The fates of coaches Dan Hurley and Geno Auriemma are closely tied to a high-stakes corporate promotion.

A Massachusetts-based retailer is facing a potential $50 million payout thanks to a bold promotion tied to UConn’s success. The details of the gamble put the company in a unique position: cheering for the very teams that could cost them a fortune.

If Dan Hurley and Geno Auriemma can lead their respective Huskies to the National Championship game, the Massachusetts-based furniture store, Jordan’s Furniture will refund all purchases made between January 20 and March 1. This could lead to an estimated revenue loss of $50 million. But the store still wants both UConn teams to win their respective Final Four matchups.

“People think, ‘Oh, Eliot doesn’t want them to win,’” former president Eliot Tatelman, who recently passed the major furniture retailer down to his sons, told Front Office Sports. “Of course I want them to win! We buy insurance!”

The last time a college program’s men’s and women’s teams reached the National Championship game in the same year was the UConn program in 2014. In fact, only three college programs have done it, and there have been only four such occasions before this year.

While not many expected UConn to survive Duke in the men’s bracket, Dan Hurley’s men face an equally robust Illinois team featuring top NBA draft prospect Keaton Wagler and a roster that has truly dominated the paint. For Geno Auriemma and his women’s team, the Final Four matchup represents a revenge storyline.

The South Carolina Gamecocks now have a chance to stop Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies from winning another national title in 2026.

Eliot Tatelman also revealed that they had already passed on some of the risk to other insurance firms without revealing where and how Jordan’s Furniture store insures against such a scenario.

Dan Hurley and Geno Auriemma can do the double in the NCAA

College programs must mount a consistent and high-quality season to even become a contender, let alone win the National Championship. The UConn Huskies, though, stand on the verge of history and can do a double in college basketball this year, something that has only been done twice before. The college program to do that on those two previous occasions? UConn.

Geno Auriemma was part of both those historic years for the University of Connecticut, with Jim Calhoun coaching the men’s team in 2004, and Kevin Ollie as the head coach in 2014. Triple-doubles are rare for most players, let alone such a triple-double by a head coach.

For Dan Hurley, it would mean a third National Championship in the last four years. But most importantly, it would further stamp UConn’s dominance on the college basketball circuit.

Geno’s women would find a rare challenge in Dawn Staley’s South Carolina. Meanwhile, Cori Close’s UCLA would look forward to setting up a revenge matchup from last year if both programs win their respective Final Four games. Sarah Strong became the Naismith Player of the Year and will be crucial alongside Azzi Fudd in Geno’s quest for a 13th NCAA title.

For Dan Hurley, Silas Demary Jr.’s availability could help his Huskies tackle the physical pressure around the paint that the Illinois Fighting Illini will pose.

Ahead of the game, Hurley said, “This guy played at probably 65% the first weekend versus UCLA. He probably got to 75% in the Sweet 16/Elite Eight game, and I think he’s much better this week. I think he’s got a chance to play at like 90% physically for the Illinois game, which we’re going to need all of that.”

UConn is already one of the most sought-after college programs in both men’s and women’s basketball, thanks to its on-court success over the years. One can only imagine how the world will react to a third double National Championship, already being the only program to win both National Championships in the same year.