March Madness is upon us. For the true sports fan, there is no better 2 ½ weeks than the annual NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. I know we’re just coming off an exciting few weeks of winter Olympic excitement, but for the more traditional sports follower, this is as good as it gets. And, let’s face it; the Olympics aren’t conducive to office pools.
So, if the NCAA Tournament does such a great job of capturing our fancy every year, what does that say about the state of college athletics as a marketing property? Do college athletics deliver as a corporate marketing vehicle? As with most things in the world of sports sponsorship, the answer lies in understanding your objectives and recognizing how a property or properties can help you achieve them.