From Underdogs to Spotlight: The Effect of March Madness

Howard University defeats UMBC in the first four of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. (Photo Credit: WTOPNews)

The Howard University men’s basketball team has made the NCAA Tournament three times in the past five years, but the effects of their success are more than just playing for a national championship.

For small schools, being an underdog and pulling off an upset in the tournament is part of the March Madness appeal. The benefits are more than just bragging rights; Howard and other similar schools also receive national television exposure, financial incentives and recruiting advantages. 

Money Payouts

The NCAA pays conferences based on how well they do in the tournament. Each win for a team in that conference is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is paid out over multiple years. The entire conference then shares that money to help build new facilities, fund scholarships, etc.

“The distribution of tournament revenue is a critical part of how we support conferences and schools across Division I,” said Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s vice president of men’s basketball. 

Smaller conferences usually only have one team that makes the tournament each year. For example, Howard University, a member of the MEAC conference, won a tournament game this year. As a result, the entire MEAC conference will benefit financially. 

National Exposure

All NCAA Tournament games are broadcast on major TV networks, including CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV. In 2021, tournament games also began streaming on HBO Max and Paramount + after the NCAA reached a deal with CBS Sports and Warner Bros. 

Schools that are members of smaller conferences barely get any TV exposure throughout the season, but when they make the tournament, they are aired on well-known stations. Additionally, if they upset a top-seeded school, everyone will see it. 

“This is what you dream about… everybody watching,” said Jack Gohlke, who led Oakland University to an upset win over Kentucky in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 

National exposure increases opportunities for branding and recruiting. 

Recruiting

Many ball players hope to attend the most prestigious school they can. This is why the NCAA Tournament is important: players who may have dismissed attending smaller schools can see them compete against the nation’s best and not only compete but hold their own. 

In 2022, 15-seeded St. Peter’s University made it to the Elite Eight, a totally unexpected run from the Peacocks. 

“We’re showing that you don’t have to go to a big school to play on a big stage,” said St. Peter’s star guard Doug Edert.

 Making the tournament just once can bring in higher-level talent for the future. 

Institutional Impact 

The national exposure from playing in an NCAA Tournament game not only affects the basketball team but also the school itself. Just seeing the school on TV can lead to an increase in applications for other students, even if they are not athletes. 

Alumni who are not involved with their school may return to show school pride after a successful tournament appearance, with increased donations and social media promotion. 

“People had never heard about our school just two days earlier,” said Ryan Odom after UMBC’s 2018 tournament run.