in 2007 when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series.

Why it matters

This promotion highlights the high stakes and excitement around March Madness, as well as the creative marketing tactics retailers use to drive sales and customer engagement during major sporting events. It also demonstrates how companies can mitigate the financial risk of such promotions through insurance.

The details

Jordan's Furniture offered the refund promotion to customers who purchased furniture, mattresses and accessories at its stores from January 20 to February 16 of this year. The company will send out refund checks if both the undefeated, No. 1-seeded UConn women's team and the No. 2-seeded UConn men's team win their Final Four games on Friday and Saturday and advance to the championship games.

  • The refund promotion was offered to Jordan's Furniture customers from January 20 to February 16, 2026.
  • The UConn women's team plays South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday, April 4, 2026.
  • The UConn men's team plays Illinois in the Final Four on Saturday, April 5, 2026.

The players

Jordan's Furniture

A New England furniture retailer that has offered refund promotions tied to major sporting events in the past, including when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2007.

Eliot Tatelman

The retired president of Jordan's Furniture who came up with the idea for the UConn promotion as a way to increase the company's presence in Connecticut.

Brian Mazzilli

A Plymouth, Massachusetts resident who could receive a $3,800 refund on a living room set if both UConn teams win their NCAA championship games.

Braylon Mullins

The UConn men's basketball player who hit a game-winning 35-foot shot to beat Duke in the Elite Eight.

Warren Buffett

The billionaire investor whose company, Berkshire Hathaway, acquired Jordan's Furniture in 1999.

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What they’re saying

“We thought the chances were pretty slim, but now we're pretty excited. It just didn't seem that both teams from one school making it to the finals — that seems kind of a long shot.”

— Brian Mazzilli, Jordan's Furniture customer

“We want this to happen. Whether they win or lose, I got to pay for the insurance.”

— Eliot Tatelman, Retired president of Jordan's Furniture

What’s next

If both the UConn men's and women's basketball teams win their Final Four games on Friday and Saturday, Jordan's Furniture will send out refund checks to the 20,000 customers who participated in the promotion.

The takeaway

Jordan's Furniture's creative March Madness promotion demonstrates how retailers can leverage major sporting events to drive sales and customer engagement, while also mitigating financial risk through insurance. The high stakes and excitement around the NCAA tournament make it an ideal platform for such promotions.