March Madness Demographics: Who are college basketball’s biggest fans

Jessa Morris
  • March 13, 2023
  • Jessa Morris
Learn more about the demographic profile of NCAA March Madness Fans including age, ethnicity, and household income.
March Madness is around the corner and ad sales have surpassed last year’s levels.

Brands continue to show love for NCAA’s college basketball tournament, and the payoff is real for both advertisers and players, many of whom are starting to cash in on NIL deals. 

As with any good sponsorship strategy, getting to know your target audience is mission-critical. As part of our ongoing tracking, we surveyed US residents across the country who’ve engaged with the March Madness tournament to find out more about them. 

Turns out, March Madness pulls a crowd bigger than major sports properties including the US Open, MLB All-Star Game, and the NHL. 

But, who exactly are the fans tuning in? 

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March Madness Fan demographics. Get the insights you need to determine whether there is alignment between the fan base for March Madness & your Audience. Properties - Take note on the information that brands will seek from you to ensure a deal is set up for success.

Keep reading to find out which demographic groups are most engaged with March Madness. 

Nearly 1 in 2 US residents have engaged with NCAA March Madness

When it comes to engagement, 46% of US residents have engaged with the March Madness tournament in the past 12 months. 

Only 6% fewer Americans engage with March Madness than they do the NBA, which is the 8th most engaged with property in the USA (across sport, entertainment, and cause)!

The majority of fans are male 

61% of NCAA March Madness fans in the US are male, while 39% are female. The tournament is most popular among Americans ages 35-44 years old, 26% of US residents in that age range have engaged, while 20% between 25-35% have engaged. 

Here’s the full demographic profile on NCAA March Madness fans in the US:

  • 61% of March Madness fans are male

  • 39% of March Madness fans are female

  • 37% of fans live in the Southern US

  • 13% of fans are Hispanic

  • 15% of fans are African American

  • 20% of fans make between $70-99K per year

  • 35% of fans make between $100-199K per year

  • 59% of fans have kids in the household

  • 10% of fans identify as LGBTQ

Ready for more insight? 

At SponsorPulse, were on a mission to bring transparency to sponsorship. We do this by speaking with real fans to understand their passion points and purchase behavior. Sign-up today to check out the March Madness property report for free, and start letting data drive your sponsorship decision-making. 

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