Adweek | March Madness 2025 Ad Roundup: A Running List of NCAA Basketball Commercials and Activations
- Amanda Stern
- Mar 26
- 2 min read
A brand fan's updating guide to who's in the bracket
March Madness 2025 has tipped off, with the men’s and women’s tournament nearly selling out their sports marketing inventory across Paramount, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery channels and platforms.
But as collegiate conferences send their schools and brands to the Big Dance, advertisers make a play for a U.S. college sports fanbase that, according to sports media and technology firm Learfield, numbers roughly 195 million—or more than the NFL’s 161 million followers or the NBA’s 103 million.
We assembled a formidable starting lineup of the brands and ads appearing during the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments, but check this space for more sports and activations as teams dwindle and stakes increase.
Fashion
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods Gets Its Kicks With iShowSpeed Copy
If you want to issue a challenge during March Madness, there are few antagonists of the influencer era better equipped to deliver it than Darren Watkins Jr.—better knowns as iShowSpeed. The loquacious irritant of athletes around the globe, iShowSpeed has attracted millions of followers by pitting his skills against the world's best.
In the OBB Media-produced spot, Speed's shopping trip to Dick's is interrupted when Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, Suni Lee, and Travis Hunter show up for a series of challenges. Durant offers Speed a dunk contest, while Lee challenges him to backflips. Hunter, the Heisman Trophy-winning offensive and defensive powerhouse from the University of Colorado—splits in two to take on the influencer. Finally, Brady rides in on a giant goat for the last test, all while Speed unsuccessfully purchases pairs of adidas Spezial, adidas Electric Exotic Speed Cleats, Hoka Bondi 9, and Nike KD18 (which debut on dicks.com April 18).
The spot airs during March Madness across broadcast and streaming services including Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, Max, Netflix, YouTube Auction, and YouTube Select.
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