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Post Event Analysis - March Madness 2025

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    Report

  • June 2025
  • Region: Global
  • GlobalData
  • ID: 6113554
An analysis of the recent 2025 March Madness, including an examination of its sponsorship portfolio, broadcasters, ticketing, attendance, and prize money.

Seven broadcast deals were secured for the media rights to air the 2025 March Madness men's and women's competitions. CBS, which broadcasted the men’s March Madness tournament, has an eight-year agreement with the NCAA worth $1.1 billion per year. Meanwhile, ESPN has a deal in place with the NCAA, worth $115 million per year across an eight-year period. The 2025 men’s championship game between the University of Florida and the University of Houston attracted an average of 18.1 million viewers on CBS, thanks to a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback. The women’s championship game between the University of Connecticut and the University of South Carolina performed strongly, with an average of 8.5 million viewers tuning in to the game on ABC.

19 brands had agreements in place with the NCAA that allowed them to partner with the 2025 March Madness men's and women's competitions. The average annual sponsorship deal for March Madness 2025 was approximately $13.89 million. Coca-Cola continues to have the largest annual agreement with the NCAA. The deal, which sees it serve as a main sponsor of both championship games, is worth an estimated $50 million annually. Three brands in the restaurant sector have commercial partnerships in place with the NCAA. The analyst estimates that Pizza Hut, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Wendy's each have sponsorship deals worth $10 million annually.

Each of the four finalists of the 2025 national championship games has a kit supplier deal in place worth $2 million or more annually. The University of South Carolina’s agreement with Under Armour is the largest annual kit supplier deal, worth $7.15 million annually over ten seasons. The University of Connecticut has the second biggest annual kit supplier deal among the four teams involved in the two title matches. They have a one-year renewal agreement with Nike worth $5.6 million annually. The third largest annual kit supplier deal is between the University of Florida and Nike. Through this deal, the university will wear the Jordan brand produced by Nike. The smallest annual kit supplier deal in place for the 2025 championship games is the University of Houston’s agreement with Nike. Like the University of Florida, Houston’s deal allows them to wear the Jordan brand. The analyst estimates that this agreement is worth $2 million per year.

Key Highlights

  • A detailed overview of the key facts and events that took place during the competition. The report identifies the major media and sponsorship players in the market and pinpoints the ticket prices available.

Scope

  • This report provides an overview of the event, including its sponsorship portfolio, broadcasters, and prize money. An analysis of the event's sponsors is included, along with the estimated annual values of these deals. Information regarding the event's attendance is also provided.

Reasons to Buy

  • For those wanting an in-depth analysis of how March Madness 2025 performed, in the sense of both business and popularity.

Table of Contents

1. Event Introduction
  • Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • March Madness - Tournament Structure
  • Tournament Bracket - Path to the Men’s National Championship Game
  • Tournament Bracket - Path to the Women’s National Championship Game
2. Media Landscape
  • Media Breakdown Across Europe
  • Media Breakdown Across the Rest of the World
3. Sponsorship
  • Sponsorship Portfolio
  • Sponsorship Breakdown
  • Case Study: Nissan extends sponsorship of National Collegiate Athletic Association for 2024-2025
4. Kit Supplier Deals
  • 2025 National Championship Games Kit Supplier Breakdown
5. Prize Money
  • Men’s March Madness 2025 Prize Money Breakdown
  • Women’s March Madness 2025 Prize Money Breakdown
6. Ticketing & Attendance
  • 2025 National Championship Games Ticketing Breakdown
  • Men’s March Madness 2025 Attendance Breakdown
  • Women’s March Madness 2025 Attendance Breakdown
7. Appendix
  • Sources

Companies Mentioned (Partial List)

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:

  • CBS
  • ESPN
  • ABC
  • Coca-Cola
  • AT&T
  • and Capital One
  • Pizza Hut
  • Buffalo
  • Wild Wings
  • and Wendy’s
  • Nike