It’s official. The teams for the 2024 NCAA men's basketball tournament have been selected, and 68 schools are getting set to square off in this year’s March Madness.
With sports fans across the nation gearing up for the Big Dance, March Madness presents a huge opportunity for those in the food game to score big profits.
Whether out at local sports bars or at staying at home with friends, more than 10 million people watch the March Madness tournaments every year. And though the brackets differ, the players change, and the scores are unknown, one thing remains constant: there will be food!
Second only to the Super Bowl, March Madness draws huge crowds to online menus and food delivery. But capitalizing on the tournament requires more than great bites. A winning marketing strategy and a targeted menu will keep them coming back game after game.
March Madness Terms To Know
Selection Sunday — The day everyone waits for, when the Selection Committee announces the tournament field. In 2024, Selection Sunday took place on March 17.
First Four: When the NCAA tournament was expanded to 68 teams, a new round was added to the format: The First Four. Played on the Tuesday and Wednesday (March 19th and 20th this year) after Selection Sunday, the First Four determines which of eight teams will advance to the first round of the tournament.
Sweet 16 — The third round of the tournament, where only 16 teams remain. The winner of each game will play in the Elite Eight.
Elite Eight — The fourth round of the tournament, when just eight teams remain, is known as the Elite Eight. This round is the final game for each regional, before the four winners move on to the national semifinal, known as the Final Four.
Final Four — The fifth round of the tournament, when just four teams remain, is known as the Final Four.
Regional — The NCAA tournament bracket is split into four regionals. The South, East, West, and Midwest.
Seed — 68 teams earn bids to the NCAA tournament, and each one receives a seed — from 1 to 16 —that determines where the team will be placed in the bracket.
Bubble — A team that is “on the bubble” for the NCAA tournament is one whose qualification for the tournament could go either way. They’re on the verge of making the field of 68, but an invitation isn’t guaranteed.
Cinderella — A Cinderella team is one that is much more successful than expected.
2024 March Madness Schedule
With 68 teams in the running and tipoff for the first rounds about to begin, now is the time to put your best game face on.
The tournament bracket consists of the 32 Division I conference tournament winners, along with 36 teams that received at-large bids from the selection committee (totaling 68.) Prior to the start of the first round, the field will be reduced to 64 teams as eight teams compete in the First Four play-in round which begins on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
First Four: March 19-20
UD Arena, Dayton
First round (round of 64): March 21
Spectrum Center, Charlotte
CHI Health Center, Omaha
PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh
Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City
First round (round of 64): March 22
Barclays Center, Brooklyn
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
FedExForum, Memphis
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane
Second round (round of 32): March 23
Spectrum Center, Charlotte
CHI Health Center, Omaha
PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh
Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City
Second round (round of 32): March 24
Barclays Center, Brooklyn
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
FedExForum, Memphis
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane
Sweet 16 (regional semifinals): March 28
TD Garden, Boston
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
Sweet 16 (regional semifinals): March 29
American Airlines Center, Dallas
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
Elite Eight (regional finals): March 30
TD Garden, Boston
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
Elite Eight (regional finals): March 31
American Airlines Center, Dallas
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
Final Four (national semifinals & national championship): April 6, 8
State Farm Stadium, Glendale
March Madness 2024 Teams
Stetson Hatters
Longwood Lancers
Charleston Cougars
Oakland Golden Grizzlies
Drake Bulldogs
Wagner Seahawks
Morehead State Eagles
Colgate Raiders
Samford Bulldogs
McNeese State Cowboys
South Dakota State Jackrabbits
James Madison Dukes
Saint Mary's Gaels
Montana State Bobcats
Vermont Catamounts
Tennessee Volunteers
Auburn Tigers
Kentucky Wildcats
Arizona Wildcats
Houston Cougars
Howard Bison
Purdue Boilermakers
Illinois Fighting Illini
North Carolina Tar Heels
Duke Blue Devils
Connecticut Huskies
Creighton Bluejays
Marquette Golden Eagles
New Mexico Lobos
NC State Wolfpack
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Saint Peter's Peacocks
Akron Zips
Oregon Ducks
Long Beach State Beach
Grambling State Tigers
Grand Canyon Antelopes
University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers
Duquesne Dukes
Yale Bulldogs
Wisconsin Badgers
Florida Atlantic Owls
Iowa State Cyclones
Northwestern Wildcats
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Florida Gators
Colorado Buffaloes
TCU Horned Frogs
Utah State Aggies
South Carolina Gamecocks
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Virginia Cavaliers
Colorado State Rams
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Michigan State Spartans
Alabama Crimson Tide
Clemson Tigers
Baylor Bears
Dayton Flyers
Nevada Wolf Pack
BYU Cougars
Boise State Broncos
Kansas Jayhawks
Texas Longhorns
San Diego State Aztecs
Washington State Cougars
7 Ways to Score Big Profits During March Madness
1. Host a Tournament Bracket Challenge
Even those that aren’t fans of basketball fill out brackets every year. To win points with customers, host a bracket contest with prizes ranging from a free meal to a team jersey to give them the incentive to get in on the action. Invite online customers to fill out a bracket on your website and encourage in-house guests to fill out a paper bracket.
Not only will this forge authentic interaction between your staff and existing customers, but it will also introduce your brand to new ones in a fun and creative way.
2. Create a Menu Bracket Contest
Using any bracket template, create a bracket using the menu items featured on your March Madness Menu.
Fill in the first round with the items you’d like to see go head to head from your menu and decide on fun prizes and incentives to offer along the way.
Make copies to hand out to your customers and have them make their picks for their favorite menu items, fill in their contact details, and submit them to be entered to win.
Sit back and track the winners of each round week by week as the NCAA tournament progresses. Not only will your customers enjoy getting in on the family-friendly game, but you’ll collect valuable data on your menu trends.
3. Go Beyond the Brackets
There are a multitude of other March Madness contest ideas. Try these:
Hashtag contest: Have customers use a special hashtag along with a photo of how they are celebrating the game enjoying your restaurant’s offerings. The customers with the most likes win a free meal.
Mad Prizes: Create March Madness prize ideas that invite customers to come back at a later date, such as a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an entrée.
Buzzer Beater Specials: Have customers vote on which one of your top two appetizers will have the most sales during March Madness. Everyone who enters receives 15% off their next order. Then announce the winning item on social media.
4. Support Local Teams
If you’re lucky enough to be in a host city or one of the local teams has made it to the dance, this is an excellent opportunity to up your odds to score big profits. Be sure to promote your menu using team colors and logos and decorate your dining room with one or more local teams in the tournament. Put flags, banners, and signs in your restaurant’s storefront to attract passers-by, and decorate the inside of your business with coordinating streamers or balloons to create a fun, March Madness-themed atmosphere.
5. Showcase Creative Menu Offerings
Show your customers you’ve got game by creating menu specials that entice customers to watch the games at your restaurant or order delivery during the televised events. From a simple special on craft beers and appetizers to full special menus with themed items, there’s no limit to the ideas.
Basketball Court Seven Layer Dip
Basketball burgers
Basket (Meat) balls
Basketball Sliders
Basketball Fried Mozzarella
Mini Basketball Quesadillas
Three point-three-topping basketball pizza
6. Get Social
Whether you’re serving $3 cocktails throughout the tournament or hosting a bracket contest, don’t attempt a buzzer-beater marketing strategy. Getting the word out to customers on social media early lets your customers know about your menu specials and March Madness events. Post contests and winners on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook and tie in a few stories showing your support for your local team to keep your customers engaged. Consider running ads on social media as well, especially as Final Four weekend approaches.
Keep your customers updated with what games you will be showing and what specials you are running as often as possible. Social media gives your business an open line of communication with customers 24/7, so why not use it to your advantage?
7. Bring on the Beer
March Madness and beer go hand-in-hand, so if your restaurant delivers spirits, be sure to stock up on the brewskies. If your restaurant caters to the millennial or college crowd, definitely consider offering a selection of craft beers and adding them to your special online menu.
Take Away
Getting your restaurant ready for March Madness means suiting up, getting the word out, and putting the right promotions in place.
With tipoff just hours away, March Madness is a great opportunity for your restaurant to stand out from the crowded field of competitors and create your own Cinderella story. So, regardless of which team takes home the national title, make sure your restaurant walks away with the most important prize of all—profits!
By Eileen Strauss
