In sports (especially in North America), a three-peat is winning three consecutive championships or tournaments. The term, a portmanteau of the words three and repeat, originated with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, during their unsuccessful campaign for a third consecutive championship during the 1988–89 season, having won the previous 2 NBA finals.
The term is a registered trademark owned by Pat Riley, the Lakers' head coach from 1981 to 1990. The original owner and assignor of the underlying THREE-PEAT "mark" was Bijan Khezri, former president of P.d.P. Paperon De Paperoni, a Delaware corporation. Khezri submitted in November 1988 a trademark application for the use of three-peat on shirts, jackets and hats. Around that time, the phrase was being used by members and fans of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, of whom Pat Riley was the head coach, regarding the Lakers' quest that season to obtain what would have been a third successive NBA championship. According to Riley, it was Laker player Byron Scott who cited the term in reference to the team's goal for that season.
After Khezri assigned the trademark to Riley, it remained an entity of Riles & Co., the corporate entity of National Basketball Association (NBA) coach Pat Riley. In 1989, Riles & Co. successfully registered the trademark under U.S. Registration Number 1552980. The Lakers did not win a third consecutive NBA championship in 1989, but the Chicago Bulls did in 1993, and Riles & Co. collected royalties from sports apparel makers who licensed the phrase for use on merchandise commemorating that accomplishment.
Riles & Co. subsequently obtained additional registrations expanding the trademark to cover many other kinds of merchandise in addition to apparel. The company then went on to reap additional profits by again licensing the phrase to merchandisers when the Bulls again won three consecutive NBA championships from 1996 through 1998, as well as when the New York Yankees won three straight World Series championships from 1998 through 2000 and when the Lakers won three straight NBA championships from 2000 through 2002. For the Lakers, it was their second in franchise history, and only the first since moving from Minneapolis. As of 2022, the Lakers are the last team of the 4 major American professional sports (NHL, MLB, NFL, & NBA) to accomplish the three-peat.
While originating in the United States, the three-peat has been replicated all over the world across different sports. In recent times, Spanish association football club Real Madrid notably became the first club of the modern era to win three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles (2015–16, 2016–17 and 2017–18).
The trademark registration for three-peat has been challenged over the years by those who argue that the term has become too generic in its usage for the trademark to continue to be applicable. However, such arguments have yet to succeed, with the registration continuing to be upheld by the United States Patent and Trademark Office as recently as 2001, in the case of Christopher Wade v. Riles & Co. This challenge documented the transfer of assignment from Khezri to Riles & Co., and upheld the validity of the trademark as originally conceived.
In 2005, a group of individuals attempted to trademark the phrase Three-Pete in anticipation of the (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt that year by the 2005 USC Trojans football team to win a third consecutive national championship. The change in spelling was a reference to the team's head coach, Pete Carroll. However, the Patent Office ruled that the change in spelling was not dissimilar enough from Riles & Co.'s three-peat, and denied the registration. Later that year, U.S.C. fan Kyle Bunch began selling his own "Three-Pete" T-shirts. He discontinued sales once he was notified that he was infringing upon the Riles & Co. trademark.
As of late 2007, the trademark "Three Peat" is still active for shirts, jackets, caps, etc., and for commemorative mugs, plates, etc., and also for posters, bumper sticker, etc. The similar "3 Peat" became a registered trademark of Riles & Co. for blankets and other bedding, as of June 2015. Some of the Riles & Co. trademarks are no longer in effect, e.g. keychains.
Origin and trademark
In a comedic context, the same play on words, additionally incorporating the name "Pete", is known to have been used as early as 1930 on the radio program Empire Builders. The episode of that program broadcast on December 29, 1930, featured a trio of singers dubbed "The Three Visiting Firemen: Pete, Re-Pete, and Three-Pete".[1]
The Oxford English Dictionary credits an Illinois high school senior, Sharif Ford, with the earliest published use of the word in the March 8, 1989, edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Ford's quote uses the term in a sporting context and serves to provide a clear etymology as well:
The Lincoln High Tigers say they want to "three-peat". "You know, kind of like repeat, except doing it for the third time", senior Sharif Ford said.
Occurrences of three-peats
There have been numerous instances of teams winning three or more consecutive championships in the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, National Football League, and Australian Football League, most of which occurred prior to the advent of the term three-peat.
North America: professional sports
All-America Football Conference
- 1946–1949 Cleveland Browns (4) (also won 1950 NFL title)
Champ Car World Series
- 2004–2007 Sébastien Bourdais (4)
Continental Basketball Association
- 1985–1987 Tampa Bay/Rapid City Thrillers
Formula Drift
- 2017–2019 James Deane
IZOD IndyCar Series
- 2009–2011 Dario Franchitti
Major Indoor Soccer League
- 1979–1982 New York Arrows (4)
- 1988–1992 San Diego Sockers (5)
Major League Baseball (World Series)
- 1936–1939 New York Yankees (4)
- 1949–1953 New York Yankees (5)
- 1972–1974 Oakland Athletics
- 1998–2000 New York Yankees
NASCAR Cup Series
- 1976–1978 Cale Yarborough
- 2006–2010 Jimmie Johnson (5)
National Basketball Association (NBA Finals)
- 1952–1954 Minneapolis Lakers
- 1959–1966 Boston Celtics (8)
- 1991–1993 Chicago Bulls
- 1996–1998 Chicago Bulls
- 2000–2002 Los Angeles Lakers
National Football League (NFL champions)
- 1929–1931 Green Bay Packers (no post-season, title game began in 1933)
- 1965–1967 Green Bay Packers NFL Champions 1965–1967 (Won 1966 & 1967 NFL-AFL Championship Games (Super Bowl I and II))
National Hockey League (Stanley Cup Finals)
- 1947–1949 Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1956–1960 Montreal Canadiens (5)
- 1962–1964 Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1976–1979 Montreal Canadiens (4)
- 1980–1983 New York Islanders (4)
Premier Hockey Federation (Isobel Cup)
- 2020–2022 Boston Pride (2020 co-champions with Minnesota Whitecaps)
Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA Finals)
- 1997–2000 Houston Comets (4)
North America: collegiate sports
NACDA Director's Cup (overall collegiate athletics)
- 1995–2013 Stanford (NCAA Division I) (19)
- 1997–2001 Simon Fraser (NAIA) (5)
- 1999–2011 Williams (NCAA Division III) (12)
- 2000–2003 UC Davis (NCAA Division II) (4)
- 2004–2011 Grand Valley State (NCAA Division II) (8)
- 2005–2011 Azusa Pacific (NAIA) (7)
NAIA National Football Championship
- 2002–2005 Carroll College Fighting Saints (4)
NAIA National Basketball Championship
- 1957–1959 Tennessee State Tigers basketball
- 1970–1972 Kentucky State Thorobreds
NCAA Division I Baseball
- 1970–1974 USC (5)
NCAA Division I Softball
NCAA Division I Football
- Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
- 1934–1936 Minnesota (Toledo Cup)[3][4]
- 1944–1946 Army West Point[5]
- Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)[6]
- 2005–2007 Appalachian State University
- 2011–2015 North Dakota State University (5)
- 2017–2019 North Dakota State University
NCAA Division I Men's Basketball
- 1967–1973 UCLA (7)
NCAA Division I Men's Water Polo
- 2008–2013 USC (6)
NCAA Division I Women's Basketball
- 1996–1998 Tennessee
- 2002–2004 Connecticut
- 2013–2016 Connecticut (4)
NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country
- 1944–1946 Drake
- 1966–1968 Villanova
- 1978–1981 UTEP (4)
- 1990–1993 Arkansas (4)
- 1998–2000 Arkansas
- 2016–2018 Northern Arizona
NCAA Division II Women's Basketball
- 1993–1996 North Dakota State Bison (4)
- 1997–1999 North Dakota Fighting Sioux
NCAA Division III Women's Basketball
- 1998–2001 Washington (4)
NCAA Division I Women's Soccer
- 1982–1984 North Carolina
- 1986–1994 North Carolina (9)
NCAA Division II Football Championship[7]
- 1993–1995 North Alabama
NCAA Division III Football[8]
- 1983–1986 Augustana College (Illinois) (4)
- 1996–1998 Mount Union
- 2000–2002 Mount Union
- 2009–2011 Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks
U.S. National Collegiate Club Rugby championships
- 1980–1983 California (4)
- 1999–2002 California (4)
- 2004–2008 California (5)
- 2012–2014 BYU
United States: tabletop games
Warhammer 40k American Team Championships[9]
- Team Happy 2015–2017
United States: marching arts
- The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps won the Drum Corps International World Championship in 1983–1985.
- The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps three-peated 2000–2002 (2000 was a tie with the Cadets).
- The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps won the Drum Corps International World Championships in 2019–2023 (2020 and 2021 were not scored due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Other countries
Argentina
First Division (association football)
- 1949–1951 Racing Club
- 1955–1957 River Plate
- Metro 1979–Metro 1980 River Plate
- Apertura 1996–Apertura 1997 River Plate
Australia
Victorian Football League/Australian Football League
- 1906–1908 Carlton
- 1927–1930 Collingwood (four-peat)
- 1939–1941 Melbourne
- 1955–1957 Melbourne
- 2001–2003 Brisbane Lions
- 2013–2015 Hawthorn
- 2010–2012 Melbourne Ice
New South Wales Rugby Football League/Australian Rugby League/National Rugby League
- 1911–1913 Eastern Suburbs
- 1915–1917 Balmain
- 1925–1929 South Sydney
- 1935–1937 Eastern Suburbs
- 1953–1955 South Sydney
- 1956–1966 (eleven-peat) St. George
- 1981–1983 Parramatta Eels
- 2021–2023 Penrith Panthers
West Australian Football League
- 1908–1911 East Fremantle
- 1919–1923 East Perth
- 1928–1931 East Fremantle
- 1938–1940 Claremont
- 1952–1954 South Fremantle
- 1961–1963 Swan Districts
- 1966–1968 Perth
- 1982–1984 Swan Districts
- 2000–2002 East Perth
- 2006–2008 Subiaco
- 1999-2007 Australia National Cricket Team (ICC ODI World Cup)
- 2016–2019 Pymble Pigs (NCU NSW)
- 2016–2018 Sandgate-Redcliffe Gators (T20 QLD)
Belgium
- 1900–1903 Racing de Bruxelles
- 1904–1907 R Union Saint-Gilloise
- 1924–1926 Beerschot
- 1933–1935 R Union Saint-Gilloise SR
- 1949–1951 RSC Anderlechtois
- 1954–1956 RSC Anderlechtois
- 1964–1968 RSC Anderlechtois
- 1969–1971 R Standard Liège
- 1976–1978 Club Brugge
- 1985–1987 Anderlecht
- 1993–1995 Anderlecht
- 2012–2014 Anderlecht
- 2020–2022 Club Brugge
Brazil
- 2006–2008 São Paulo FC
Bulgaria
Bulgarian A PFG
- 1993–1995 Levski Sofia
- 2000–2002 Levski Sofia
Canada
Canadian Rugby Union (pre 1958) / Canadian Football League (post 1958) (Grey Cup):
- 1909–1911 Toronto Varsity Blues
- 1922–1924 Queen's University
- 1945–1947 Toronto Argonauts
- 1954–1956 Edmonton Eskimos
- 1978–1982 Edmonton Eskimos (five-peat)
Collegiate women's basketball
- 2011–2015 Windsor Lancers (five-peat)
Chile
First Division (Association football):
- 1933–1935 Magallanes
- 1989–1991 Colo-Colo
- Apertura 2006–Apertura 2007 Colo-Colo (four-peat)
- Apertura 2011–Apertura 2012 Universidad de Chile
- 2018–2021 Club Deportivo Universidad Católica (four-peat)
Costa Rica
Costa Rica, American Football 1st Division:
- 2010–2012 Santa Ana Bulldogs
Czech Republic
Czech National Basketball League:
- 2004–2022 ERA Nymburk (19-peat)
Denmark
- 2009–2011 Copenhagen
Finland
France
- 1902–1904 Roubaix
- 1967–1970 Saint-Étienne
- 1974–1976 Saint-Étienne
- 1989–1992 Marseille (four-peat)
- 2002–2008 Lyon (seven-peat)
- 2013–2016 Paris Saint-Germain (four-peat)
- 2017–2020 Paris Saint-Germain
Germany
- 1972–1974 Bayern Munich
- 1975–1977 Borussia Mönchengladbach
- 1985–1987 Bayern Munich
- 1999–2001 Bayern Munich
- 2013–2023 Bayern Munich (eleven-peat)
- 1976–1978 SG Dynamo Dresden
- 1979–1988 Berliner FC Dynamo
Iraq
- 1987–1989 Al-Rasheed
- 1994–1996 Al-Zawraa
- 1999–2001 Al-Zawraa
- 2007–2009 Erbil
- 2000–2002 Al-Shorta
- 1998–2000 Al-Zawraa
Iraq Central FA Premier League
- 1950–1956 Al-Haras Al-Malaki (seven-peat)
- 1968–1970 Aliyat Al-Shorta
Iraqi Basketball Premier League
- 1981–1983 Al-Karkh
- 1986–1990 Al-Rasheed (five-peat)
- 2000–2002 Al-Karkh
- 2009–2012 Duhok (four-peat)
- 2017–2023 Al-Naft (six-peat)
Iraqi Basketball Perseverance Cup
- 2017–2021 Al-Naft
Iraqi Futsal Premier League
- 2012–2018 Naft Al-Wasat (seven-peat)
Iraqi Handball Premier League
- 2016–2020 Al-Shorta (five-peat)
Israel
- 1959–1963 Hapoel Petah Tikva (five-peat)
- 2004–2006 Maccabi Haifa
- 2013–2015 Maccabi Tel Aviv
- 2016–2018 Hapoel Be'er Sheva
- 2021–2023 Maccabi Haifa
Italy
- 1898–1900 Genoa
- 1902–1904 Genoa
- 1911–1913 Pro Vercelli
- 1931–1935 Juventus (five-peat)
- 1943, 1946–1949 Torino (five-peat)
- 1992–1994 Milan
- 2006–2010 Internazionale (five-peat)
- 2012–2020 Juventus (nine-peat)
Japan
- 1951–1953 Yomiuri Giants
- 1956–1958 Nishitetsu Lions (changed to Seibu Lions)
- 1965–1973 Yomiuri Giants (nine-peat)
- 1975–1977 Hankyu Braves (changed to Orix Buffaloes)
- 1986–1988 Seibu Lions (changed to Saitama Seibu Lions)
- 1990–1992 Seibu Lions (changed to Saitama Seibu Lions)
- 2017–2020 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (four-peat)
- 2007–2009 Kashima Antlers
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Puerto Rico
- 1941/42–1944/45 Ponce (4)
- 1996/97–1998/99 Indios de Mayaguez (3)
Russia
Russian Football Premier League
- 1992–1994 Spartak Moscow
- 1996–2001 Spartak Moscow (six-peat)
- 2019–2022 Zenit Saint Petersburg (four-peat)
- 1992–2000 Dina (futsal club) (nine-peat)
- 2003–2008 MFK Dinamo Moskva (six-peat; before 2007/08 season renamed into Dinamo-Yamal)
- 2011–2013 MFK Dinamo Moskva (before 2012/13 season renamed into Dinamo Moscow Oblast)
Slovenia
Premier A Slovenian Basketball League
- 1991–1999 Olimpija (8)
- 2003–2006 Olimpija
- 2009–2014 Krka (5)
- 2020–2023 Cedevita Olimpija
Spain
- 1961–1965 Real Madrid (5)
- 1967–1969 Real Madrid
- 1978–1980 Real Madrid
- 1986–1990 Real Madrid (5)
- 1991–1994 Barcelona (4)
- 2009–2011 Barcelona
- 1905–1908 Real Madrid (4)
- 1914–1916 Athletic Bilbao
- 1930–1933 Athletic Bilbao (4)
- 1943–1945 Athletic Bilbao
- 1951–1953 Barcelona
- 2015–2018 Barcelona (4)
- 1956–1961 BM Granollers (6)
- 1962–1965 Atlético Madrid BM (4)
- 1966–1968 BM Granollers
- 1970–1972 BM Granollers
- 1975–1978 CB Alicante (4)
- 1983–1985 Atlético Madrid BM
- 1988–1992 FC Barcelona Handbol (5)
- 1995–2000 FC Barcelona Handbol (5)
- 2007–2010 BM Ciudad Real (4)
- 2011–2023 FC Barcelona Handbol (13-peat)
- 1982–1985 FC Barcelona Handbol
- 2013–2023 FC Barcelona Handbol (10-peat)
- 2017–2019 FC Barcelona Handbol
- 1995–2000 FC Barcelona Handbol (5-peat)
- 1996–2000, FC Barcelona Handbol (4-peat)
- 1983–1986, FC Barcelona Handbol
South Korea
- 1993–1995 Ilhwa Chunma (changed to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma)
- 2001–2003 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (changed to Seongnam FC)
- 2017–2021 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (five-peat)
- 1986–1989 Haitai Tigers (changed to Kia Tigers) (four-peat)
- 2011–2014 Samsung Lions (four-peat)
- 2008–2014 Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs (seven-peat)
Sweden
- 1945–1948 IFK Norrköping
- 1949–1951 Malmö FF
- 1985–1989 Malmö FF
- 1993–1996 IFK Göteborg
Turkey
- 1971–1973 Galatasaray
- 1979–1981 Trabzonspor
- 1990–1992 Beşiktaş
- 1997–2000 Galatasaray (four-peat)
United Kingdom
Super League Super League Grand Final
- 2007–2009 Leeds Rhinos
- 1991–1994 Bath
- 1999–2001 Leicester Tigers
- 2003–2005 London Wasps
English football first tier
- 1924–1926 Huddersfield Town
- 1933–1935 Arsenal
- 1982–1984 Liverpool
- 1999–2001 Manchester United
- 2007–2009 Manchester United
- 2021–2023 Manchester City
- 1876–1878 Wanderers
- 1884–1886 Blackburn Rovers
- 1965–1974 Celtic F.C (nine-peat)
- 1989–1997 Rangers F.C (nine-peat)
- 2012–2020 Celtic (nine-peat)
USSR
- 1946–1948 CSKA Moscow
- 1966–1968 Dynamo Kyiv
Yugoslavia
- 1933, 1935–36 BSK Beograd
- 1961–1963 Partizan
- 1968–1970 Crvena Zvezda
- 1990–1992 Crvena Zvezda
International
- 2012, 2016, 2020
Áron Szilágyi, individual men's sabre
- 1956, 1960, 1964
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Dawn Fraser, Women's 100 metres freestyle - 1988, 1992, 1996 Krisztina Egerszegi, Women's 200 metres backstroke
- 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
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Michael Phelps, Men's 200-metre individual medley (four-peat) - 2012, 2016, 2020 Katie Ledecky, Women's 800 metres freestyle
World Chess Championships
Unofficial Championships (before 1886)
- 1866–1876
Wilhelm Steinitz (three-peat)
Pre-FIDE World Championships (1886–1946)
- 1886–1892 / Wilhelm Steinitz (four-peat)
- 1894–1910
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Emanuel Lasker (six-peat) - 1927–1934
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Alexander Alekhine (three-peat) - 1948–1954
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Mikhail Botvinnik (three-peat) - 1975–1981
Anatoly Karpov (three-peat) - 1985–1995 /
Garry Kasparov (six-peat) - 1993–1998
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Anatoly Karpov (three-peat)
FIDE World Championships (2006–present)
- 2007–2012
Viswanathan Anand (four-peat) - 2013–2021
Magnus Carlsen (five-peat)
Association Football
- 1956–1960
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Real Madrid (five-peat) - 1971–1973
Ajax - 1974–1976
Bayern Munich - 2016–2018
Real Madrid
- 2014–2016 Sevilla
- 2011–2013
Monterrey
South American football Copa Libertadores
- 1968–1970
Estudiantes de La Plata - 1972–1975 Independiente (four-peat)
- 1945–1947 Argentina
Champ Car World Series auto racing
- 2004–2007 Sébastien Bourdais
- 1965–1967 Greek American Atlas
- 2009–2011 Seattle Sounders FC
International rules football
- 1990–1999 (1990, 1998, 1999; note: international rules football games are held sporadically, hence the eight-year gap) Ireland
Cricket
New Zealand cricket's Plunket Shield
- 1936/47-1939/40 Auckland
- 1999–2007 Australia (World Cup every 4 years)
Motorsports
Formula One World Champion
- 1954–1957 Juan Manuel Fangio (four-peat)
- 2000–2004 Michael Schumacher (five-peat)
- 2010–2013 Sebastian Vettel (four-peat)
- 2017–2020[10]
Lewis Hamilton (four-peat) - 2021–2023 Max Verstappen
Motorcycling
- 1953-1955 Geoff Duke
- 1958-1960 John Surtees
- 1962-1965 Mike Hailwood (four-peat)
- 1966-1972
Giacomo Agostini (seven-peat) - 1990-1992
Wayne Rainey - 1994-1998 Mick Doohan (five-peat)
- 2001-2005 Valentino Rossi (five-peat)
- 2016-2018 Marc Márquez
Motorboat racing
Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship
- 1993-1996 Guido Cappellini (four-peat)
- 2001-2003 Guido Cappellini
- 2011-2013 Alex Carella
- 2014-2016
Philippe Chiappe
Winter X Games
Winter X Games SuperPipe
- 2008–2013 Shaun White
Tennis
Davis Cup
- 1903–1906 British Isles
- 1907–1911
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Australasia[11] - 1920–1926
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United States - 1927–1932 France
- 1933–1936 Great Britain
- 1946–1949 United States
- 1950–1953 Australia
- 1955–1957 Australia
- 1959–1962 Australia
- 1964–1967 Australia
- 1968–1972 United States
Fed Cup
- 1976–1982 United States
- 1983–1985
Czechoslovakia - 1993–1995 Spain
Australian Open
Men's singles
- 1931–1933 Jack Crawford
- 1963–1967 Roy Emerson
- 2011–2013
Novak Djokovic - 2019–2021 Novak Djokovic
Women's singles
- 1928–1930 Daphne Akhurst Cozens
- 1946–1948 Nancye Wynne Bolton[12]
- 1960–1966 Margaret Court (six-peat)
- 1969–1971 Margaret Court
- 1974–1976 Evonne Goolagong Cawley
- 1988–1990 Steffi Graf
- 1991–1993
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Monica Seles - 1997–1999
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Martina Hingis
Men's doubles
- 1936–1940 Adrian Quist (five-peat; his partners were Don Turnbull in 1936–37 tournaments, and John Bromwich until 1940)[13]
- 1938–1940 John Bromwich (his partner was Adrian Quist, see above)[13]
- 1946–1950 John Bromwich and Adrian Quist (five-peat)[13]
- 1959–1961 Rod Laver and Bob Mark
- 2009–2011 Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan
Women's doubles
- 1923–1925 Sylvia Lance Harper (her partners were Esna Boyd Robertson in the 1923 tournament, and Daphne Akhurst Cozens in 1924–25)
- 1936–1940 Thelma Coyne Long and Nancye Wynne Bolton
- 1947–1949 Thelma Coyne Long and Nancye Wynne Bolton
- 1954–1956 Mary Bevis Hawton (her partners were Beryl Penrose in 1954–55, and Thelma Coyne Long in the 1956 tournament)
- 1961–1963 Margaret Court (her partners were Mary Carter Reitano in the 1961 tournament, and Robyn Ebbern in 1962–63)
- 1969–1971 Margaret Court (her partners were Judy Tegart Dalton in 1969–70, and Evonne Goolagong Cawley in the 1971 tournament)
- 1974–1976 Evonne Goolagong Cawley (her partners were Peggy Michel in 1974–75, and Helen Gourlay in the 1976 tournament)
- 1976–12/1977 Helen Gourlay (her partners were Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1976 and December 1977 (see above), and Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat in January 1977)[14]
- 1982–1989 Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver (seven-peat[15])
- 1997–1999 Martina Hingis (her partners were
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Natasha Zvereva in the 1997 tournament, 
Mirjana Lučić in 1998, and Anna Kournikova in 1999)
French Open
Men's singles
- 1894–1896 André Vacherot
- 1897–1900 Paul Aymé
- 1907–1909 Max Decugis
- 1912–1914 Max Decugis
- 1978–1981
Björn Borg (four-peat) - 2005–2008 Rafael Nadal (four-peat)
- 2010–2014 Rafael Nadal (five-peat)
- 2017–2020 Rafael Nadal (four-peat)
Women's singles
- 1897–1899 Adine Masson
- 1904–1906 Kate Gillou
- 1909–1912 Jeanne Matthey
- 1920–1923 Suzanne Lenglen
- 1928–1930 Helen Wills
- 1935–1937
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Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling - 1990–1992 Monica Seles
- 2005–2007
.svg.png.webp)
Justine Henin
Men's doubles
- 1961–1965 Roy Emerson (six-peat: his partners were Neal Fraser in 1960 and 1962, Rod Laver in the 1961 tournament, Manuel Santana in 1963, Ken Fletcher in 1964, and Fred Stolle in 1965)
Women's doubles
- 1909–1912 Jeanne Matthey and Daisy Speranza
- 1920–1923 Suzanne Lenglen (four-peat: her partners were Elisabeth d'Aryen in the 1920 tournament, Geramine Pigueron in 1921–22, and Didi Vasto in 1923)
- 1932–1934 Elizabeth Ryan (her partners were Helen Wills in the 1932 tournament, and Simonne Mathieu in 1933–34)
- 1936–1939 Simonne Mathieu (four-peat: her partners were Billie Yorke in 1936–38, and
Jadwiga Jędrzejowska in the 1939 tournament) - 1936–1938 Billie Yorke (her partner was Simonne Mathieu, see above)
- 1950–1953 Doris Hart and Shirley Fry Irvin
- 1961–1963
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Renée Schuurman (her partners were Sandra Reynolds in 1961–62, and Ann Jones in the 1963 tournament) - 1964–1966 Margaret Court (her partners were Lesley Turner Bowrey in 1964–65, and Judy Tegart in the 1966 tournament)
- 1967–1971 Françoise Dürr (five-peat: her partners were Gail Chanfreau in 1967 and 1970–71, and Ann Jones in 1967–68)[16]
- 1984–1988 Martina Navratilova (five-peat: her partners were Pam Shriver in 1984–85 and 1987–88, and Andrea Temesvári in the 1986 tournament)
- 1991–1995 Gigi Fernández (five-peat: her partners were Jana Novotná in the 1991 tournament, and
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Natasha Zvereva in 1992–95) - 1992–1995 Natasha Zvereva (four-peat: her partner was Gigi Fernández, see above)
Wimbledon
Gentlemen's singles
- 1881–1886 William Renshaw
- 1897–1900 Reginald Doherty
- 1902–1906 Laurence Doherty
- 1910–1913
Anthony Wilding - 1934–1936 Fred Perry
- 1976–1980 Björn Borg (five-peat)
- 1993–1995 Pete Sampras
- 1997–2000 Pete Sampras (four-peat)
- 2003–2007 Roger Federer (five-peat)
- 2018–2022 Novak Djokovic (four-peat, as 2020 Wimbledon was cancelled due to COVID-19)
Ladies' singles
- 1891–1893 Lottie Dod
- 1919–1923 Suzanne Lenglen
- 1927–1930 Helen Wills
- 1948–1950 Louise Brough
- 1952–1954 Maureen Connolly
- 1966–1968 Billie Jean King[16]
- 1982–1987 Martina Navratilova (six-peat)
- 1991–1993 Steffi Graf
Gentlemen's doubles
- 1884–1886 William Renshaw and Ernest Renshaw
- 1894–1896 Wilfred Baddeley and Herbert Baddeley
- 1897–1901 Laurence Doherty and Reginald Doherty
- 1903–1905 Laurence Doherty and Reginald Doherty
- 1921–22 Randolph Lycett (his partners were Max Woosnam in the 1921 tournament, James Anderson in 1922, and Leslie Godfree)
- 1929–1931 John Van Ryn (his partners were Wilmer Allison in 1929–30, and George Lott in the 1931 tournament)
- 1968–1970 John Newcombe and Tony Roche
- 1993–1997 Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde
- 2002–2004 Todd Woodbridge and Jonas Björkman
Ladies' doubles
- 1919–1923 Suzanne Lenglen and Elizabeth Ryan (five-peat)
- 1925–1927 Elizabeth Ryan (her partners were Suzanne Lenglen in the 1925 tournament, Mary Browne in 1926, and Helen Wills in 1927)
- 1948–1950 Louise Brough and Margaret Osborne duPont
- 1951–1953 Shirley Fry Irvin and Doris Hart
- 1956–1958 Althea Gibson (her partners were Angela Buxton in the 1956 tournament, Darlene Hard in 1957, and
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Maria Bueno in 1958) - 1970–1973 Billie Jean King (four-peat: her partners were Rosemary Casals in 1970–71 and 1973, and Betty Stöve in the 1972 tournament)
- 1981–1984 Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver (four-peat)
- 1991–1994 Natasha Zvereva (four-peat: her partners were Larisa Neiland in the 1991 tournament, and Gigi Fernández in 1992–94)
- 1992–1994 Gigi Fernández (her partner was Natasha Zvereva, see above)
US Open
Men's singles
- 1881–1887 Richard Sears
- 1890–1892
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Oliver Campbell - 1898–1900
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Malcolm Whitman - 1907–1911
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William Larned - 1920–1925 Bill Tilden
- 1979–1981 John McEnroe
- 1985–1987 Ivan Lendl
- 2004–2008 Roger Federer (five-peat)
Women's singles
- 1909–1911 Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
- 1912–1914 Mary Browne
- 1915–1918 Molla Mallory
- 1920–1922 Molla Mallory
- 1923–1925 Helen Wills
- 1927–1929 Helen Wills
- 1932–1935 Helen Jacobs
- 1938–1940 Alice Marble
- 1943–1944 Pauline Betz
- 1948–1950 Margaret Osborne duPont
- 1951–1953 Maureen Connolly
- 1975–1978 Chris Evert (four-peat)
- 2012–2014 Serena Williams
Men's doubles
- 1882–1887 Richard Sears (six-peat: his partners were James Dwight in 1882–84 and 1886–87, and Joseph Clark in the 1885 tournament)
- 1882–1884 James Dwight (his partner was Richard Sears, see above)
- 1899–1901 Holcombe Ward and Dwight F. Davis
- 1904–1906 Holcombe Ward and Beals Wright
- 1907–1910 Fred Alexander and Harold Hackett (four-peat)
- 1912–1914 Maurice McLoughlin and Tom Bundy
- 1921–1923 Bill Tilden (his partners were Vincent Richards in 1921–22, and
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Brian Norton in the 1923 tournament) - 1928–1930 George Lott (his partners were John F. Hennessey in the 1928 tournament, and John Doeg in 1929–30)
Women's doubles
- 1894–1898 Juliette Atkinson (five-peat: her partners were Helen Hellwig in 1894–95, Elisabeth Moore in the 1896 tournament, and Kathleen Atkinson in 1897-98)
- 1909–1911 Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman (her partners were Edith Rotch in 1909–10, and Eleonora Sears in the 1911 tournament)
- 1912–1914 Mary K. Browne (her partners were Dorothy Green in the 1912 tournament, and Louise Riddell Williams in 1913–14)
- 1915–1917 Eleonora Sears (her partners were Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman in the 1915 tournament, and Molla Mallory in 1916–17)
- 1918–1920 Marion Jessup and Eleanor Goss
- 1937–1941 Sarah Palfrey Cooke (five-peat: her partners were Alice Marble in 1937–40, and Margaret Osborne duPont in the 1941 tournament)
- 1937–1940 Alice Marble (four-peat: her partner was Sarah Palfrey Cooke, see above)
- 1941–1950 Margaret Osborne duPont (ten-peat: her partners were Sarah Palfrey Cooke in the 1941 tournament (see above), and Louise Brough in 1942–50)
- 1942–1950 Louise Brough (nine-peat: her partner was Margaret Osborne duPont, see above)
- 1951–1954 Shirley Fry Irvin and Doris Hart
- 1955–1957 Louise Brough and Margaret Osborne duPont
- 1958–1962
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Darlene Hard (five-peat: her partners were Jeanne Arth in 1958–59, .svg.png.webp)
Maria Bueno in 1960 and 1962, and Lesley Turner Bowrey in the 1961 tournament) - 2002–2004 Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez
ATP World Tour Finals
Singles
- 1971–1973
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Ilie Năstase - 1985–1987 Ivan Lendl
- 2012–2015 Novak Djokovic (four-peat)
Doubles
- 1978–1984 Peter Fleming and John McEnroe (seven-peat)
WTA Finals
Singles
- 1983–1986 Martina Navratilova (four-peat)
- 1990–1992 Monica Seles
- 2012–2014 Serena Williams
Indian Wells Masters
Men's singles
- 2004–2006 Roger Federer
- 2014–2016 Novak Djokovic
Men's doubles
- 1986–1988 Guy Forget (his partners were Peter Fleming in the 1986 tournament, Yannick Noah in 1987, and Boris Becker in 1988)
- 1988–1990 Boris Becker (his partners were Guy Forget in 1988 and 1990, and Jakob Hlasek in the 1989 tournament)
Miami Open
Men's singles
- 2001–2003 Andre Agassi
- 2014–2016 Novak Djokovic
Women's singles
- 1994–1996 Steffi Graf
- 2002–2004 Serena Williams
- 2013–2015 Serena Williams
Men's doubles
- 1996–1998 Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde
- 2010–2012 Leander Paes (his partners were Lukáš Dlouhý in the 2010 tournament, Mahesh Bhupathi in 2011, and Radek Štěpánek in 2012)
Women's doubles
- 1995–1997 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (her partners were Jana Novotná in 1995 and 1996, and Natasha Zvereva in the 1997 tournament)
Monte Carlo Masters
Men's singles
- 2005–2012 Rafael Nadal (eight-peat)
- 2016–2018 Rafael Nadal
Italian Open
Men's singles
- 2005–2007 Rafael Nadal
Paris Masters
Men's singles
- 2013–2015 Novak Djokovic
Dubai Championships
Men's singles
- 2003-2005 Roger Federer
- 2009–2011 Novak Djokovic
Barcelona Open
Men's singles
- 2005–2009 Rafael Nadal (five-peat)
- 2011–2013 Rafael Nadal
- 2016–2018 Rafael Nadal
Halle Open
Men's singles
- 2003-2006 Roger Federer (four-peat)
- 2013-2015 Roger Federer
China Open
Men's singles
- 2012–2015 Novak Djokovic (four-peat)
Swiss Indoors
Men's singles
- 2006-2008 Roger Federer
- 2017-2019 Roger Federer
Golf
US Open
- 1903–1905
Willie Anderson
The Open Championship
- 1868–1872 Young Tom Morris (four-peat)
- 1877–1879 Jamie Anderson
- 1880–1882 Bob Ferguson
- 1954–1956 Peter Thomson
PGA Championship
- 1924–1927 Walter Hagen
Basketball
Argentina
- 2010–2012 Club Atlético Peñarol (Mar del Plata)
- 2015–2018 San Lorenzo de Almagro (basketball) (four-peat)
France
- 1983–1985 Limoges CSP
- 1988–1990 Limoges CSP
- 2019–2022 LDLC Asvel
Germany
- 1970–1972 TuS 04 Leverkusen
- 1990–1996 TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen
- 1997–2003 ALBA Berlin (seven-peat)
- 2010–2013 Brose Baskets (four-peat, also won the German Cup in 2010, 2011 and 2012)
- 2020–2022 ALBA Berlin
Israel
Israeli Basketball Premier League
- 1957–1959 Maccabi Tel Aviv
- 1962–1964 Maccabi Tel Aviv
- 1970–1992 Maccabi Tel Aviv (twenty three-peat)
- 1994–2007 Maccabi Tel Aviv (fourteen-peat)
- 2018–2021 Maccabi Tel Aviv (four-peat)
Italy
- 1946–1949 Virtus Bologna (four-peat)
- 1950–1954 Olimpia Milano (five-peat)
- 1957–1960 Olimpia Milano (four-peat)
- 1965–1967 Olimpia Milano
- 1969–1971 Varese
- 1985–1987 Olimpia Milano
- 2007–2011 Mens Sana Siena
Philippines
- 1976–1977 Crispa Redmanizers (six straight championships: 1975 All-Philippine Championship, 1976 Grand Slam, 1977 All-Filipino Conference and 1977 Open Conference)
- 1983–1984 Crispa Redmanizers (four straight championships: 1983 Grand Slam, 1984 First All-Filipino Conference)
- 1984–1985 Great Taste Coffee Makers (four straight championships: 1984 Second All-Filipino Conference, 1984 Invitational Championship, 1985 Open Conference, 1985 All-Filipino Conference)
- 1988–1989 San Miguel Beermen (four straight championships: 1988 PBA Reinforced Conference, 1989 Grand Slam)
- 1995–1996 Alaska Milkmen (four straight championship: 1995 Governors' Cup and 1996 Grand Slam)
- 1997–1998 Alaska Milkmen (three straight championships: 1997 Governors' Cup, 1998 All-Filipino Cup and 1998 PBA Commissioner's Cup)
- 2000–2001 San Miguel Beermen (three straight championships: 2000 Commissioner's Cup, 2000 Governors' Cup, 2001 All-Filipino Cup)
- 2013–2014 San Mig Super Coffee Mixers (four straight championships: 2013 Governors' Cup, 2013–14 Grand Slam)
Puerto Rico
- 1941–1943 Atléticos de San Germán
- 1947–1950 Atléticos de San Germán (4-peat)
- 1955–1957 Cardenales de Rio Piedras
- 1964–1966 Leones de Ponce
- 1971–1975 Vaqueros de Bayamon (5-peat)
- 1977–1979 Piratas de Quebradillas
- 1998–2001 Cangrejeros de Santurce (4-peat)
Russia
Russian Basketball Super League 1 (1992-2010)
- 1992-2000 PBC CSKA Moscow (nine-peat)
- 2003-2010 PBC CSKA Moscow (eight-peat)
Russian Professional Basketball League
- 2011-2013 PBC CSKA Moscow (2011-2013)
- 2012-2019, 2021 PBC CSKA Moscow (nine-peat; the 2019-2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
Spain
- 1960–1966 Real Madrid Baloncesto (7-peat)
- 1968–1977 Real Madrid Baloncesto (10-peat)
- 1984–1986 Real Madrid Baloncesto
- 1987–1990 Barcelona (4-peat)
- 1995–1997 Barcelona
- 2019–2022 Barcelona (4-peat)
Switzerland
- 1997–1999 Fribourg
- 2000–2002 Lugano Tigers
- 2010–2012 Lugano Tigers
- 2018–2022 Fribourg (4-peat)
Turkey
- 1970–1973 İTÜ BK
- 1976–1978 Eczacıbaşı
- 1980–1982 Eczacıbaşı
- 1992–1994 Efes Pilsen
- 2001–2004 Efes Pilsen (four-peat)
- 2016–2018 Fenerbahçe
Vietnam
- 2019–2022 Saigon Heat (three-peat: 2019, 2020, 2022)
Darts
- 1984–1986
Eric Bristow - 2017–2019 Glen Durrant
- 1995–2002 Phil Taylor (8-peat)
- 2004–2006 Phil Taylor
Gary Anderson could have made a three-peat in 2015–2017 but lost 7-3 to Michael van Gerwen in the final of the 2017 World darts championship.
Esports
- 2010–2011
Natus Vincere (four-peat: Intel Extreme Masters 2010, ESWC 2010, WCG 2010, and Intel Extreme Masters 2011)
Competitive eating
Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
- 1988-1990 Jay Green (1990 tied with Mike DeVito)
- 1993-1994 Mike DeVito (1993 Independence Day, 1993 One-on-one Challenge with Japan, 1994 Independence Day)
- 1996-1998
Hirofumi Nakajima (1996 One-on-one Challenge with Japan, 1997 and 1998 Independence Day) - 2001-2006 Takeru Kobayashi (six-peat)
- 2007-2014 Joey Chestnut (eight-peat)
- 2016-2023 Joey Chestnut (eight-peat)
Women
- 2011-2013 Sonya Thomas
- 2014-2020 Miki Sudo (seven-peat)
The National Football League
In the National Football League (NFL), a Super Bowl championship three-peat has not been accomplished. Two-time defending Super Bowl champions who failed to three-peat include the Green Bay Packers (1968), Miami Dolphins (1974), Pittsburgh Steelers (twice: 1976, 1980), San Francisco 49ers (1990), Dallas Cowboys (1994), Denver Broncos (1999), and New England Patriots (2005). All of these teams failed to return to the title game in the third season (indicated in parentheses).
The Buffalo Bills went to 4 consecutive Super Bowls as the AFC champions from 1990 to 1993, which is a feat unmatched in NFL history; however, they lost in every appearance.
The New England Patriots are the most recent team to play in three consecutive Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl LI in 2016 and Super Bowl LIII in 2018, but losing Super Bowl LII in 2017.
In the early years of the NFL, decades before the introduction of either the term three-peat or the Super Bowl, the Packers won three consecutive NFL titles from 1929–31. This was achieved without playing any postseason playoff games, as the league title was determined at that time from the season standings. In addition, the Packers won the NFL championship in 1965, at a time when the rival NFL and AFL played separate exclusive championships. They then followed that 1965 championship with their first two Super Bowl victories in 1966 and 1967 (their Super Bowl berths were earned by winning both the 1966 NFL Championship Game and 1967 NFL Championship Game), thereby winning championships three years in a row.
Related terms
There have been efforts to come up with a similarly clever name for the potential fourth consecutive championship in the year following a three-peat. But attempts such as quat-row have thus far failed to catch on, and most fans simply use the term four-peat. Since the term three-peat came into usage, however, only one team in major American sports has been able to achieve it – Hendrick Racing/Jimmie Johnson NASCAR team, who won 5 championships in a row.
The wordplay of three-peat is clearer if repeat is stressed on the first syllable; this pronunciation is uncommon outside North America. Other English-speaking people may instead talk of a hat trick of championships, or simply a three-in-a-row.
There are also terms for winning three trophies in the same season:
- Triple Crown – various sports
- Treble (association football)
- Grand slam – Philippine Basketball Association
References
- ↑ radiomemories 23248 Wizzard Media
- ↑ Brunt, Cliff (June 8, 2023). "Oklahoma wins third straight WCWS title, extends record win streak to 53". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ↑ Toledo Cup — National Collegiate Football Championship (Trophy). Gibson-Nagurski Athletic Center, University of Minnesota. January 6, 2023. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
1934, 1935, 1936 — University of Minnesota
- ↑ Emerson, Seth (August 20, 2023). "College football's last 3-peat: The Minnesota national title history Georgia is chasing". The Athletic. Minneapolis. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ↑ Army football National Champions '44, '45, '46 (Stadium Sign). Michie Stadium: United States Military Academy. 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ↑ "NCAA FCS Football Championship History". Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ↑ "NCAA Division II Football Championship History". Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ↑ "NCAA Division III Football Championship History". Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ↑ "ATC Home". ATC American Team Championships. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ↑ "Hamilton wins record-equalling seventh title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ↑ 1910 competition was walked over.
- ↑ 4-peat if her pre-World War II 1940 title is included.
- 1 2 3 The Australian Open was not held in 1941–1945 due to World War II, indeed if the 1940 and 1946 tournaments are counted as straight versions Adrian Quist scores a ten-peat and John Bromwich an eight-peat.
- ↑ The December 1977 title was shared with their final rivals.
- ↑ The Australian Open was not held during 1986 due to date changes.
- 1 2 This is a rare example of a three-peat across the Amateur and Open Eras.
