(Podcast length - 5:30 mins)
Whether you’re a bracket expert or could care less about who is hitting the hardwood, we’ll bring you up to speed and level the playing field when it comes to America’s favorite tournament, March Madness.
Transcript
1. The March Madness basketball tournament features 68 teams vying for the championship. For this year’s tournament, which is single-elimination, the NCAA will be hosting every game in Indiana, with most of the tournament's matchups taking place in Indianapolis. The women’s tournament will take place in San Antonio. Usually, the tournament’s different stages are held nationwide but with COVID, limiting travel is essential for safety. But there will be fans. Arenas will be allowed to operate at 25 percent capacity when the men’s tournament starts on Thursday, March 18 and the women’s tournament on Sunday, March 21, in San Antonio. The championship games are April 5 and April 4, respectively. ALL-IN
2. Are you feeling blue about your men’s bracket? That might be the ticket to winning. Louisville is the only national championship team in the past 17 seasons that did not have blue as a school color. Want to pick your bracket by the mascot or best celebrity alum? Fine with us! Join our bracket and choose however you want. (There’s even autofill). BLUE DANCING SHOES
3. When choosing your bracket in this single-elimination tournament, remember that the most likely upset is a No. 12 team over a No. 5. Only once in the tournament’s history has a No. 16 team upset a No. 1 seeded team. PICKING A WINNER
4. In previous years, we’ve seen more than $6.3 billion lost in workplace productivity. Who knows what that number will look like with so many people working from home. Many companies have turned the tournament into a team-building opportunity with various contests. Take Warren Buffet and his $1 million a year for life promise for an employee who picks a perfect bracket in the first round. The chances of picking a completely perfect bracket? 1 in 9.2 quintillions. You’re better off basing your retirement on winning the lottery. DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH
5. In a year where major basketball programs like Duke and Kentucky didn’t make the cut for the tournament, everyone’s favorite underdog Gonzaga is thriving. They’re looking to do something that hasn’t been done in 45 years – finish the season undefeated. Gonzaga is the tournament’s top-ranked team with Illinois, Baylor and Michigan taking the other No. 1 spots. LEADERS OF THE PACK
On the women’s side, keep your eye on Page Bueckers, a freshman at UConn. She has had a phenomenal season but will be without her head coach Geno Auriemma for a few tournament games after testing positive for COVID. Auriemma has coached UCONN to 11 titles. Chris Daley will step into his shoes, which she has done during the regular season, and hopes to lead the Huskies to a win (or two).
Curious about how COVID will impact this single-elimination tournament? Need more pointers on picking your bracket? Check out our guide to making sense of March Madness.
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