No one has made a greater mark during March Madness than McNeese's Student Manager, Amir 'Aura' Khan, who has earned more than $100,000 from his 12+ NIL deals. With Khan landing partnerships with Intuit Turbotax, Under Armour, and Topps, his short-term stardom can pave long-term financial wealth.
So, if a student manager can take the spotlight on the brightest stage, is it time to step back and ask greater questions? Is March Madness elevating its stage to a level we've never seen before?
It sure seems like it. Now that NIL is running wild and free, it may only be a matter of time until this legendary tournament surpasses its peers like the Masters, NBA Finals, and (dare I say) the Super Bowl for the greatest sports marketing event of the year. Companies are spending record-highs on athlete/manager endorsement, and the NIL revolution is the eye to this collegiate sponsorship storm. But will companies really cherish March Madness over the Super Bowl?
This marketing case study unveils how March Madness can overtake the Super Bowl as the most coveted sporting event and how NIL is rapidly changing the sports marking landscape forever.
The Super Bowl is the undisputed king of sports marketing. Companies go all-in on their marketing strategy for one event, spending an average of $8 million for a 30-second ad, as they wait for major conversions thereafter.
But these conversions go well beyond the Super Bowl ads. In a recent Fox Sports article, the company generated more than $800 million from streaming the Super Bowl, reporting that it was the most watched (127.7 million viewers), most successful Super Bowl ever.
"The power the NFL has to bring people together was on full display Sunday night and Fox Sports was honored to showcase every moment for football fans across America...We couldn't be prouder to show that Fox is Football with a Super Bowl viewing audience for the record books." - Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks
In addition, the audience that benefits the most from the Super Bowl is the city that hosts the event. Everything from small businesses, parking garages, clothing brands, and hotels all see a surge in profits as fans flock from the corners of the world to attend America's greatest sporting event. With the Super Bowl generating an estimated $1 billion, it's no surprise that everyone believes that nothing can top this.
So how can March Madness attract more corporate sponsorships than the Super Bowl? Let's take a look:
In 2024, the NCAA earned $1.3 billion, with $226 million coming from March Madness - the largest contributor. This portion of NCAA's revenue stemmed from four major accounts, including:
Based on the stats, it's evident that March Madness isn't near the Super Bowl regarding its revenue stream. However, these four streams are continuing to grow at record-setting rates as NIL becomes widespread throughout March Madness and the entire NCAA - and here's a story to prove it.
Amir 'Aura' Khan emerged as an unlikely March Madness hero, earning more from NIL than most players in this year's tournament. Khan's Cinderella story took off a month before March Madness when he started wearing a cross-body speaker during his team's walkout. Since this viral moment, Khan has embraced the spotlight, and brought the energy needed to help McNeese upset Clemson in the first round.
"I joked around saying that 'yeah, I'll get some NIL from this.' Obviously, I never expected it to become a thing...I never expected any of this attention at all - definitely not this much." - McNeese Student Manager Amir 'Aura' Khan
Khan has since made deals with major companies like Insomnia Cookies, TickPick, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Topps, becoming the first student manager in NCAA history to have their own NIL deal.
Amir's story is just one of the thousands of athletes that are making life-changing money through NIL Deals. During the 2024-25 school year, these 10 athletes are making the most through NIL - with a few making more than what they would earn on a rookie contract in the NBA.
Pivoting marketing campaigns to a different sport scene is one with risks, yet high rewards if done correctly. For companies of any kind, they should consider doing so because of this criteria:
NIL is redefining college sports, and March Madness is no different. Businesses are already branching out into this new segment, such as Mondelez, Topps, and Buffalo Wild Wings making the biggest splash during this year's tournament. As NIL is set to generate $2.6 billion in 2026, brands should establish their presence now to secure significant future returns.
“Everybody wins, but I think the fans win the most. Teams are just one piece away from winning a championship. I think players win, corporate sponsors win, coaches win, so everybody is getting their value.” - BTN Sports Contributor Keyon Dooling
March Madness is arguably the best opportunity for companies to build long-term relationships with athletes before they make the switch to the pros. First movers like Nike and New Balance have already begun doing so by recruiting players like JuJu Watkins and Cooper Flagg well before they step on a professional court. New Balance's Head of Basketball Sports Marketing, Naveen Lokesh, had this to say about signing Cooper Flagg to the team:
“Cooper adds so much to our basketball roster, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the New Balance family. He is a force to be reckoned with on the court, and we look forward to building our relationship as he grows the game and supporting him in all his endeavors.”
For athletes, building relationships starts well before they meet with corporate sponsors. In most cases, it begins when they wear or try a company's product for the first time. That 'fall in love at first sight' feeling quickly becomes a part of the athlete's identity, and in most cases, helps them decide who their ideal 'brand' is well before they put pen to paper.
“I grew up wearing New Balance, and I appreciate their authentic connection to my community. The focus and growth of the brand in basketball and our shared values and history drew me in. From day one, it was clear that this would be a family-like partnership. I’m so excited to join this family and help them grow the category with young athletes," - New Balance athlete and Duke Forward Cooper Flagg
Advertising during March Madness extends brand exposure from a single night to two weeks, providing greater storytelling opportunities for new product launches.
According to the US Chamber of Commerce, short form ads offer easier production, higher consumption volumes, and thrive on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. However, companies are flooding the Super Bowl with short form videos, creating little to no time for expanded narratives during the block buster event.
By inflating their range of promotion to two weeks, companies not only have more opportunities to create better narratives, but they can also provide a proactive approach by including players (or student managers) who are doing well in the tournament for additional exposure and reach.
To learn more about this debate, I went to LinkedIn to find out if March Madness would overtake the Super Bowl as America's favored sporting event. Despite a small sample size (30), it was evident that the Super Bowl is still the event for companies to invest in and market around. It's rare for companies to receive 100 million impressions from one, singular ad, and the Super Bowl is the best way to do so. Only Mr. Beast's YouTube video would rival this, but that is for another case study...
To my surprise, the results were much closer than expected, with 60% of voters siding with the Super Bowl and 40% with March Madness. Does this survey forecast a possible switch anytime soon? Likely not. However, it does show the magnitude of NIL and how it is rapidly changing the sports marketing landscape. As NIL momentum surges, companies are racing to secure partnerships, creating unprecedented opportunities for both athletes and brands to thrive.
From student managers making six figures during a four-day stretch, to athletes securing seven-figure deals, the world of NIL and March Madness make a strong case to become America's most marketed sporting event. But summiting that mountain won't be easy, as the NFL still cradles every other sporting event for marketing and economic impact. The sports marketing landscape is shifting, and March Madness is making its move. But can it dethrone the Super Bowl? Only time will tell.
Nick Jelderks is the Founder and Digital Marketing Director for Triple JJJ. The brand operates as two planes, both a personal portfolio and media company that covers the marketing of sports. With more than 500,000 impressions across more than 35 marketing case studies, Triple JJJ is a premier sports marketing brand that empowers digital marketers, entrepreneurs, and other business professionals with industry-leading research and content.
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