San Diego State's run to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four could prove to be a slam dunk off the court for the university.
“It absolutely translates into real dollars," University of San Diego marketing professor Dan Bruton said.
More on SDSU's Cinderella Run
For starters, the payout from the NCAA tournament for San Diego State making it to the Final Four could be somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million over the next six years based on last year's tournament numbers.
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Now the Aztecs won't get all that money. Because of a revenue-sharing agreement, that $10 million will be divided up between all teams in the Mountain West Conference.
And it’s not just sports programs that benefit, according to Bruton. The universities do too.
A study by George Mason University showed their Final Four appearance in 2006 resulted in $677 million in free marketing and publicity. And an admissions windfall with out-of-state applications increasing by 40%
Similarly, Villanova says it saw a 21% spike after winning the title in 2016.
“We’re the front door, we're the public version the university,“ explained SDSU Head Basketball Coach Brian Dutcher. “People see athletics and see what we do, then have a greater appreciation. They get into the university and look at all the other great things. So the university has risen, our basketball program has risen and it's coincided. It’s been a really special thing." ""
What's even more special about this Final Four run is the marketing and licensing agreement potential for clothing and other souvenirs.
"If SDSU plays their cards right, they'll have a lot of those deals and a ton of money coming in,” Bruton said. “Basketball would like it for facilities and travel. It’s hard when you're flying Southwest and not a charter plane, right? So the more money comes in the more you can do those things and that helps with recruiting."
Studies also show alumni donations also spike win a program wins.
Something Bruton knows a little something about. He says when his alma mater, Loyola Chicago, went to the Final Four, he donated for the first time to the athletic department, hoping to help keep the wins coming.
