Eleven Times Fewer March Madness Brackets Completed For Women’s Tournament, But There’s Still Cause For Optimism

ESPN had 17.3 million brackets completed for their Men’s NCAA Tournament Challenge. Despite the NCAA’s efforts to raise the visibility of the women’s tournament and even the playing field between the two tournaments, a mere 1.5 million brackets were completed for ESPN’s Women’s NCAA Tournament Challenge. 

Click here to read the story at forbes.com.

Discussion Questions:

1. What has the NCAA done to raise the visibility of the women’s basketball tournament?
2. What happened last year that raised awareness in the differences between the men’s and women’s competitions?
3. Despite the disparity between the number of brackets filled out for the men’s tournament when compared to the women’s, why are some people encouraged?
4. In your opinion, is the NCAA doing enough to ensure more equality between the men’s and women’s tournaments? Why or why not?
5. What else could be done to create more equality?
6. The story suggests the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship has been estimated to be valued at between $81 and $112 million annually beginning in 2025, but says investments need to be made in the game for those projections to be reached. What types of investments might prove to be valuable in helping to grow the popularity of the women’s tournament?
7. If you were responsible for marketing the women’s tournament, what would you recommend to help bring more attention to the competition? Be prepared to share your answers in class.