The restrictions have been lifted, fans are back in the stands, and announcers are all in person. Are you ready for what 2022 March Madness will look like?? CBS/Turner sure hopes you will bring your attention back to this historically big event. However, with so many disrupters in the world around us, it is hard to focus on really anything right now.
Advertising inventory for the tournament is essentially sold out with Championship game prices exceeding $2 million for a :30 second spot. But what we think will be more notable to watch for are how brands are utilizing the new “NIL” policy. Last summer the NCAA changed its rules about how college athletes can monetize their name, image and likeness.
- The Dollar Shave Club has teamed up with Gonzaga star Drew Timme for their influencer marketing strategy calling him a “chin-fluencer”.
- Outback steakhouse has created an Outback TeamMates program, signing 12 college athletes to debut a multi-faceted program across a multi-platform campaign highlighting their favorite food bundles.
Wendy’s has teamed up with NBA legend Reggie Miller to serve as the face of their March Madness promotion. Using quirky lines such as “starting lineup” to associate food deals during the tournament, they are hopeful to drive up their mobile ordering app business.
The games will be split across CBS and Turner Sports stations (TBS, TNT, and TruTV) for broadcast duties. There is an abundance of complicated streaming packages that viewers can also use to watch the games. There was an estimated 1 billion minutes streamed during the first two days of the 2021 tournament.
This Sunday’s Selection Show will kick everything off with games starting on March 15th (as if St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t already a distraction enough next week). But for me, March Madness feels like one of the first signs of spring, so I say bring it on!
Fun Facts March Madness 2022
- $13.8 Billion corporate losses due to unproductive workers during March Madness
- 78% of employees say celebrating March Madness at work boosts morale
- $8.1 Million salary for college basketball’s highest paid coach, Kentucky’s John Calipari.
- 73,432 Caesars Superdome Stadium’s full capacity for Final Four 2022
- 14 Cities will host the 2022 NCAA Basketball Tournament
- $10 Billion estimated amount wagered on the 2022 NCAA Tournament
- 50 Million people participated in NCAA college basketball pools
- 23% increase in chicken wing orders during the tournament
- 11 Titles won by UCLA (most of all time)
This blog post was written by Executive Vice President, Amy Ward.
