March Madness, highlighted by the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments, has become more than just an event that captivates millions of sports fans. It’s a cultural phenomenon that also attracts the nation’s attention away from its work responsibilities.
According to a recent survey, the economic impact of this nationwide distraction is a staggering $20 billion in lost productivity for the U.S. economy, causing real madness for employers forced to deal with the work decline.
Jeremy Locklear, who handles employment-related disputes, warns employees to prepare for the distraction. “Many employees may be hyper-focused on their devices in the coming weeks as their beloved collegiate sports teams gear up for deep tournament runs,” Mr. Locklear said in a company newsletter. “Others may be seeking to score big on sports bets. Regardless of the reason, employers may be faced with employees who are distracted or simply absent from work, which cuts down deliverables.”
The 2025 NCAA men’s tournament began with “First Four” games on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the highly anticipated first-round games beginning at noon on Thursday and Friday. With the majority of these early matchups falling during regular business hours, distractions for college basketball fans were unavoidable.
Employers were likely finding employees checking scores obsessively, participating in office pools, or sneaking in some extra screen time to catch the action of their alma mater or hometown team. The attention will only intensify as the tournament progresses, though the Elite Eight and Final Four will be played during prime time or on weekends.
A survey released by the Action Network illustrated the enormity of the issue. Conducted between February 20 and February 26, it questioned 3,000 full-time employees who are college basketball fans. The results were eye-opening.
The survey showed that, on average, each employee loses $1,801.30 in productivity during the tournament. Furthermore, 40 percent of fans surveyed admitted to calling in sick at least once during March Madness to ensure they didn’t miss the action.
In total, more than 11 million employees are expected to spend significant amounts of time watching the tournament during work.
The factors behind the dip in work productivity during March Madness are numerous. The emergence of legalized sports gambling offers fans more incentive to monitor the progress of games. An estimated $3.1 billion is expected to be legally wagered on this year’s men’s and women’s tournaments. Employees can not only track their favorite teams but also their wagers and parlays that could involve multiple teams and multiple games.
Following games is also much easier through livestreaming on cellphones, and live updates on social media. Every bracket-busting moment is delivered through instant notification. Every upset becomes a must-see video on social media.
It is easy to take sneak peeks instead of getting work done, and it’s happening constantly. Numbers don’t lie: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each lost hour of productivity costs the U.S. economy $107.22. The survey reported by the Action Network showed that 23 percent of working fans averaged four or more hours a day watching the tournament in some fashion. This doesn’t include an additional 2.4 hours a day doing such things as checking scores, bracket updates, and updated news.
While following March Madness can be fun and exciting, the toll on productivity is undeniable. Between calling in sick or spending half the day watching tournament coverage, work productivity in the United States will take a hit through the crowning of the women’s champion on April 6 and the men’s champion on April 7.
Mr. Locklear advises companies to anticipate the distractions that come with March Madness. He said they should consider ways “to keep employees engaged in the work tasks, while also boosting morale during this exciting time of year.”
Companies should also have policies in place, he said: “A sports betting policy can cover what sort of betting activities are acceptable in the workplace.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
