Every March, millions of basketball fans follow the excitement of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. Behind the tournament is the challenge of keeping ticket inventory visible and driving sales as games, matchups and host cities evolve throughout the competition.
To support this effort, the NCAA partnered with Ticketmaster to run a five-week Promoted Ads campaign designed to keep March Madness top of mind for fans already browsing Ticketmaster and convert that interest into ticket sales. The campaign supported every stage of the tournament through to the Final Four, helping the NCAA maintain visibility as new rounds, venues and ticket inventory became available.
Keeping March Madness Top of Mind
Unlike a single-event onsale, March Madness unfolds over several weeks, with multiple rounds, host cities and ticketing opportunities. As teams advance and new matchups are set, ticket inventory changes throughout the tournament.
The NCAA’s utilized Ticketmaster’s Promoted Ads to keep both the Men’s and Women’s Championships in front of fans throughout the tournament, to consistently drive ticket sales while maintaining a strong return on investment.
Supporting Every Stage of the Tournament
Rather than promoting a single event, the NCAA implemented Ticketmaster Promoted Ads throughout the full March Madness tournament.
Campaigns were aligned with each stage of competition, including the First Four, First and Second Rounds, Regionals and Final Four. As the tournament progressed, campaigns shifted to support new rounds, new host cities and newly available ticket inventory, helping ensure fans continued discovering relevant games throughout the five-week tournament.
Promoted Ads also supported events across host markets nationwide, including Dayton, Buffalo, Greenville, Oklahoma City, Portland, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Tampa, San Jose, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Indianapolis, Fort Worth, Sacramento and Phoenix.
By placing March Madness tickets in front of fans already exploring Ticketmaster, the NCAA maintained visibility throughout the tournament while creating a more direct path from discovery to purchase.
Driving Consistent Ticket Sales
Over five weeks, the campaign generated sustained engagement as the tournament advanced through each round.
Campaign Results
- 16.5x Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
- 3.2M+ Impressions
- 1.81% Click-Through Rate
- 10,000+ Tickets Sold
- $2M+ Revenue Generated
16.5x
return on ad spend
3.2M
impressions
$2M+
revenue generated
Weekly reporting showed the campaign building momentum throughout the tournament as new rounds launched and additional ticket inventory became available. By the conclusion of March Madness, Promoted Ads had generated more than 3.2 million impressions and contributed to the sale of over 10,000 tickets across the Men’s and Women’s Championships, demonstrating how an always-on campaign can support ticket sales across an evolving event schedule.
Delivering Results Beyond a Single Onsale
March Madness is unlike most sporting events. Demand shifts throughout the tournament as teams advance, host cities change and new ticket inventory becomes available.
By aligning Promoted Ads with each stage of the tournament, the NCAA maintained visibility throughout the championship rather than concentrating marketing efforts around a single onsale. Fans were consistently presented with relevant ticket opportunities while browsing Ticketmaster, helping convert high-intent shoppers into ticket buyers.
The campaign demonstrates how Ticketmaster Promoted Ads can help sports organizations support dynamic, multi-event campaigns while reaching fans closer to the point of purchase.
