South Carolina’s stunning Final Four upset of UConn Friday night wasn’t just bad news for the Huskies.
It’s also a big loss for a swath of New England furniture buyers. Jordan’s, a regional chain of New England-area furniture stores, had offered a promotion featuring free furniture tied to UConn’s success in both the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments.
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If both teams advanced to their respective national championship games, customers who purchased eligible items during a specific timeframe would have been offered free rebates. Here’s the exact wording of the promotion:
Customers purchasing eligible merchandise at a Jordan’s Furniture store location, or online at jordans.com between January 20, 2026 and March 1, 2026, are automatically entered into the promotion and will receive a rebate of the purchase price paid for Make the Finals 2026 merchandise if, and only if, the University of Connecticut men’s and women’s basketball team play in the finals of each national tournament.
As of Friday morning, the promotion was still in play as each UConn team advanced to its respective Final Four. And the UConn women were a heavy favorite, having advanced to the national semifinals as the undefeated reigning champions at 38-0.
But South Carolina shut down UConn’s normally prolific offense in a 62-48 win to claim its spot in Sunday’s national championship game and end UConn’s season. And the dream of free furniture across households in New England is no more.
Consumers, alongside the UConn women, are the big losers in this outcome. The winners? Jordan’s Furniture, of course. It got some high-profile publicity alongside a likely sales boost from its promotion that it doesn’t have to pay out on.
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The insurance company, of course, is also a winner. Jordan’s wasn’t going to eat the bulk of the cost of its promotion if it actually hit. It hedged any potential losses by taking out an insurance policy to mitigate its exposure to risk. Now that unnamed insurance provider is off the hook for a payout.
The good news for said furniture buyers who gambled on the promotion? They have new furniture to enjoy. And if they’re UConn fans, they can still watch the men’s team compete Saturday night in the Final Four vs. Illinois from the comfort of their new couch.
