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Game Changer: How The NCAA Women’s Tournament Is Redefining Sports Advertising

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 31, 2025

Sensor Tower’s new report, “Bracket Buster: Growth of the NCAA Women’s Tournament Doubles Opportunities for Streaming Services and Advertisers”, reveals that the NCAA Women’s Tournament isn’t just breaking records—it’s reshaping the advertising landscape.

In 2024, brands poured 90 times more into marketing campaigns featuring female athletes than they did just two years ago, signaling a seismic shift in how advertisers view women’s sports. With streaming platforms riding the wave of skyrocketing engagement, the business of college basketball is undergoing a major transformation.

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Women’s Hoops, Big-Time Sponsorships

The impact of female athletes has never been more evident. The 2024 NCAA Women’s Tournament drew an unprecedented 18 million viewers for its championship game—outpacing the men’s final for the first time. This surge in interest isn’t lost on advertisers. Endorsement deals tied to women’s college basketball stars have exploded, driven in large part by the “Caitlin Clark effect.” In 2022, brands spent eight times more on female college athletes compared to their male counterparts. By 2024, that number had jumped to a staggering 60x. Clark, now one of basketball’s biggest commercial stars, became the face of major ad campaigns for Comcast (Xfinity), PepsiCo (Gatorade), and Gainbridge Insurance, which collectively accounted for 75% of branded endorsements during the tournament.

The Streaming Surge: Where Fans Are Watching

Streaming services have emerged as major winners in this boom. Daily active users on NCAA game-carrying platforms surged by 45% during the tournament, with apps like TBS seeing a 200% jump and truTV soaring 450%. Even bigger live TV services, such as Fubo and Sling, experienced significant boosts. The trend is clear—sports fans are increasingly turning to digital platforms, a shift that is reshaping both traditional and online advertising strategies.

March Madness Marketing: Ad Spend Skyrockets

The financial stakes for brands have never been higher. Digital ad spending around March Madness grew by 80% in 2024, up from 60% in 2023. Capital One, a key NCAA sponsor, increased its investment 30-fold year-over-year, while Warner Bros. Discovery pumped in 25 times more than the previous year, leveraging its Max platform’s partnership with the Men’s Tournament.

The spending frenzy isn’t confined to basketball. This pattern mirrors Super Bowl marketing trends, where CPG brands ramped up digital spending by 45% in the six weeks leading up to the big game. As advertisers continue refining their 360-degree strategies, integrating digital campaigns with live sports events has become a must.

Prepping For The Future: 2025’s Marketing Playbook

With the 2025 NCAA tournaments approaching, brands are already positioning themselves for another record-breaking year. Major sponsors like Wendy’s and Buffalo Wild Wings are rolling out early campaigns, using social media to build anticipation. Nissan, another official sponsor, is running an ESPN.com desktop display campaign prompting fans to fill out their brackets for a chance to win a Nissan Murano.

As the NCAA Women’s Tournament continues to grow in popularity, the implications for brands, advertisers, and media platforms are profound. The days of women’s sports being sidelined in the marketing playbook are over—this is a business opportunity too big to ignore. Expect ad dollars, sponsorship deals, and streaming investments to keep climbing, because one thing is clear: women’s college basketball isn’t just competing—it’s leading the game.

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Cyprus President Champions Domestic Defence Industry For National Security And Economic Growth

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 18, 2026

Government Commitment To Strengthen National Defence

The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulidis, reaffirmed the government’s intention to enhance the country’s deterrence capabilities while expanding the potential of the domestic defense industry. Speaking during a high-level meeting at the Presidential Palace with members of the Cyprus Defence Industry Council, he outlined a strategy that connects national security priorities with long-term economic development.

Performance Assessment And Strategic Objectives

In the presence of Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas, the meeting focused on evaluating the achievements of the council one year following its establishment and delineating the path ahead. The President recalled, “Last year, we decided to institutionalize the Cyprus Defence Industry Council. Today, we review our targets and assess what has been achieved and what remains pending. We discussed the need for a registry of Cypriot companies. It is crucial to amplify the international presence of our enterprises. I remain deeply confident in your capabilities,” emphasizing a performance-driven approach aimed at enhanced operational transparency and market expansion.

Positioning The Industry As A New Economic Pillar

President Christodoulidis expressed his firm belief that the Cypriot defence industry could emerge as a significant economic driver. He described it as a “promising new pillar” for the nation’s economy, bolstered by European initiatives such as the SAFE framework, supplementary equipment procurement plans from third countries, and participation in international trade exhibitions. Such strategies, he noted, open up further opportunities for local businesses to integrate into the global arms market.

International Outreach And Future Economic Impact

The President also pledged active support at an international level, citing his positive response to an invitation to Athens to engage in initiatives aimed at enhanced exposure and collaboration. He was confident that the industry’s contribution could realistically reach a double-digit share of Cyprus’ GDP in the coming years, a target he described as not only ambitious but entirely attainable given current capabilities.

Clear Vision For Measurable Progress

Concluding the meeting, President Christodoulidis reaffirmed his commitment: “I am fully aware of your potential. This is an emerging sector critical to both our economic future and our national security. Today, I expect us to review our concrete achievements, address the areas requiring improvement, and steer this initiative toward even greater success.” This decisive call for accountability and action underscores a broader strategic agenda that intertwines national defence imperatives with forward-looking industrial and economic policies.