Big news: After being canceled in 2020, NCAA March Madness is back!
Key details for 2021 NCAA March Madness:
1) 68 teams
2) 67 games
3) All games played in the Indianapolis area
4) 6 venues
5) 25% max capacity limit on the crowd
Worth the time: The Athletic has a fantastic breakdown on the “bubble-like” environment that teams/officials will be working under, including how they will keep 2,312 team members (34 X 68 teams) safe from the virus.
Wow: The NCAA generates ≈ 80% of its total revenue from March Madness. Last year’s cancellation cost them $702M. Fortunately, they recouped $270M from insurance, but that still left a huge hole.
NCAA revenue (YoY growth) according to the NCAA:
1) 2019 – $1.2B
2) 2020 – $519M (↓ 57%)