It’s the ultimate test for college students. One piece of paper, 64 different options, and only one correct answer. It’s basically the biggest multiple choice question to ever hit a college campus. With so many different scenarios swirling around, almost everyone has different answers and everyone believes his or hers will turn out to be correct. Some take weeks to complete this exam, while others can sit down and finish it in five minutes. Most importantly, everyone has something to say about it, so if you see a college student walking across campus, all you have to do is ask them; “Have you filled out your brackets yet?”
That’s right. March Madness is here. 64 college basketball teams compete in the biggest tournament of the year (surnamed the “The Dance”). A tournament that boosts the economy turns the average college basketball fan into a complete die-hard and answers the perennial question, “Who will be this year’s national champion?” It’s a contest that has become more popular than the Super Bowl and hogs the national stage for three whole weeks. It has every sports analyst flipping through papers and debating who will win and why, while everyone watching at home hopes they will learn something new to fill out their own brackets.
Why is this test so important for college students? PSU junior, Casey Terry, has a theory, “People want to seem like they know more than the next person. With so much parody in college basketball today, it allows us to pretend like we are analysts on ESPN, and make sense of the madness.”
The first round begins on Friday, March 15th and the championship is held on April 2nd. There are 16 teams in each of the four regions of the bracket and four cities host the action. The final four teams meet in Atlanta this year, hoping that the last dance will be saved for them. In order to be the national champion, a team must win six straight games. One loss and they are eliminated from tournament play.
Unlike other major sporting events like the NBA finals, the World Series and the Stanley Cup, March Madness doesn’t give teams the luxury of having a series to decide who will advance. It only takes one bad game for even the most talented college basketball teams to see their national title hopes disappear, and for a team no one has ever heard of to become this year’s Cinderella story. Last year George Mason, a school no one ever heard, became the lowest seed to ever make it all the way to the final four. They were proof that anything can happen, and players have to be ready to play night in and night out. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, but teams usually can’t afford to pace themselves. It’s unpredictable, but that’s what makes the tournament so unique and exciting.
It’s an excitement that has dramatically impacted the economy. CBS, owner of the tournaments broadcasting rights, is in the middle of an 11-year, $60 billion dollar contract. That sum is so high, due in large part to all the betting that takes place on the games. Who would of thought college basketball would become this big? March Madness used to be just another postseason tournament. Now, the games aren’t just played on the court, they are played in office buildings and other corporate settings across the country. Millions of brackets will be filled out by workers resulting in billions of lost productivity. It is a distraction among the workers, but a distraction that many employers see as beneficial. Employers are willing to suffer the immediate loss in productivity in hopes that the camaraderie gained among workers through the experience will reap long term profitability. It’s a trade off, but one that employers feel confident about.
At Biederman’s Deli in Plymouth, NH, The Dance has begun. ….Amidst the clatter of dishes and the banter of hungry patrons is evidence of another business that uses March Madness as a promotional platform. For years, Biederman’s has had a March Madness pool that people could come down and take part in, and this year was no exception. This March,16 people pay $20 and draw a team randomly from each region of the bracket. Out of the teams’ each has drawn, whoever has the most to make it to the final four wins all the money. This downtown establishment understands what the national economy already knows, that March Madness has a big business Economic impact.
“It’s good for the regular customers who come in. It’s not just drinking beer, this promotion gives us a chance to actually get involved and interact with the customer on a face to face level,” said Bob Crosby, head of promotions at Biederman’s about the festivities. Their big-screen, high definition TV, makes watching the games more enjoyable and the beer specials during the tournament are sure to keep the glasses clinking. Anyone can have fun with the experience explained Crosby. “I think our March Madness pool is good, because anyone can do it. It’s all about luck; it doesn’t matter if you are a boy or girl, what age you are, or if you know much about college basketball at all.” Biederman’s is just one example of how March Madness’ impact is just as great locally as it is nationally.
Here at Plymouth State, the madness is almost liberating. It is a crazy experience that brings sanity to college students. March Madness arrives at a time of the year where the workloads are larger than ever and stress levels are at all time highs. Filling out brackets is something students can do to take their minds off of schoolwork and reality. Students take part in “The Dance”, above all, to have fun. “I don’t follow college basketball, and I wouldn’t consider myself a fan, but I mean, how can you not be a fan of March Madness. Even if your picks don’t turn out to be correct, you still have fun in the process and who knows, maybe you’ll win some money,” said fellow student, Jeff Carrier.
So when you ask a college student if they have filled out their brackets yet, they will confidently answer “yes.” After all, it’s only the American thing to do. Until the tournament is over, the analysts will continue to debate the outcome, workers will continue to build camaraderie, and students will continue to watch the games, hoping their test will receive a perfect score. But if not, there is always next year to dance.