The Big Idea

March Madness vs. College Football Playoff: Cinderella vs. The Evil Stepmother

March Madness and the College Football Playoff (CFP) are two of the biggest spectacles in American sports, yet they couldn’t be marketed more differently. One is a chaotic, upset-laden, buzzer-beating, Cinderella-loving festival of madness. The other? A carefully curated, exclusive club where only the best (or at least the most well-connected) teams get an invite.

If March Madness is a fairy tale where Cinderella gets her night at the ball, the CFP is the evil stepmother who only allows her two favorite children to attend. But with the CFP expanding, could we see a shift toward a more madness-like model? Let’s dive in.

March Madness: Where Cinderella Steals the Show

March Madness thrives on unpredictability. The NCAA Tournament is built on the idea that anything can happen, and that’s exactly how it’s marketed. Every year, networks and advertisers latch onto the Cinderella stories—those plucky underdogs from mid-major conferences who take down the blue bloods. Think Florida Gulf Coast dunking their way past Georgetown, Loyola Chicago’s Sister Jean becoming a national treasure, or Saint Peter’s shocking Kentucky and Purdue.

The tournament’s marketing feeds off the drama:

• "Survive and Advance" – Every game is an elimination game, making each contest feel like life or death.

• "Anything Can Happen!" – The idea that a 15-seed can beat a 2-seed gives fans hope and makes every game must-watch TV.

• "Bracket Busters" – The madness is so unpredictable that even the most confident fans end up tearing their brackets apart by the first weekend.

Broadcasters and sponsors love this chaos. It keeps fans engaged, creates viral moments, and ensures that even casual viewers tune in to see if David can take down Goliath.

The College Football Playoff: The Exclusive Country Club

Now, let’s talk about the CFP. If March Madness is the wild, anything-goes party, the CFP is the VIP-only gala where the bouncer is really picky about who gets in.

Historically, college football has been obsessed with ensuring that only the “best” teams play for a championship. The BCS era was infamous for its computer rankings that often left deserving teams out. The four-team playoff was supposed to fix that, but instead, it largely became a rotating cast of Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and Georgia.

The CFP’s marketing reflects this exclusivity:

• "The Best Play the Best" – The idea is that only the most elite teams make it, ensuring the highest level of competition.

• "Every Game Matters" – Unlike the NCAA Tournament, where a team can get hot at the right time, the CFP pushes the narrative that the entire regular season is a playoff.

• "Blue Bloods Rule" – While March Madness celebrates upsets, the CFP tends to dismiss teams outside the traditional powerhouses.

The CFP is essentially the stepmother from Cinderella, ensuring that only her two favorite children (Alabama and Georgia) get the best opportunities while everyone else watches from the sidelines. This exclusivity has been both a strength and a weakness. On one hand, it guarantees that the championship is contested by teams that have proven themselves over a grueling regular season. On the other, it has made the playoff feel repetitive, with the same teams dominating year after year. The lack of Cinderella stories in college football has made it harder to generate the same level of excitement and unpredictability that March Madness thrives on.

The Expansion Factor: Could the CFP Get a Little Mad?

But change is coming. With the CFP expanding to 12 teams, it’s starting to resemble something a little closer to March Madness—at least in structure. More teams mean more opportunities for upsets, more unpredictability, and perhaps even a Cinderella or two.

This expansion could shift the marketing strategy:

• "More Teams, More Drama" – Having 12 teams instead of four means more chances for unexpected results, which could bring an element of madness to the mix.

• "Can the Underdogs Win?" – With automatic bids for conference champions, we could see more teams outside the usual suspects making deep runs.

• "Bracketology for Football?" – College football fans might start filling out brackets, predicting upsets, and embracing the chaos.

Of course, the CFP is unlikely to ever fully embrace the madness of March. College football is built differently, with fewer games and more disparity between top teams and the rest. But as the playoff expands, it may have to lean into some of the unpredictability that makes March Madness so beloved.

Conclusion: Two Different Worlds, One Common Goal

At the end of the day, March Madness and the CFP are both wildly successful, but for different reasons. March Madness is a celebration of chaos, where Cinderella stories captivate the nation. The CFP, on the other hand, has been more about ensuring that the best teams—at least by reputation—compete for the title.

But as the CFP expands, it may find itself borrowing a page from March Madness’ playbook. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll see a Cinderella story in college football. And when that happens, let’s hope the evil stepmother doesn’t try to lock her out of the playoff.

Tech and Legal

Facial Recognition Can be Fuzzy

An ever-increasing number of stadiums in the US are using facial recognition as a part of their fan experience. But while the tech might be ready to go, the legal and privacy issues are murky.

The use of facial recognition at sports and entertainment venues is increasing every month. It first entered the entertainment world in casinos, and its use has spread to other entertainment and sports venues. It’s estimated that over 30 stadiums in the US are using the technology in some fashion. Firms like AEG, Ticketmaster (in partnership with Wicket), and many others are building it into their service offerings. Among its potential benefits are:

• Faster admission procedures

• Faster checkout for concessions and merchandise

• Defense against ticket counterfeiting or unauthorized resale

• Better fan data for teams and leagues

• A tool for creating personalized fan experiences

But the following is also true of facial recognition:

• In the US, facial recognition data must be turned over to police if served a valid court order, subpoena, or warrant

• It’s been used proactively by police in the US, Russia, China, and Brazil to arrest fans wanted for outstanding offenses who attended a sports or entertainment event 

• James Dolan used it to bar a fan from Madison Square Garden who criticized his ownership

Therefore, teams and venue owners looking to unlock the benefits of facial recognition should be aware of the potential risks involved.

What’s the Big Deal? 

People who regularly use Apple’s Face ID to unlock their phones may wonder what the big deal is. The difference is that in the case of Face ID, the facial biometrics are only on the phone and stay under the control of its owner. The data involved in face recognition systems at arenas is captured by whoever is collecting the information. So people’s facial data can be used and potentially shared in ways that they do not control.  

Navigating the Legal Waters

There are currently no federal regulations specifically concerning the use of facial recognition, although a few bills have been presented on the subject. Between 2017 and 2024, fifteen states enacted some form of facial recognition legislation. While these are primarily directed at law enforcement agencies, teams, and venue owners should look at existing and pending legislation at both the federal and state levels to make sure their vendors and usage are in compliance with those laws.

More broadly, facial recognition data is considered PII (Personally Identifiable Information). This means that it is subject to regulations concerning the storage and handling of that data in the same way as social security numbers or bank accounts. Any company involved in facial recognition should be able to share their privacy policy with you and show they are in compliance with the required regulations, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), or have voluntarily achieved third-party certifications on their information security practices, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 27001. Naturally, if you are storing the data on any internal systems, you need to check your own compliance as well. 

By The Numbers

Numbers That Jumped Off the Page

10%- The San Francisco Giants have sold a 10% stake to private equity firm Sixth Street, with the funds earmarked for ballpark renovations and development. Sixth Street has been on quite the sports shopping spree, with investments in Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and the San Antonio Spurs. If only someone could have warned us this was coming! (Ahem. We did. Check out our February 27th Edition piece “Get Ready for the PE Owner” to see more on the subject.)

300%- Women's sports revenues are projected to hit $2.35 billion in 2025, with basketball and soccer leading the charge. The growth represents a 300% increase since 2021, proving that investing in women's sports isn't just good for equality—it's good business too.

100,000- Manchester United have revealed plans to build a new £2 billion, 100,000-seat stadium to replace Old Trafford. The project would create the largest club stadium in the UK and represents a major statement of intent from the club's ownership. New Trafford works, right?

$3,000,000,000- The International Olympic Committee and NBCUniversal have extended their partnership for another decade in a massive $3 billion deal. NBC has been broadcasting the Olympics since 1988, and this extension ensures they'll continue bringing us athletic glory (and those emotional backstory segments) for years to come. The deal comes after record-breaking ad sales for the Paris 2024 Games.

Pulse Check

Last week, we asked Beyond the Sideline readers, “Would You Rather Have a Public or Private Funded Venue for Your Local Sports Team?” Here’s what they thought.

It was a tight poll, with Private Venues narrowly beating out Public. There seemed to be a common sentiment among the Private Venue voters with multiple comments citing an interest in keeping tax dollars away from sports arenas, especially those with wealthy owners.

Do you have a topic you want us to cover, a survey question you'd like us to ask, or any news you'd like to share? Let us know at [email protected].