March Madness is one of the most well-known sporting events in the United States. But it is also potentially responsible for billions of dollars lost in the U.S. economy, according to a recent survey.
A recent report from the Action Network — a top sports betting and media brand that boasts nearly 400,000 cumulative social media followers — surveyed 3,000 college basketball fans who work full-time between February 20 and February 26, 2025. The study found that March Madness could cause the U.S. economy to lose approximately $20 billion in ‘lost productivity.’
The first round of the men’s tournament holds games in the afternoon on Thursdays and Fridays, creating a distraction for fans trying to watch the games unfold. The survey uncovered that 40% of the participants admitted to calling in sick to watch a March Madness game.
Additionally, they spend 2.4 hours per day on average doing miscellaneous activities related to the big event, from checking scores and brackets to live-streaming games on devices.
An eye-popping 23% of the working fans averaged 4 or more hours a day getting in on the men’s hoops action.
Today, it’s even easier for fans to tune into the event due to the March Madness app. The service allows viewers to watch multiple games at once on nearly any mobile device, meaning workers can sneak in time to take a peek at the madness without much effort.
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According to Bureau of Labor data obtained by Action Network, the average worker watching March Madness costs the U.S. economy an estimated $1,801.30. Factoring in the millions upon millions of workers in America, and the sheer number of college basketball fans, that number adds up to the estimated $20 billion lost in productivity.
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The 2025 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament begins on March 18, and concludes in San Antonio for the national championship game on April 7. The women’s tournament commences March 19 and comes to an end on April 6.
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