Six Sponsors Making Moves With March Madness

Well before the brackets are released this weekend, brands have spend months behind the scenes developing marketing plans around this annual Spring past-time. Afterall, with corporate productivity dropping an astounding $6.3 billion last year due to March Madness, companies have to make up for it somehow!

Here are a few of the sponsors that you'll see boosting their presence with basketball fans this month:

Buffalo Wild Wings - Buffalo Wild Wings became a corporate partner in January 2013 and re-upped in 2016 as the “Official Hangout for NCAA Sports." With a new agency on board this year, the sports fast casual chain is hoping you'll trade in your office for the nearest BW3.

Uber Eats - Staying on the food-basketball theme, Uber Eats, which recently became an official sponsor of this week's SXSW festival, will be a first time sponsor of the NCAA and March Madness this year.

Libman - While the 123-year old cleaning tools company may not be an official NCAA partner like the two companies above, Libman has upped its sports sponsorship activity in recent years, most notably around basketball. Last year, the brand added four conference tournaments to its sponsorship portfolio and is already off to a fast start sharing March Madness updates on social media.

Werner Ladder - Is there a company with more brand equity wrapped up in March Madness than the NCAA's Official Ladder? Also a sponsor of the Naismith Awards, Werner provide custom, special-editions podium ladder for the net-cutting ceremonies following Regional and Championship games.

Roman - Here's a new one, sexual enhancement start-up Roman recently signed their first major sports sponsorship to get top of mind around March Madness. Roman will be this year's title sponsor of the annual College Basketball Invitational postseason tournament.

SoFi - Personal finance company SoFi will once again adorn many of the baskets during this weekend’s conference tournaments including the Big Ten, PAC-12 and Big East tourneys.

There you have it. From eats to e.d., it seems every sponsor, whether an official NCAA partner or not, wants their piece of the March Madness mindshare. Let the madness begin!