March Madness: Nearly 1/3 of Americans Admit Slacking at Work During Tourney

Will you be watching the March Madness games during work? Maybe at a bar during your lunch hour? You’re not the only one.

A new survey from online retailer RetailMeNot shines a light on who tunes in to the tournament the most, where they’re watching and how much they’re planning on spending during the highly anticipated college basketball championship games. The short story? Over half of all respondents plan to watch the tournament.

This dedication is amplified by the obligations respondents plan to set aside, with close to a third (31%) skipping their workout routine, nearly 1 in 5 (17%) willing to pass on getting ahead at work and nearly 1 in 10 are open to skimping on quality family time just to get their game on!

“March Madness is just that, madness, but in the best possible way. Sixty-seven of the top teams in college basketball are competing for the best in show over a few short weeks,” says Clendon Ross, sports commentator and RetailMeNot, Inc. community manager. “But March Madness doesn’t just hook the rabid basketball fan. It’s astonishing how entire offices transform from calm to crazy when tournament watching and bracket money is at stake. Fans are really willing to open their checkbooks to support their favorite team.”

To Watch or to Work, That Is the Question

The tournament certainly draws a nice crowd, with nearly 2 in 3 fans (64%) watching the games with others.

“Lunch breaks” might take on new meaning during March Madness this year. Nearly 3 in 10 working consumers would be willing to take it to the next level and watch hoops at a bar during lunch (28%) or while actually in the workplace (27%). Who watches the most at work? Men! More males than females are willing to watch the game at work (37% vs. 17%) or even call in sick to work during March Madness (21% vs. 6%).

Furthermore, nearly 1 in 5 (17%) of those in the workplace would rather watch March Madness than get ahead at their place of employment, and nearly as many (14%) workers would opt to watch the games rather than receive an extra paid vacation day.

Being a Fan Doesn’t Come Cheap

March happens to be the one of the few times of year that men spend more than women. Nearly half (49%) of males would spend on March Madness compared to fewer than 3 in 10 (29%) females shelling out dollars for the Big Dance.

Those who are spending money on the tournament this year plan to fork over upward of $191, that’s an increase from $135 last year*. In fact, just over 1 in 10 (11%) would go as far as spending more than $300 on March Madness activities.

Brackets also get a lot of love during the tournament. Almost 2 in 5 (35%) would be willing to spend money on a bracket. How much money? On average, they are willing to spend $90.

How and Who Are Fans Celebrating?

How do most people choose a team to root for? The survey found that 34% of fans are most likely to support a team based on its location. After that, loyalty is most apt to lie with their alma mater (16%).

Among those who pick a favorite team during March Madness, half (50%) would watch every game their team played if they made it to the Sweet 16. That’s up from 41% last year*.

How do fans with a favorite team celebrate if this team makes it to the Sweet 16? Not surprisingly, 29% would likely host a March Madness party.

If consumers were to host or attend a March Madness get-together, more than 2 in 3 (67%) would most want to eat pizza, followed by chips and dip (63%), nachos (49%) and Buffalo wings (47%). Fewer fans have as strong an appetite for burgers (38%), sandwiches (37%), chicken fingers (35%) and chili (22%).

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