Three-peat

Three-peat is a term used primarily in American sports to refer to winning three consecutive championships. 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. The term is a registered trademark owned by Pat Riley, the Lakers' head coach from 1981–1990, although it was coined by L.A. player Byron Scott immediately after their victorious championship defense against the Detroit Pistons in the 1988 NBA Finals.

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".

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.

However, Riles & Co., the corporate entity of National Basketball Association (NBA) coach Pat Riley, submitted in November 1988 a trademark application for the use of three-peat on shirts, jackets and hats. At the time, the phrase was being used by members and fans of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, of whom 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 coined the term in reference to the team's goal for that season.

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.

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.

In 2005, a group of individuals attempted to trademark the phrase Three-Pete in anticipation of the (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt that year by the University of Southern California (U.S.C.) 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" is a trademark for blankets and other bedding. Some of the Riles & Co. trademarks are no longer in effect, e.g. keychains.

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 and Australian Football League most of which occurred prior to the advent of the term three-peat.

United States: professional sports

All-America Football Conference

• 1946–49 Cleveland Browns

Major League Baseball (World Series)

• 1936–39 New York Yankees
• 1949–53 New York Yankees
• 1972–74 Oakland Athletics
• 1998–00 New York Yankees

National Basketball Association (NBA Finals)

• 1952–54 Minneapolis Lakers
• 1959–66 Boston Celtics
• 1991–93 Chicago Bulls
• 1996–98 Chicago Bulls
• 2000–02 Los Angeles Lakers

National Football League (Pre-Super Bowl NFL champions)

• 1929–31 Green Bay Packers - (no post-season)
• 1965–67 Green Bay Packers - (includes first two Super Bowls)

National Hockey League (Stanley Cup)

• 1947–49 Toronto Maple Leafs
• 1956–60 Montreal Canadiens
• 1962–64 Toronto Maple Leafs
• 1976–79 Montreal Canadiens
• 1980–83 Islanders

United States: collegiate sports

NACDA Director's Cup (overall collegiate athletics)

• 1995–2013 Stanford (NCAA Division I)
• 1997–2001 Simon Fraser (NAIA)
• 1999–2011 Williams (NCAA Division III)
• 2000–03 UC Davis (NCAA Division II)
• 2004–11 Grand Valley State (NCAA Division II)
• 2005–11 Azusa Pacific (NAIA)

NAIA National Football Championship

• 2002–2005 Carroll College Fighting Saints

NCAA Division I Baseball

• 1970–1974 USC

NCAA Division I Football

Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)

• 1934–1936 Minnesota

Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

• 2005–2007 Appalachian State University
• 2011–2015 North Dakota State University (five-peat)

NCAA Division I Men's Basketball

• 1967–1973 UCLA

NCAA Division I Men's Water Polo

• 2008–2013 USC

NCAA Division I Women's Basketball

• 1996–1998 Tennessee
• 2002–2004 Connecticut

NCAA Division II Football Championship

• 1993–1995 North Alabama

NCAA Division III Football

• 1983–1986 Augustana College (Illinois)
• 1996–1998 Mount Union
• 2000–2002 Mount Union
• 2009–2011 Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks

U.S. National Collegiate Club Rugby championships

• 1980–1983 California
• 1991–2002 California
• 2004–2008 California
• 2012–2014 BYU

Other countries

Argentina

First Division (association football)

• 1949-51 Racing Club
• 1955-57 River Plate
• Metro 1979-Metro 1980 River Plate
• Apertura 1996-Apertura 1997 River Plate

Australia

Victorian Football League/Australian Football League

• 1906–08 Carlton
• 1927–30 Collingwood - a unique "four"-peat at this level.
• 1939–41 Melbourne
• 1955–57 Melbourne
• 2001–03 Brisbane Lions
• 2013–15 Hawthorn

Australian Ice Hockey League

• 2010–12 Melbourne Ice

New South Wales Rugby Football League/Australian Rugby League/National Rugby League

• 1911–13 Eastern Suburbs
• 1915–17 Balmain
• 1925–29 South Sydney
• 1935–37 Eastern Suburbs
• 1953–55 South Sydney
• 1956–66 St. George
• 1981–83 Parramatta Eels

West Australian Football League

• 1908–11 East Fremantle
• 1919–23 East Perth
• 1928–31 East Fremantle
• 1938–40 Claremont
• 1952–54 South Fremantle
• 1961–63 Swan Districts
• 1966–68 Perth
• 1982–84 Swan Districts
• 2000–02 East Perth
• 2006–08 Subiaco

Belgium

Belgian Pro League

• 1900–03 Racing de Bruxelles
• 1904–07 R Union Saint-Gilloise
• 1924–26 K Beerschot VAC
• 1933–35 R Union Saint-Gilloise SR
• 1949–51 RSC Anderlechtois
• 1954–56 RSC Anderlechtois
• 1964–68 RSC Anderlechtois
• 1969–71 R Standard Liege
• 1976–78 Club Brugge KV
• 1985–87 RSC Anderlechtois
• 1993–95 R.S.C. Anderlecht
• 2012–14 R.S.C. Anderlecht

Canada

Canadian Football League (Grey Cup):

• 1909–11 Toronto Varsity Blues
• 1922–24 Queen's University
• 1945–47 Toronto Argonauts
• 1954–56 Edmonton Eskimos
• 1978–82 Edmonton Eskimos

Chile

First Division (Association football):

• 1933-35 Magallanes
• 1989-91 Colo-Colo
• Apertura 2006-Clausura 2007 Colo-Colo (four-peat)
• Apertura 2011-Apertura 2012 Universidad de Chile

Costa Rica

Costa Rica, American Football 1st Div.:

• 2010–12 Santa Ana Bulldogs

Denmark

Danish Superliga

• 2009–11 F.C. Copenhagen

Finland

Veikkausliiga

• 1998–2000 FC Haka
• 2009–11 HJK

France

Ligue 1

• 1902–04 Roubaix
• 1967–70 Saint-Étienne
• 1974–76 Saint-Étienne
• 1989–92 Marseille
• 2002–08 Lyon (seven-peat)
• 2013–15 PSG

Germany

Basketball Bundesliga

• 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)

Fußball-Bundesliga

• 1972–74 Bayern Munich
• 1975–77 Borussia Mönchengladbach
• 1985–87 Bayern Munich
• 1999–2001 Bayern Munich
• 2013–15 Bayern Munich

DDR-Oberliga

• 1976–78 SG Dynamo Dresden
• 1979–88 Berliner FC Dynamo

Italy

Italian Football Championship

• 1898–1900 Genoa
• 1902–04 Genoa
• 1911–13 Pro Vercelli

Serie A

• 1931–35 Juventus
• 1943, 1946–49 Torino
• 1992–94 Milan
• 2006–10 Internazionale
• 2012–15 Juventus

Netherlands

Eredivisie

• 1897–99 RAP Amsterdam
• 1900–03 HVV (four-peat)
• 1911–13 Sparta
• 1966–68 Ajax
• 1986–89 PSV (four-peat)
• 1994–96 Ajax
• 2005–08 PSV (four-peat)
• 2011–14 Ajax (four-peat)

Norway

Tippeligaen

• 1972–75 Viking (four-peat)
• 1992–2004 Rosenborg (thirteen-peat)

Philippines

Philippine Basketball Association

• 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: 1998 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)

Portugal

Primeira Liga

• 1936–38 Benfica
• 1947–49 Sporting CP
• 1951–54 Sporting CP (four-peat)
• 1963–65 Benfica
• 1967–69 Benfica
• 1971–73 Benfica
• 1975–77 Benfica
• 1995–99 Porto (five-peat)
• 2006–09 Porto (four-peat)
• 2011–13 Porto

Spain

La Liga

• 1961–65 Real Madrid (five-peat)
• 1967–69 Real Madrid
• 1978–80 Real Madrid
• 1986–90 Real Madrid (five-peat)
• 1991–94 Barcelona (four-peat)
• 2009–11 Barcelona

Sweden

Allsvenskan

• 1945–48 IFK Norrköping
• 1949–51 Malmö FF
• 1985–89 Malmö FF
• 1993–96 IFK Göteborg

Turkey

Turkey, American Football 1st Division:

• 2013–15 Bogazici Sultans

United Kingdom

English rugby league Super League Grand Final

• 2007–2009 Leeds Rhinos

English rugby union

• 1991–94 Bath
• 1999–01 Leicester Tigers
• 2003–05 London Wasps

English football first tier

The Football League prior to the start of 1992–93 season, when was replaced by the Premier League

• 1924–26 Huddersfield Town
• 1933–35 Arsenal
• 1982–84 Liverpool
• 1999–2001 Manchester United
• 2007–09 Manchester United

USSR

Soviet Top League

• 1966–68 Dynamo Kyiv

Yugoslavia

Yugoslav First League

• 1933, 1935–36 BSK Beograd
• 1961–63 Partizan
• 1968–70 Crvena Zvezda
• 1990–92 Crvena Zvezda

International

European football Champions League

Named "European Cup" before the 1992-93 season, no three-peats under the "Champions League" brand.

• 1956-60 Real Madrid (five-peat)
• 1971-73 Ajax
• 1974-76 Bayern Munich

South American football Copa Libertadores

• 1968-70 Estudiantes de la Plata
• 1972-75 Independiente (four-peat)

CONMEBOL's Copa América

Named "South American Championships" after 1967, prior to resufacing in 1975 under the "Copa América" brand.

• 1945-47 Argentina

Champ Car World Series auto racing

• 2004-07 Sebastien Bourdais

CONCACAF U.S. Open Cup

• 1965-67 Greek American Atlas
• 2009-11 Seattle Sounders FC

Indian cricket's Ranji Trophy

• 1958-1972 Bombay
• 1974-1976 Bombay

Cricket World Cup

• 1999-2007 Australia (World Cup every 4 years)

Formula One Champion

• 1954–57 Juan Manuel Fangio (four-peat)
• 2000–04 Michael Schumacher (five-peat)
• 2010–14 Sebastian Vettel (four-peat)

Winter X Games SuperPipe

• 2008–2013 Shaun White

Tennis

Davis Cup

• 1903-06 British Isles
• 1907-11 Australasia
• 1920-26 United States
• 1927-32 France
• 1933-36 Great Britain
• 1946-49 United States
• 1950-53 Australia
• 1955-57 Australia
• 1959-62 Australia
• 1964-67 Australia
• 1968-72 United States

Fed Cup

• 1976-82 United States
• 1983-85 Czechoslovakia
• 1993-95 Spain

Australian Open

Australasian Championships until 1926, Australian Championships until 1968.

Men's singles

• 1931-33 Jack Crawford
• 1963-67 Roy Emerson
• 2011-13 Novak Djokovic

Women's singles

• 1928-30 Daphne Akhurst Cozens
• 1946-48 Nancye Wynne Bolton
• 1960-66 Margaret Court
• 1969-71 Margaret Court
• 1974-76 Evonne Goolagong Cawley
• 1988-90 Steffi Graf
• 1991-93 Monica Seles
• 1997-99 Martina Hingis

Men's doubles

• 1936-40 Adrian Quist (five-peat: his partners were Don Turnbull in 1936-37 tournaments, and John Bromwich until 1940)
• 1938-40 John Bromwich (his partner was Adrian Quist, see above)
• 1946-50 John Bromwich and Adrian Quist (five-peat)
• 1959-61 Rod Laver and Bob Mark
• 2009-11 Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan

Women's doubles

• 1923-25 Sylvia Lance Harper (her partners were Esna Boyd Robertson in the 1923 tournament, and Daphne Akhurst Cozens in 1924-25)
• 1936-40 Thelma Coyne Long and Nancye Wynne Bolton
• 1947-49 Thelma Coyne Long and Nancye Wynne Bolton
• 1954-56 Mary Bevis Hawton (her partners were Beryl Penrose in 1954-55, and Thelma Coyne Long in the 1956 tournament)
• 1961-63 Margaret Court (her partners were Mary Carter Reitano in the 1961 tournament, and Robyn Ebbern in 1962-63)
• 1969-71 Margaret Court (her partners were Judy Tegart Dalton in 1969-70, and Evonne Goolagong Cawley in the 1971 tournament)
• 1974-76 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)
• 1982-89 Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver (seven-peat)
• 1997-99 Martina Hingis (her partners were Natasha Zvereva in the 1997 tournament, Mirjana Lučić in 1998, and Anna Kournikova in 1999)

French Open

French Championships until 1967, French club members only event until 1924. In this list, the Tournoi de France (held during Vichy France era) is not included.

Men's singles

• 1894-96 André Vacherot
• 1897-1900 Paul Aymé
• 1907-09 Max Decugis
• 1912-14 Max Decugis
• 1978-81 Björn Borg
• 2005-08 Rafael Nadal
• 2010-14 Rafael Nadal (five-peat)

Women's singles

• 1897-99 Adine Masson
• 1904-06 Kate Gillou
• 1909-12 Jeanne Matthey
• 1920-23 Suzanne Lenglen
• 1928-30 Helen Wills
• 1935-37 Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling
• 1990-92 Monica Seles
• 2005-07 Justine Henin

Men's doubles

• 1961-65 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

• 1909-12 Jeanne Matthey and Daisy Speranza
• 1920-23 Suzanne Lenglen (four-peat: her partners were Elisabeth d'Aryen in the 1920 tournament, Geramine Pigueron in 1921-22, and Didi Vasto in 1923)
• 1932-34 Elizabeth Ryan (her partners were Helen Wills in the 1932 tournament, and Simonne Mathieu in 1933-34)
• 1936-39 Simonne Mathieu (four-peat: her partners were Billie Yorke in 1936-38, and Jadwiga Jedrzejowska in the 1939 tournament)
• 1936-38 Billie Yorke (her partner was Simonne Mathieu, see above)
• 1950-53 Doris Hart and Shirley Fry Irvin
• 1961-63 Renée Schuurman (her partners were Sandra Reynolds in 1961-62, and Ann Jones in the 1963 tournament)
• 1964-66 Margaret Court (her partners were Lesley Turner Bowrey in 1964-65, and Judy Tegart in the 1966 tournament)
• 1967-71 François Dürr (five-peat: her partners were Gail Chanfreau in 1967 and 1970–71, and Ann Jones in 1967-68)
• 1984-88 Martina Navratilova (five-peat: her partners were Pam Shriver in 1984-85 and 1987–88, and Andrea Temesvári in the 1986 tournament)
• 1991-95 Gigi Fernández (five-peat: her partners were Jana Novotná in the 1991 tournament, and Natasha Zvereva in 1992-95)
• 1992-95 Natasha Zvereva (four-peat: her partner was Gigi Fernández, see above)

Wimbledon

Gentlemen's Singles

• 1881-86 William Renshaw
• 1897-1900 Reginald Doherty
• 1902-06 Lawrence Doherty
• 1910-13 Anthony Wilding
• 1934-36 Fred Perry
• 1976-80 Björn Borg
• 1993-95 Pete Sampras
• 1997-2000 Pete Sampras
• 2003-07 Roger Federer

Ladies' Singles

• 1891-93 Lottie Dod
• 1919-23 Suzanne Lenglen
• 1927-30 Helen Wills
• 1948-50 Louise Brough
• 1952-54 Maureen Connolly
• 1966-68 Billie Jean King
• 1982-87 Martina Navratilova
• 1991-93 Steffi Graf

Gentlemen's Doubles

• 1884-86 William Renshaw and Ernest Renshaw
• 1894-96 Wilfred Baddeley and Herbert Baddeley
• 1897-1901 Lawrence Doherty and Reginald Doherty
• 1903-05 Lawrence Doherty and Reginald Doherty
• 1921-22 Randolph Lycett (his partners were Max Woosnam in the 1921 tournament, James Anderson in 1922, and Leslie Godfree)
• 1929-31 John Van Ryn (his partners were Wilmer Allison in 1929-30, and George Lott in the 1931 tournament)
• 1968-70 John Newcombe and Tony Roche
• 1993-97 Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde
• 2002-04 Todd Woodbridge and Jonas Björkman

Ladies' Doubles

• 1919-23 Suzanne Lenglen and Elizabeth Ryan (five-peat)
• 1925-27 Elizabeth Ryan (her partners were Suzanne Lenglen in the 1925 tournament, Mary Browne in 1926, and Helen Wills in 1927)
• 1948-50 Louise Brough and Margaret Osborne duPont
• 1951-53 Shirley Fry Irvin and Doris Hart
• 1956-58 Althea Gibson (her partners were Angela Buxton in the 1956 tournament, Darlene Hard in 1957, and Maria Bueno in 1958)
• 1970-73 Billie Jean King (four-peat: her partners were Rosemary Casals in 1970-71 and 1973, and Betty Stöve in the 1972 tournament)
• 1981-84 Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver (four-peat)
• 1991-94 Natasha Zvereva (four-peat: her partners were Larisa Neiland in the 1991 tournament, and Gigi Fernández in 1992-94)
• 1992-94 Gigi Fernández (her partner was Natasha Zvereva, see above)

US Open

US National Championship until 1967.

Men's singles

• 1881-87 Richard Sears
• 1890-92 Oliver Campbell
• 1898-1900 Malcolm Whitman
• 1907-11 William Larned
• 1920-25 Bill Tilden
• 1979-81 John McEnroe
• 1985-87 Ivan Lendl
• 2004-08 Roger Federer

Women's singles

• 1909-11 Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
• 1912-14 Mary Browne
• 1915-18 Molla Mallory
• 1920-22 Molla Mallory
• 1923-25 Helen Wills
• 1927-29 Helen Wills
• 1932-35 Helen Jacobs
• 1938-40 Alice Marble
• 1943-44 Pauline Betz
• 1948-50 Margaret Osborne duPont
• 1951-53 Maureen Connolly
• 1975-78 Chris Evert
• 2012-14 Serena Williams

Men's doubles

• 1882-87 Richard Sears (six-peat: his partners were James Dwight in 1882-84 and 1886–87, and Joseph Clark in the 1885 tournament)
• 1882-84 James Dwight (his partner was Richard Sears, see above)
• 1899-01 Holcombe Ward and Dwight F. Davis
• 1904-06 Holcombe Ward and Beals Wright
• 1907-10 Fred Alexander and Harold Hackett (four-peat)
• 1912-14 Maurice McLoughlin and Tom Bundy
• 1921-23 Bill Tilden (his partners were Vincent Richards in 1921-22, and Brian Norton in the 1923 tournament)
• 1928-30 George Lott (his partners were John F. Hennessey in the 1928 tournament, and John Doeg in 1929-30)

Women's doubles

• 1894-98 Juliette Atkinson (five-peat: her partners were Helen Hellwig in 1894-95, Elisabeth Moore in the 1896 tournament, and Kathleen Atkinson in 1897-98)
• 1909-11 Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman (her partners were Edith Rotch in 1909-10, and Eleonora Sears in the 1911 tournament)
• 1912-14 Mary K. Browne (her partners were Dorothy Green in the 1912 tournament, and Louise Riddell Williams in 1913-14)
• 1915-17 Eleonora Sears (her partners were Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman in the 1915 tournament, and Molla Mallory in 1916-17)
• 1918-20 Marion Jessup and Eleanor Goss
• 1937-41 Sarah Palfrey Cooke (five-peat: her partners were Alice Marble in 1937-40, and Margaret Osborne duPont in the 1941 tournament)
• 1937-40 Alice Marble (four-peat: her partner was Sarah Palfrey Cooke, see above)
• 1941-50 Margaret Osborne duPont (ten-peat: her partners were Sarah Palfrey Cooke in the 1941 tournament (see above), and Louise Brough in 1942-50)
• 1942-50 Louise Brough (nine-peat: her partner was Margaret Osborne duPont, see above)
• 1951-54 Shirley Fry Irvin and Doris Hart
• 1955-57 Louise Brough and Margaret Osborne duPont
• 1958-62 Darlene Hard (five-peat: her partners were Jeanne Arth in 1958-59, Maria Bueno in 1960 and 1962, and Lesley Turner Bowrey in the 1961 tournament)
• 2002-04 Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez

ATP World Tour Finals

Singles

• 1971-73 Ilie Năstase
• 1985-87 Ivan Lendl
• 2012-14 Novak Djokovic (running)

Doubles

• 1978-84 Peter Fleming and John McEnroe (seven-peat)

WTA Finals

Singles

• 1983-86 Martina Navratilova (five-peat)
• 1990-92 Monica Seles
• 2012-14 Serena Williams (running)

Golf

US Open

• 1903-05 Willie Anderson

The Open Championship

• 1868-72 Young Tom Morris (four-peat)
• 1877-79 Jamie Anderson
• 1880-82 Bob Ferguson
• 1954-56 Peter Thomson

PGA Championship

• 1924-27 Walter Hagen

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 from 1990–1993 which is a feat unmatched in NFL history, however they lost in every appearance.

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 different trophies in the same season:

• Triple Crown - various sports
• Treble (association football)
• Grand slam - Philippine Basketball Association