This year’s March Madness tournaments proved that in the post-NIL (name, image, likeness) world of college sports, basketball ratings and ads alike will benefit from star players, and that women’s basketball hype can live on after the record-breaking Caitlin Clark 2024 run.
The men’s tourney, in some ways overshadowed by Clark’s run last year, had a boost in ratings powered by four dominating teams — Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston — that marked just the second time in history the Final Four comprised four one-seeds and resulted in the most-watched Final Four in eight years. The title game, the Florida Gators’ nailbiter win over Houston, was the most-watched title game since 2019 (up 22% YoY) and ads during it were 155% more effective than the average primetime ad, (up 42% YoY).
Many lopsided matchups early in the women’s tournament undermined ratings, but No. 1 WNBA draft pick Paige Bueckers and her University of Connecticut Huskies stole the show with a record twelfth championship title run, culminating with a definitive win over defending champions South Carolina. Ads in that game, the third most-watched in college women’s basketball history, were 57% more effective than the primetime average (up 35% YoY).
Most notably, the Sweet Sixteen round offered equal engagement for both men's and women's games, with ads during these games 14% more likely to drive consumer engagement behaviors like brand searches on average than the primetime average. This was just further proof that when publishers put women's sports in the spotlight, those games can generate just as much viewer engagement as men's.
Below, we’ll break down ad highlights of both tourneys.
Travel and Insurance Shined in the Men’s Tournament
Throughout the men’s tournament, Travel ads landed best, being 82% more effective than the primetime average for the category.
The title game gave every category a boost, and Travel commercials during the championship were 364% more effective than the category’s primetime average. It would take about 128 average primetime Travel ads to generate the same total engagement as a single category ad during the men’s title game.
Marriott was the big winner here, with ads that were 333% more effective than the average NCAA men’s tournament Travel advertiser. The ad for its Bonvoy loyalty program — part of its “Game Day Rituals” campaign, featuring mascots, fans, and Elliot Cadeu of UNC (and now Michigan) and 2011 champion Sydney Carter (currently Texas’s Director of Player Development) — ran during the Elite Eight and was 43% more effective there than the average Travel ad. Hotels.com also had a strong showing with ads that were 179% more effective than the average NCAA men’s tournament Travel advertiser.
Another big winner was the Insurance category, where men’s tournament ads were 77% more effective than the primetime average for the category. These ads performed especially well during the championship, outperforming the category’s primetime average by 424%.
State Farm performed best, with Jake and company delivering ads that were 115% more effective than the average NCAA men’s tournament Insurance advertiser. Its elaborate, minute-long “Batman vs. Bateman” spot — a partnership with DC Comics that features Jason Bateman, SZA, Kai Cenat, and Batman characters — paid off, outperforming the average Insurance ad by 235% for the entirety of the tournament.
GEICO also had a solid overall showing, with its iconic gecko mascot leading the tournament’s most effective ad in any category, outperforming the average tournament ad by 826%.
Financial Services and Health & Beauty Advertisers Won the Women’s Tournament
Throughout the women’s tournament, Financial Services ads outperformed the category’s primetime average by 35%. Ads during the title game were 133% more effective than the category’s primetime average, and advertisers would need to buy 22 ads during the average primetime program to get the same total impact as a single category ad during the women’s final.
Intuit QuickBooks, taking advantage of tax season, was 22% more effective than the average Financial Services advertiser throughout the women’s tournament. Its ad, featuring a showcase for Kentucky, with Clara Strack representing the women’s team and Koby Brea the men’s team, outperformed the average Financial Services ad during the women’s title game by 173%. Both players made sure to post multiple times about the partnership on their Instagram accounts.
Health & Beauty advertisers also thrived throughout the women’s tournament, with ads in this category outperforming their primetime average by 42%.
Degree did well, coming in at 104% more effective than the average Health & Beauty advertiser throughout the tournament. Its 15-second spot, debuting its new full-body deodorant, playfully focuses on women’s fitness. The spot outperformed the average category ad during the Elite Eight by 36%.
Shea Moisture had a strong showing and was 34% more effective than the average Health & Beauty advertiser throughout the tournament. The 15-second debut of its new line of body wash was 41% more effective than the average category ad during the championship game.
Advertisers Should Lean Into Star Power and the Women’s Tourney
NCAA basketball, like other college sports, has benefited from the introduction of NIL (NIL) rights in 2019 and increased media coverage — there are more stars and more ways to watch games. Women’s sports in particular have benefited from this rise in star power and viewing options, with interest moving from college to professional sports.
As we’ve shown above, buyers would be wise to continue tapping into these trends, and we’ve got you covered. We find the sharp rise in the popularity of women’s sports in America to be an especially exciting opportunity, and encourage you to check out this year’s Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report.