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.
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.
1946–49 Cleveland Browns (4) (also won 1950 NFL title)
1985–87 Tampa Bay/Rapid City Thrillers
1979–82 New York Arrows (4)
1988–92 San Diego Sockers (5)
1936–39 New York Yankees (4)
1949–53 New York Yankees (5)
1972–74 Oakland Athletics
1998–2000 New York Yankees
1952–54 Minneapolis Lakers
1959–66 Boston Celtics (8)
1991–93 Chicago Bulls
1996–98 Chicago Bulls
2000–02 Los Angeles Lakers
1929–31 Green Bay Packers (no post-season, title game began in 1933)
1965–67 Green Bay Packers (includes first two Super Bowls)
1947–49 Toronto Maple Leafs
1956–60 Montreal Canadiens (5)
1962–64 Toronto Maple Leafs
1976–79 Montreal Canadiens (4)
1980–83 New York Islanders (4)
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
1944–1946 Army West Point
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
2013–2016 Connecticut (4)
NCAA Division II Women's Basketball
1993–1996 North Dakota State Bison (four-peat)
1997–1999 North Dakota Fighting Hawks
NCAA Division III Women's Basketball
1998–2001 Washington (four-peat)
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
First Division (association football)
1949–51 Racing Club
1955–57 River Plate
Metro 1979-Metro 1980 River Plate
Apertura 1996-Apertura 1997 River Plate
Victorian Football League/Australian Football League
1906–08 Carlton
1927–30 Collingwood – (four-peat)
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
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 Liège
1976–78 Club Brugge KV
1985–87 RSC Anderlechtois
1993–95 R.S.C. Anderlecht
2012–14 R.S.C. Anderlecht
Brazilian Championship
2006–08 São Paulo FC
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
Collegiate women's basketball
2011–2015 Windsor Lancers (five-peat)
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, American Football 1st Division:
2010–12 Santa Ana Bulldogs
Danish Superliga
2009–11 F.C. Copenhagen
Finland
Veikkausliiga
1998–2000 FC Haka
2009–11 HJK
Ligue 1
1902–04 Roubaix
1967–70 Saint-Étienne
1974–76 Saint-Étienne
1989–93 Marseille (five-peat)
2002–08 Lyon (seven-peat)
2013–16 PSG (four-peat)
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
2013–16 Bayern Munich (four-peat)
DDR-Oberliga
1976–78 SG Dynamo Dresden
1979–88 Berliner FC Dynamo
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
2012–16 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)
Tippeligaen
1972–75 Viking (four-peat)
1992–2004 Rosenborg (thirteen-peat)
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)
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
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
K League
1993–95 Ilhwa Chunma (changed to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma)
2001–03 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (changed to Seongnam FC)
Allsvenskan
1945–48 IFK Norrköping
1949–51 Malmö FF
1985–89 Malmö FF
1993–96 IFK Göteborg
Turkey, American Football 1st Division:
2013–15 Bogazici Sultans
Turkish Football League 1st Division 1971–73 Galatasaray 1979–81 Trabzonspor 1990–92 Beşiktaş 1997–00 Galatasaray ( four-peat)
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
1924–26 Huddersfield Town
1933–35 Arsenal
1982–84 Liverpool
1999–2001 Manchester United
2007–09 Manchester United
Soviet Top League
1966–68 Dynamo Kyiv
Yugoslav First League
1933, 1935–36 BSK Beograd
1961–63 Partizan
1968–70 Crvena Zvezda
1990–92 Crvena Zvezda
UEFA Champions League
1956–60 Real Madrid (five-peat)
1971–73 Ajax
1974–76 Bayern Munich
UEFA Europa League
2014–2016 Sevilla
South American football Copa Libertadores
1968–70 Estudiantes de La Plata
1972–75 Independiente (four-peat)
CONMEBOL's Copa América
1945–47 Argentina
Champ Car World Series auto racing
2004–07 Sébastien 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
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
1976–82 United States
1983–85 Czechoslovakia
1993–95
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)
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 (four-peat)
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 Jędrzejowska 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 Françoise 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)
Gentlemen's Singles
1881-86 William Renshaw
1897–1900 Reginald Doherty
1902–06 Laurence 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 Laurence Doherty and Reginald Doherty
1903–05 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)
1929–31 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)
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
Singles
1971–73 Ilie Năstase
1985–87 Ivan Lendl
2012–15 Novak Djokovic
Doubles
1978–84 Peter Fleming and John McEnroe (seven-peat)
Singles
1983–86 Martina Navratilova (five-peat)
1990–92 Monica Seles
2012–14 Serena Williams
Men's singles
2004–06 Roger Federer
2014–16 Novak Djokovic (running)
Men's doubles
1986–88 Guy Forget (his partners were Peter Fleming in the 1986 tournament, Yannick Noah in 1987, and Boris Becker in 1988)
1988–90 Boris Becker (his partners were Guy Forget in 1988 and 1990, and Jakob Hlasek in the 1989 tournament)
Men's singles
2001–03 Andre Agassi
Women's singles
1994–96 Steffi Graf
2002–04 Serena Williams
2013–15 Serena Williams
Men's doubles
1996–98 Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde
2010–12 Leander Paes (his partners were Lukáš Dlouhý in the 2010 tournament, Mahesh Bhupathi in 2011, and Radek Štěpánek in 2012)
Women's doubles
1995–97 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (her partners were Jana Novotná in 1995 and 1996, and Natasha Zvereva in the 1997 tournament)
1903–05 Willie Anderson
1868-72 Young Tom Morris (four-peat)
1877-79 Jamie Anderson
1880-82 Bob Ferguson
1954–56 Peter Thomson
1924–27 Walter Hagen
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.
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
