Kuyisiqalo sikaMarch Madness nabathandi be-basketball basekolishi ezweni lonke bayajabula. Nakuba ukukhetha ubakaki ophelele we-March Madness cishe akunakwenzeka, izigidi zabantu ziqedela isiko eliyinganekwane unyaka ngamunye futhi zicule imidlalo ebukhoma. Umqhudelwano odumile we-NCAA udonsa abalandeli bokuqina kanye nabasekeli be-bandwagon ngokufanayo. Futhi bekungaba yini i-March Madness ngaphandle kwemikhiqizo engena ku-hype? Ngonyaka odlule, cishe zonke izindawo zezikhangiso ngesikhathi semiqhudelwano yabesilisa nabesifazane zaqokwa ngokushesha, nesamba semali esichithwe yizikhangiso sephule ngaphezu kwesigidigidi esingu-$1 eminyakeni edlule. Ukutshalwa kwezimali okuhlaba umxhwele kusho ukuthi amanani aphakeme. Ngakho-ke, yimaphi amasu okuthengisa we-March Madness azohamba yonke indlela? Sibheke emiqhudelwaneni edlule ukuze senze izibikezelo zesu lethu, futhi saphendukela ku-Sprout Social Influencer Marketing ukuze sithole ukuthi akuphi amathuba obambiswano angcono kakhulu. Asingene emiphumeleni nakumathiphu ambalwa ukusiza umkhiqizo wakho uhlale kugeyimu. Ithuba lokumaketha likaMarch Madness Ngonyaka odlule, umdlalo wokuqhudelana kwabesilisa ngoMashi Madness udonse ababukeli abalinganiselwa ezigidini eziyi-18.1, kwathi umqhudelwano wabesifazane wadonsa ezinye izigidi eziyi-8.5. Njengoba amashumi ezigidi zabantu abukele, kuyacaca ukuthi uMashi Madness umzuzu omkhulu wamasiko. Futhi hhayi nje kubalandeli abajwayelekile, noma amabhrendi aseduze kwezemidlalo nokuqina. Phakathi kwemidlalo yokudlala, ukuphawula okuthrendayo kanye nabagqugquzeli be-athelete babafundi ezinkundleni zokuxhumana, i-March Madness inomthelela omkhulu ku-zeitgeist kunangaphambili. Ukuhlehlisa, ukuhlalisana kwabantu kusize ekuguquleni imicimbi eminingi yezemidlalo ibe yithuba elihle lokumaketha lemikhiqizo yazo zonke izinhlobo—kusuka ekudleni nesiphuzo kuya ezindlini zemfashini kuya ezinkampanini zomshwalense. Abasubathi babafundi (kanye nezinye izihlabani zomqhudelwano) ikakhulukazi bashayela ukusebenzelana komphakathi kanye nemikhiqizo edayisiwe. Lokhu kuyingxenye yethrendi enkulu, njengoba abakhangisi abane kwabahlanu bethi okuqukethwe kwe-influencer out kwenza okuqukethwe okuthunyelwe ku-akhawunti yomkhiqizo mayelana nokufinyelela, ukusebenzelana nokuguqulwa, ngokombiko we-State of Influencer Marketing Report. Njengoba izinkampani eziningi zimatasatasa ukuze zisebenzise ngokugcwele i-March Madness, imikhankaso evelele izofaka ubudlelwano babafundi abanamandla, ihlanganise amatshe okuxhumana amasiko aku-inthanethi futhi ikhulume nezithameli ezihlukene. Imibono yokuthengisa ye-4 March Madness namasu ongawazama (ngezibonelo zomkhankaso ka-2025) Ngomcimbi omkhulu ofana noMashi Madness, kulula ukuduka emsindweni. Ukuze wenze imikhankaso yokumisa ukuskrola, udinga ukungena kusiko lwe-inthanethi. Ukwenza kanjalo kuzokuvumela ukuthi uhlanganyele nabagqugquzeli abafanele, udale umuzwa wabalandeli abalandeli bakho abazokuthanda futhi ube ngowokuqala ukuphendula esenzweni somqhudelwano. Nazi izindlela ezimbalwa ezibambekayo zokungena esenzweni, nezibonelo zango-2025 zokukhuthaza isu lakho. Ngena endaweni yemakethe entsha yabagqugquzeli abafana ne-Experian Isinqumo seNkantolo Ephakeme esiyingqophamlando sango-2021 savumela abasubathi bekolishi ukuthi bakhokhelwe igama labo, isithombe kanye nokufana kwabo okokuqala ngqa. Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, kuye kwavela imboni yezigidi zamaRandi. Abasubathi abangabafundi baqale ukusebenzisana nawo wonke umuntu kusukela ezindaweni zokudlela zasekolishi lendawo kuya kumikhiqizo emikhulu efana ne-Nike. NgoMashi Madness, imikhiqizo ithatha lobu budlelwano ibuyise kwelinye izinga—kusuka eqoqweni Lomjikelezo wama-21 no-Paige Bueckers kuya ku-U by Kotex’s Play emkhankasweni wakho wePeriod. Siwuthande kakhulu umkhankaso ka-Experian noFlau'jae Johnson, unogada webhasikithi e-Louisiana State University. Ngaphezu kokuba ngumdlali okleliswe ezweni lonke, uJohnson uphinde abe ngumculi we-rap odumile ozifelayo ngezimali. Kumavidiyo ezinkundleni zokuxhumana omkhankaso, inkanyezi iphendule imibuzo yabalandeli futhi yachaza ukuthi ilusebenzisa kanjani uhlelo lokusebenza lwe-Experian ukwakha isikweletu nokuqapha ukubhalisa kwayo.
Uphinde waveza ukuthi u-Experian wesula izikweletu eziyizigidi ezi-5 zamaRandi emindenini yaseLouisiana, nomunye u-$100,000 njalo lapho iqembu le-basketball labesifazane be-LSU liwina umdlalo kaMarch Madness. Ngokusho kwe-Sprout Social Influencer Marketing, ubambiswano lulethe inani lemidiya elizuziwe (EMV) elisondele ku-$350,000 kwezokuxhumana. Kungani kusebenza: Ngo-2025, uJohnson wayengumsubathi wasekolishi labesifazane okhokhelwa kakhulu, ngenani le-NIL lama- $ 1.5 wezigidi. Uzakhele igama mayelana nengcebo yesikhathi eside, ukutshala izimali nokufunda ngezezimali, okumenza umlingani ophelele womdali we-Experian. Ngemikhiqizo engaphandle komkhakha wezemidlalo, thinta kubasubathi abangabafundi asebevele banokuthenjwa endaweni yakho noma endaweni yakho. Sebenzisa amathrendi esikhathi sangempela njenge-Buffalo Wild Wings Enye yezinkanyezi eziphuma phambili zomqhudelwano ka-2025 yayingeyena umqeqeshi nomaumdlali—kwakungu-Amir “Aura” Khan, umphathi weMcNeese State. U-Khan wasakazeka kakhulu ngesikhathi ephuma emhubheni weqembu ephethe i-boombox, eholela abadlali enkundleni ngesikhathi ejabulela ingoma ka-Lud Foe ethi “In & Out”. Kunzima ukuthi ungamomotheki futhi udanse lapho ubuka ividiyo emuva. Ngemuva kokuthi ividiyo ibambe i-inthanethi ngamandla, u-Khan ube ngumphathi womfundi wokuqala wethimba lekolishi ukusayina amadili okuthengisa e-NIL, ukuthola ubudlelwano no-TickPick, i-Insomnia Cookies, i-Buffalo Wild Wings nokuningi. Ubambiswano lweBuffalo Wild Wings lwaluhlakaniphe kakhulu. Umkhiqizo udale i-boombox yangokwezifiso enelogo ye-Buffalo Wild Wings ngaphambili namaphakathi. U-Khan wasebenzisa i-boombox kulo lonke uhlelo lweqembu lwe-March Madness. U-Khan kanye ne-boombox yakhe bathole ukuvela kwabezindaba okungaphezu kwezigidigidi ezi-2.5, i-CMO ye-Buffalo Wild Wings', uTristan Meline utshele iForbes.
Uma sibheka phambili, iBuffalo Wild Wings ingumxhasi osemthethweni webha yezemidlalo yomqhudelwano ka-2026, futhi isivele yethule izinto ezintsha ezithengiswayo nemenyu. UKhan usanda kubuyela eMcNeese State, ngemuva kokugijima isikhashana e-NC State. Zombili zihloselwe ukugqama kwe-2026 March Madness. Kungani kusebenza: Umkhankaso ukhuluma nokuzilibazisa okuyintandokazi kaMarch Madness: ukuhalalisela izindaba ezingalindelekile zeCinderella. Ngokubambisana no-Khan kusenesikhathi, i-Buffalo Wild Wings ingene engxoxweni ye-inthanethi kanye nomoya womqhudelwano. Uma ufuna ozakwethu, khumbula ukuthi akudingekile ukuba baphume eqenjini elinembewu ephezulu noma i-MVP ukuze benze umthelela. Faka imali ekuziqhenyeni kwedolobha lasekhaya njenge-AT&T I-AT&T ingelinye labaxhasi be-NCAA bezinga eliphezulu. Lo mkhiqizo utshale imali emadolobheni asingathwa ngoMashi Madness nemiphakathi yasendaweni kusukela baqala ukuxhasa lo mqhudelwano ngo-2001. Phakathi kwamanqamu amane okugcina angonyaka odlule e-San Antonio, i-AT&T yabeka phambili umthelela wendawo ngokunikela ngo-$10 kubhasikidi ngamunye owenziwe ku-Fan Fest kuya ku-South Texas Business Partnership kanye neCompudopt ukuze kuhlinzekwe ukufinyelela kwekhompyutha emphakathini wendawo. I-AT&T iphinde yaxhasa i-Block Party ku-March Madness Music Festival, umcimbi wamahhala wamalungu omphakathi wase-San Antonio kanye nabalandeli bezemidlalo abavakashelayo ngokufanayo. I-AT&T iyabuya izoxhasa umcimbi emqhudelwaneni ka-2026. Ngonyaka odlule, umkhiqizo uphinde wabambisana nesihlabani sikaDuke u-Cooper Flagg kanye nogogo wakhe, behlanganisa i-duo esikhangisweni esiphefumulelwe yi-bingo. Ayikho into esho ukuziqhenya njengejezi langokwezifiso likagogo.
Okwenza kusebenze: Nakuba ukuziqhenya kwedolobha lasekhaya kungase kubangele imibono yokuncintisana okunonya, ezingeni elijulile kumayelana nokunakekela imiphakathi emelwe amaqembu ethu esiyintandokazi nabadlali, nokugqamisa imindeni yabadlali esibathandayo kanye nezinhlelo zokusekela. Noma i-AT&T ingumkhiqizo womhlaba wonke, isebenza ezingeni lendawo ihlinzeka ngoxhumano lwabantu ngabanye noma ngabe bakuphi. Ngakho lo mkhankaso awugcini nje ngokusiza abalandeli, kodwa futhi usebenzela amakhasimende abo endawo. Dala i-hype eku-inthanethi ngezikhathi eziseceleni kwenkantolo njenge-Snapchat I-Snapchat, inkundla yokwabelana ngokuqukethwe kwesikhashana, isebenza nabasubathi abangabafundi, izikole, amaligi kanye nemikhiqizo ukudala okuqukethwe ngezikhathi ezinkulu kusukela kumqhudelwano we-March Madness. Izikole eziningi zinama-akhawunti aqinisekisiwe—aziwa ngokuthi ama-akhawunti e-Snap Star—ku-Snapchat, inethiwekhi egqamisa kubasebenzisi bazo (abaningi baneminyaka engaphansi kuka-25). Inethiwekhi ihlanganisa okuqukethwe okungemuva kwesigcawu nezithombe ezisakazwayo ezisemthethweni. Njengoba u-Anmol Malhotra, iNhloko ye-Snap ye-Sports Partnerships, etshela i-Marketing Brew: "Sinobudlelwane obukhulu ne-Warner Bros. Discovery...Turner, njll. Yilapho sithola khona ukufakwa kwethu, kodwa ngicabanga ukuthi okuningi okuhlinzekwayo esizokuthola kuvela emaqenjini, abadlali ngokwabo kanye nabantu abakha okuqukethwe kwenkundla."
Okwenza kusebenze: Kwezenhlalo, amabhrendi angahlanganisa izikhathi ezisemthethweni nemibono engemuva kwesigcawu yalabo abasondelene nesenzo. Ukubambisana nabadali, abasubathi noma abangaphakathi abakwazi ukuthwebula izikhathi zesikhathi sangempela kwenza ukusakazwa kuzizwe kungumuntu futhi kunomphakathi kuqala, futhi kushumeka umkhiqizo wakho emqhudelwaneni ngendlela engokwemvelo. Abasubathi abaphezulu basekolishi okufanele babukele ukumaketha kuka-2026 March Madness (nangaphezulu) Bangaphezu kuka-550,000 abafundi abasubathi be-NCAA. Lesi sibalo esiphule amarekhodi sichaza ukuthi kungani ithuba lokumaketha kwabagqugquzeli bemikhiqizo liphezulu kakhulu ngemuva kwesinqumo se-NIL. Ukusiza ukunciphisa leli chibi elikhulu futhi uthole ozakwethu abalungile bomkhiqizo wakho, phendukela kusixazululo esifana ne-Influencer Marketing.
Ukukhombisa ukuthi kusebenza kanjani, sibheke amaphrofayili Wokuthengisa We-Influencer womsubathi ophambili wasekolishiabagqugquzeli abakhiqiza i-buzz. Nakhu esikutholile. UJuju Watkins UJuJu Watkins uyinkanyezi phambili e-University of Southern California. Ngaphezu kobungcweti bakhe be-basketball, u-Watkins ubuye abe yi-NIL trailblazer. Ube ngumdlali wokuqala we-basketball wasenyuvesi ukusayina isivumelwano nenkampani ye-makeup brand ngenkathi ebambisene ne-NYX ngo-2024. Uphinde wasebenza nemikhiqizo efana ne-Gatorade ne-Nike. Ngeshwa, uWatkins uthole ukulimala kwe-ACL phakathi nomqhudelwano wanyakenye, futhi akakwazi ukudlala ngesizini ka-2025-2026. Yize ebekwe eceleni, u-Watkins usengomunye wezihlabani ezinkulu ze-basketball yasekolishi kwezokuxhumana. Ngokusho kwedatha ye-Influencer Marketing, u-Watkins unabalandeli abangaba yizigidi ezingu-1.5 kuwo wonke amanethiwekhi, futhi u-85% wezithameli zakhe zineminyaka engaphansi kuka-34. Unezinga elimangalisayo lokuzibandakanya elingu-6.5% ku-Instagram, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi abelane ngokuqukethwe mayelana nezigigaba zomhlaba jikelele kanye ne-basketball. Ubudlelwano bakhe bomkhiqizo ne-NYX cosmetics buqongelele i-EMV ecishe ibe ngama- $400,000.
Cameron Boozer U-Cameron Boozer ungumgadli we-Duke Blue Devils, futhi usevele ewine I-Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year kanye no-Rookie Wonyaka. I-Boozer ibonakala ngokugqamile ekukhangiseni kukaDuke. Ngaphandle kokuba ngumuntu omusha kuphela, usevele ethole amadili nemikhiqizo efana ne-Samsung neJordani, kanye newele lakhe uCayden. I-Boozer inabalandeli abangaphezudlwana kuka-200,000 ku-Instagram, ngezinga lokuzibandakanya lika-4.3%, ngokwe-Influencer Marketing ngayinye. Kungenzeka ukuthi akhulume ngezihloko ezifana nokuhamba nothando lwakhe lwe-basketball, njengoba kunqunywa inkundla. Ubambiswano lwakhe lomkhiqizo oluphezulu kuze kube manje lune-Crocs-isivumelwano somkhiqizo esiholele ekuhlanganyeleni okucishe kube ngu-3,000 kanye ne-EMV ebiza cishe u-$6,000. Silindele ukubona ubukhona buka-Boozer bukhula kuwo wonke umqhudelwano, njengoba uDuke eyiqembu elinembewu ephezulu.
UFlau'jae Johnson Njengoba sesishilo, uJohnson ungumdlali ohamba phambili waseLouisiana State University ozakhele igama eliqinile emsebenzini wakhe we-basketball kanye ne-rap. Ngedatha ye-Influencer Marketing, uJohnson unabalandeli abacishe babe yizigidi ezi-5 ku-Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook kanye ne-Snapchat. Izinga lakhe lokubuka liphezulu kakhulu, lidlula ngokuphawulekayo ibhentshimakhi yabadali abafanayo. Inkundla ithole ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi akhulume ngezihloko ezifana nempilo ye-basketball, ukuziqhenya kwekolishi e-LSU, umculo wakhe nama-mixtapes, nokukhishwa kwamavidiyo omculo nokubonwayo. UJohnson usebenzisane nemikhiqizo ecishe ibe ngu-40, okuhlanganisa i-PUMA, i-OREO ne-Samsung, futhi uvamise ukusebenzisa owakhe umculo kumaposi axhasiwe.
AJ Dybansta U-AJ Dybansta ungumdlali omusha e-Brigham Young University, osezakhele igama ebeka amarekhodi okushaya amagoli ku-Big 12 Tournament. Useke wasebenzisana nezinkampani ezinkulu ezifana neFanatics, Nike neRed Bull. Ngokumaketha kwe-Influencer, u-Dybansta unabalandeli abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-1.2 ku-Instagram, TikTok no-X—enezinga eliphezulu lokuzibandakanya elingu-7.2% ku-X. Cishe uhhafu wabalandeli bakhe uneminyaka engu-24 noma ngaphansi, kanti u-82% ngamadoda. Kungenzeka kakhulu ukuthi athumele ngezihloko ezifana namaphuzu avelele e-basketball, umphakathi nezinhlangano ezisiza umphakathi, ukuvakasha kanye nendlela yokuphila, ukholo lwakhe kanye nezikhathi ezingemuva kwesigcawu. UHannah Hidalgo UHannah Hidalgo ungunogada weNyuvesi yaseNotre Dame. Eyaziwa njengomdlali onolaka, u-Hidalgo usanda kubizwa ngokuthi i-Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year kanye nomdlali ophelele wonyaka-umsubathi wokuqala emlandweni wenkomfa ukuze azuze kokubili kumasizini alandelanayo. U-Hidalgo usebenzisane nemikhiqizo efana ne-Redbull ne-CVS. Ngokusho kwe-Influencer Marketing, u-Hidalgo unabalandeli abangaphezu kwe-150,000 kuwo wonke amanethiwekhi, ngezinga eliphezulu lokuzibandakanya lika-7.5% ku-Instagram kanye ne-12.5% ephakeme nakakhulu ku-TikTok. Kungenzeka kakhulu ukuthi athumele mayelana nezitayela zomdanso nomculo, i-basketball yabesifazane, ezemidlalo ze-Notre Dame, ama-podcasts nezingxoxo, ukholo lwakhe, nendlela yokuphila nokuqukethwe komkhiqizo. Inkundla yethu iphinde yathola umkhankaso wakhe womkhiqizo ophambili ngokuzibandakanya kwaba ne-Gatorade, umkhankaso onesilinganiso sokuzibandakanya esingu-18.7% sokubandakanya okungu-6,600. Yaxel Lendeborg U-Yaxel Lendeborg ungumdlali ovelele we-University of Michigan osanda kuqokwa njengoMdlali Owu-10 Omkhulu Wonyaka. Ukuhlolwa kwe-NIL kukaLendeborg kwezigidi ezingu-2.3 zamaRandi kumenza abe phakathi kwabasubathi abaphezulu abangama-20 abahlolwe kakhulu be-NCAA. Ngaphezu kokuba ngumkhulumeli omkhulu weNyuvesi yaseMichigan, uLendeborg uphinde wavela futhi wakhuthaza umdlalo we-NBA 2K25. Umdlali oseqophelweni eliphezulu unabalandeli abangu-60,000 ku-Instagram, ngezinga lokuzibandakanya elingu-32% elincomekayo, ngokusho kwe-Influencer Marketing. Kungenzeka ukuthi athumele mayelanaizindawo zokudlela zasendaweni nezinye izinhlobo zasendaweni, imidlalo ye-NBA2K kanye neMichigan Wolverines. Umkhiqizo wakho ungasusa kanjani ukucasuka kwenkundla yezokuxhumana I-March Madness akuwona nje umqhudelwano we-basketball-yisenzakalo samasiko esiveza amathuba amakhulu emikhiqizo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngokusebenzisana okucwaningwe kahle komsubathi wabafundi, ukuzizwisa okugxilile kwe-IRL noma ukwenza kusebenze okugqugquzelwe izikhathi zenkundla yezokuxhumana, ukhiye wempumelelo usekungeneni kusiko lwe-inthanethi nokuhlangana nezithameli lapho vele zikhona. Njengoba amabhrendi eqhubeka nokukhulisa amanani unyaka nonyaka, lawo amukela ubuqiniso nokuqanjwa okusha azogqama esixukwini. Ngamasu alungile kanye nokusebenzisana, umkhiqizo wakho ungaguqula i-March Madness ibe umzuzu owodwa wokumaketha ogqamile. Manje yisikhathi sokungena emdlalweni. Ufuna iziyalezo ezengeziwe zokuthola abagqugquzeli abangcono kakhulu babafundi? Funda umhlahlandlela wethu wokuthola abagqugquzeli abalungile bomkhankaso wakho. Okuthunyelwe Ukumaketha kwe-March Madness: Ukuthi ama-elite brand angawathola kanjani amaphuzu amakhulu avele kuqala ku-Sprout Social.
