Why You Suddenly Care About March Madness

Summary

All Of It: Why You Suddenly Care About March Madness
Hosted by David Fuerst in place of Alison Stewart
Release Date: March 24, 2025
WNYC

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Introduction

In this episode of All Of It, hosted by David Fuerst, the focus shifts to the cultural phenomenon of March Madness. With the tournament in full swing, the discussion delves into why this college basketball event captivates not only sports enthusiasts but also a broader audience. Joining David is Priya Desai, a seasoned sports reporter, who provides insights into the tournament's impact, standout performances, and the evolving landscape of college basketball.

Current State of March Madness

David opens the conversation by highlighting the widespread distraction that March Madness brings, even infiltrating workplaces. He shares a personal anecdote about attending a Zoom meeting while watching the intense Baylor vs. Mississippi State game, humorously lamenting the impact on his bracket predictions (00:37).

Priya Desai adds context by discussing the unexpected exits and triumphs within the tournament. She mentions St. John’s University's men's team, led by second-year coach Rick Pitino, which saw a disappointing loss to Arkansas despite a stellar regular season and Big East tournament victory (02:13). Priya expresses her admiration for the team's performance, noting the excitement it brings to fans and the heartbreaking end.

Cultural Impact of March Madness

The conversation transitions to the broader cultural significance of March Madness. David emphasizes how the tournament engages people who might not typically follow sports, turning casual observers into passionate fans. Priya concurs, highlighting that even non-sports individuals find March Madness enjoyable due to the underdog stories and emotional moments that resonate on a personal level (04:04).

Notable Quote:
"March Madness is really fun to follow. You just, you get to see a couple of underdogs and you see real emotion." — Priya Desai (04:04)

Highlighting Standout Teams and Players

UConn’s Dominance: Priya discusses the performance of UConn’s teams, both men’s and women’s. While the men faced a narrow loss to Florida, the women are advancing robustly, backed by star player Paige Beckers, who is poised to be the number one pick in the WNBA draft (03:06).

Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville (SIUE): Priya highlights SIUE’s first-ever bid to the tournament as a significant achievement, despite their loss to Houston. This milestone exemplifies the thrilling nature of March Madness, where smaller programs get their moment in the spotlight (04:04).

Notable Quote:
"They got completely trounced by Houston, but still you gotta make it through to the big dance. That's such a thrilling thing to see." — Priya Desai (04:04)

Engagement and Viewer Participation

David encourages listeners to share their experiences and opinions on March Madness, inviting them to call or text the show. Various callers contribute personal stories and preferences, enriching the discussion with diverse perspectives.

Caller Highlight – Charlie from Sunnyside:
Charlie shares his excitement for Ole Miss’s teams advancing to the Sweet Sixteen and reminisces about a buzzer-beater shot from 1998, emphasizing the deep emotional connections fans have with the tournament (06:29).

Notable Quote:
"I was watching the Valparaiso versus Ole Miss Buzzer beater that is now known as the Shot... I still have not gotten over that." — Charlie (06:40)

NIL Deals and the Changing Landscape of College Basketball

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals on college basketball. Priya explains how NIL agreements have transformed the sport, allowing players to monetize their fame and leading to increased media presence for both men's and women's teams. This shift has fostered greater fan engagement and introduced independent player support.

Notable Quote:
"Students are now considered employees and they can get NIL money. And that has changed everything." — Priya Desai (10:05)

David and Priya debate the challenges of building cohesive teams in this new environment, with Priya emphasizing the difficulty of maintaining chemistry despite the influx of talent and financial incentives.

Notable Quote:
"It's very difficult to put together the chemistry that is a winning team." — Priya Desai (17:36)

Emotional and Personal Stories

Listeners share heartfelt stories that underscore the emotional weight of March Madness:

• A veteran theater teacher finds inspiration in the UConn women’s team, highlighting the motivational aspect of the tournament (13:35).
• A caller recounts how watching the University of North Carolina and sharing a year with Michael Jordan converted them into lifelong basketball fans, illustrating the lasting impact of meaningful sporting experiences (14:36).

Notable Quote:
"It's the nostalgia wrapped up in college basketball, especially how it relates to Chapel Hill, as this person says, is extraordinary." — Priya Desai (14:52)

Local Favorites and Community Engagement

David and Priya discuss local traditions and community involvement, such as Beekman Ale House’s unique March Madness pizza bracket, which engages patrons by having them vote on their favorite pizzas in a playful competition (19:09).

Notable Quote:
"It's pepperonis. And I forget, you know, we actually ordered the vodka slice with chicken cutlet on it and wished we had gotten the bodega cat." — Charlie (19:49)

Division III Spotlight

Priya shines a light on the often-overlooked Division III tournaments, particularly celebrating NYU’s men’s and women’s teams' appearances in the national championships. She emphasizes the dedication of Division III athletes who compete without the allure of scholarships, showcasing pure passion for the game (12:48).

Notable Quote:
"Players that really love the game and really love the student athlete part of college. And I think it was a really sweet story to follow." — Priya Desai (13:35)

Final Predictions and Wrap-Up

As the episode draws to a close, Priya predicts Houston’s teams as likely champions, balancing confidence with humor about her own bracket’s success (22:05). The show wraps up with acknowledgments to contributors and a final call for listener engagement.

Notable Quote:
"Houston, both sides here, women and the women's [team] are tough. I think South Carolina, but if they get matched up with UConn, it's going to be a really, really tough game." — Priya Desai (22:05)

Conclusion

This episode of All Of It masterfully captures the multifaceted allure of March Madness, exploring its cultural resonance, emotional depth, and the evolving dynamics of college basketball in the era of NIL deals. Through expert insights, listener stories, and vibrant discussions, the show underscores why March Madness commands such widespread attention and becomes a shared cultural experience.

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Transcript Annotations

• [00:37] David Fuerst discusses his multitasking between work and watching Baylor vs. Mississippi State.
• [02:13] Priya Desai reflects on St. John’s University's season and their tournament exit.
• [04:04] Priya comments on SIUE’s first tournament bid and the emotional aspects of March Madness.
• [03:06] Priya talks about UConn women’s team and Paige Beckers.
• [06:40] Caller Charlie shares his excitement for Ole Miss teams and a memorable buzzer-beater.
• [10:05] Priya explains the impact of NIL deals on college basketball.
• [17:36] Priya discusses the challenges of team chemistry in the NIL era.
• [13:35] Priya highlights NYU’s Division III teams' achievements.
• [19:09] Caller Keith promotes Beekman Ale House’s pizza March Madness bracket.
• [21:23] Caller Artemis introduces Basket Dolls, an all trans women basketball league.
• [22:05] Priya offers her predictions for the tournament’s outcome.

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Note: The timestamps correspond to the podcast transcript provided and are included to reference specific moments and quotes within the summary.

Transcript

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[Priya Desai]

Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[David Fuerst]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm David Fuerst in for Alison Stewart who is on vacation. And this week many of us are mentally out of the office because March Madness is underway. It is that three week period when 128 college basketball teams, 64 men, 64 women, vie for a national championship. And I'm not going to name names, but I will say that a casual walk around the station in recent days has revealed that many of us are working while also trying to keep an eye on the games. I will admit to being on a zoom meeting on Friday while simultaneously watching Baylor vs. Mississippi State. And it was, it was a nail biter. It didn't end well for my bracket, I will tell you. Anyway, one of the fascinating things about March Madness is the way it has become a cultural phenomenon, sucking in people who don't usually pay much attention to sports. Here now to talk about it and to take your calls is sports reporter Priya Desai. Priya, welcome back to wnyc.

[Priya Desai]

Thank you for having me.

[David Fuerst]

And before we get to the cultural impact of it all, let's talk about where things stand. And it is so great that we can have you on right now so that we can talk about St. John's moving on to the Sweet Sixteen after a triumphant weekend. Oh yeah, that didn't happen.

[Priya Desai]

It didn't happen. You almost got me there.

[David Fuerst]

Things did not end well for the St. John's University men's team on Saturday. After an incredible regular season and winning the Big east tournament, the Red Storm fell to Arkansas in the second round on Saturday. But what a year for the team and second year coach Rick Pitino.

[Priya Desai]

You know, it was such a fun team to watch and it was such a sad, sad loss. I think that, I mean, they were probably, they busted a lot of brackets. Did they bust yours? Rumor is you're a big, you're the bracket expert in the office.

[David Fuerst]

That is a dirty lie. I got lucky last year. But yeah, no, my bracket has busted in a lot of different directions. Not just because of St. John's same.

[Priya Desai]

And I think a lot of St. John's fans are at least excited to have this now big time basketball program because it's been a while and it did end in heartache, but it was a really fun run to watch.

[David Fuerst]

Incredibly fun. And meanwhile, the UConn men's team champions for the last two years. They lost a heartbreaker to the Florida Gators. The UConn women are moving on.

[Priya Desai]

Oh, the UConn women are moving on.

[David Fuerst]

It was kind of an easy win.

[Priya Desai]

Absolutely. Look, I have them in my finals against South Carolina. Not only are they, have they always been a fun team to watch, they have a really great player in Paige Beckers who's probably going to be the number one overall pick in the WNBA draft. So it's like so much, so much exciting times for UConn. And I loved, I love to see it.

[David Fuerst]

Well, listeners, we want to hear from you as well. Are you a new convert to March Madness and college basketball tournaments? If so, why? How did you get interested? Give us a call at 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. You can also text us at that number. Let us know what you're watching. What you were surprised by the beginning of the tournament? You know, we usually see some upsets and surprises. Priya, looking back on the weekend, what's the latest? What, what were the biggest surprises for you?

[Priya Desai]

I think unfortunately, the St. John's one was, was the biggest surprise. There weren't a ton of Cinderella stories, which is like always my favorite part of this. There were a couple of, there was the largest Cinderella story was probably this small program called siue. Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. Am I from Edwardsville? I may be not biased, but when I saw that they got their first bid ever in the history of the school, it was just, that was really nice to see. I mean, they got completely trounced on by Houston, but still, you gotta make it. You know, you made it through to the big dance. That's such a thrilling thing to see. And I think that's why even for non sports people, March Madness is really fun to follow. Cause you just, you get to see a couple of underdogs and you see real emotion. I mean, Dan Hurley was in tears in the interview room after that loss. UConn's coach, UConn's coach was in tears. And it's just, it's so intense and it's so, it's like it's college. And I think for some people also they get a little bit of nostalgia from your college years.

[David Fuerst]

And you have that feeling at the end of the game too, where for the seniors and for a lot of the people who are gonna be moving on, it's their last if they lose.

[Priya Desai]

Yeah.

[David Fuerst]

So there's a lot of emotion in.

[Priya Desai]

That moment, seeing grown man cry. And you know what? Nothing wrong with that. We all have emotions.

[David Fuerst]

If you want to join the conversation, share your emotions. 212-433-9692 and what do you think are the favorites? Still the favorites? Who do you see going all the.

[Priya Desai]

Way here for men's? I actually now I fill out like three or four brackets to be honest. Michigan and Houston. Now Houston is a big time basketball program that I feel like doesn't get a ton of respect. So I have them in my final. Michigan, big surprise that they even made the tournament. So super excited for them. Although their football team won a national championship a couple years ago. So it's like stop being selfish. I think a really cool thing I will mention about the women's tournament this year is that they are getting a piece of the media rights deals for the first time in the history of women's basketball. The men's, men's teams, once you make a deep run into the sweet 16 and beyond, they get part of the money. It's called a unit. But this is the first time that the women's team is getting some of that money too from the ncaa. So it's a huge win for the women's.

[David Fuerst]

And we're going to take a call if you want to join the conversation. 212-433-9692 Charlie in Sunnyside. Welcome to all of it.

[Charlie]

Hey, thank you so much for taking my call. I just want to shout out both Ole Miss basketball teams, the men and the women's both have moved on to the sweet 16. I think it's going to be a big year for both. Hopefully we move on to the elite eight. Also want to reference, I think it was 1998. I was nine years old. I was watching the Valparaiso versus Ole Ms. Buzzer beater that is now known as the Shot. And speaking of emotions and trauma from past NCAA brackets, I still have not gotten over that. So I really hope that Ole Miss goes through to at least the Final Four. And I'm from Oxford, Mississippi originally.

[David Fuerst]

So hottie Toddy Charlie, I am right there with you on last shots. I went to Syracuse when we lost in the finals to Indiana. But that we're not going to talk any more about that. We're moving on also because I'm from.

[Priya Desai]

Indiana so I went to Indiana University.

[David Fuerst]

So this conversation is over. Charlie, thank you so much for joining. And speaking of buzzer beaters, I thought we were going to, you know. You know, I was just going to say yesterday, we haven't had any of those classic buzzer beaters this year. And then we saw the end of the Maryland, Colorado State game. Holy cow. That was an absolute classic March Madness finish.

[Priya Desai]

And then when you watch those kind of shots, like, you're just so excited, even if you didn't go to any of those schools. And again, that's like, my favorite part of supposedly being at work, but then also having a TV on and crouched around someone's desk and watching all those games.

[David Fuerst]

Yeah, right. Those moments of being crouching around. Have we lost a lot of those moments as a lot of us are working.

[Priya Desai]

Working from home.

[David Fuerst]

From home.

[Priya Desai]

I was curious, right? Like, I'm old school. I love in office. Everyone around me is probably like, no, we don't want to be in office. I like in office for these kind of moments. And I'm wondering if. Yes. Are they happening as much anymore now that we're all at home? Like, how are people watching games, whether it's just them and their Zoom meetings?

[David Fuerst]

Right. I mean, yeah, I was caught during my Zoom meeting peering over the camera. So, yes. You know, I know it feels in these moments like everyone is watching, but is college basketball more popular these days, or has the NCAA just found ways to make us think that it is? The tournament always gets this huge burst of attention, but there are fewer people that seem to be paying attention during the regular season, at least to the men's game.

[Priya Desai]

I would say if they're not watching during the regular season, we have a lot more watching during these tournaments for two big reasons. Nil. So you're seeing a lot of these players out and about in Allstate commercials. Oh, there's Allstate commercials. You see them everywhere. They're doing a lot more. National media, especially, like, the women's program, has gotten so much attention because of these NIL deals. So people from, you know, Illinois and New York. No. Juju Watkins, a player from usc, because she's everywhere now that they're allowed to do nil. So I think you're gonna get a lot more independent player fans because of NIL deals.

[David Fuerst]

All right, if you want to send us a text or give us a call. 212-433-9692. We have a text. Someone writing in to say, my father played for the Kentucky Wildcats in the late 50s and I have never missed a tournament. Kentucky's coach made history yesterday when he took a team to the sweet 16 that didn't have a single player from last year's roster.

[Priya Desai]

That is really tough to do as a coach. So I was quite shocked. Again, not in my bracket, so kind of a little upset about that. But, yeah, I would have to say if you look, if you want to Compare it to St. John's you had a coach Pitino brought over a player over from his Iona team. He, last season did, you know, made it, but not really far enough. And this year, they kind of all cohesively got together, still kind of fell apart towards the end, I think, because they're still very young and they still need time to gel. So to see a Kentucky team do that, I need to know their secrets. I think every boss right now wants to know, how did you make that happen?

[David Fuerst]

It's so hard to do the way the game is these days, right?

[Priya Desai]

Yeah, absolutely.

[David Fuerst]

Year to year. Well, if you would like to, we have to take a very quick break. We'll get right back to this conversation. If you want to join in, send us a text. We have a text right now, someone saying, if you're reminiscing, my alma mater is St. Peter's that's from John from Fanwood. Thank you, John. If you would like to send a text or give us a call again, the number is 212-433-9692. This is all of It on WNYC. This is all of It on wNYC. I'm David Fuerst in for Alison Stewart, and we are talking about the cultural phenomenon known as March Madness with sports writer Priya Desai. If you would like to join this conversation, give us a call. 212-433-9692. Are you following the college basketball tournaments? Or maybe you're waiting for all of this to be finished? Maybe you're waiting for your family members to want to do something, anything else, anything other than this on the weekends. Again, give us a call. 212-433-9692. And Priya, we have a text here. Someone saying, I don't watch March Madness, but I participate in Lent Madness, a fun program of the Episcopal Church in which saints vie for votes against each other until one wins the golden halo each year.

[Priya Desai]

This sounds like a movie. Maybe that's really, that's really cute.

[David Fuerst]

That's very fun. Maybe you come up with some alternate things to do during March Madness every year. Let us know what those are. 212-433-9692 and Priya, they don't get much attention. But I have to quickly mention the Division 3 tournaments and the fact that the NYU Men's and Women's teams both played for national championships on Saturday. And for the second year in a row, the women won. They don't get a lot of big time TV coverage. Right. They're probably not heading off for professional careers in basketball. But what is it like for these college students to have a moment like this?

[Priya Desai]

I think it in some ways is very, like, more special than maybe in some ways being a D1 or D2 player. Because you don't get scholarships in D3. Yes. You don't get a ton of media. Like, we got really excited because it was NYU and it was for the women's two years in a row. But I'm hoping some of them will come out of this maybe with an NI deal, something small. But it's about players that really love the game and really love the student athlete part of college. And I think it was a really sweet story to follow.

[David Fuerst]

And that's something that we can all relate to. A moment like that. We have a text here from someone saying they are a veteran theater teacher and a few years ago, they found the UConn women's team super inspirational.

[Priya Desai]

Well, as far as their back to. Back to back championships, I'm assuming.

[David Fuerst]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, me too. I mean, amazing. Oh, here's another text. This saying, someone saying, I, I was never interested in basketball my whole life until I went to the University of North Carolina. Okay. At Chapel Hill and shared a year with Michael Jordan.

[Priya Desai]

Okay.

[David Fuerst]

Okay. I am to this day now a complete basketball convert. And as your guest alluded to, the nostalgia wrapped up in college basketball, especially how it relates to Chapel Hill, as this person says, is extraordinary. Duke fans can just close their ears during some of those comments. But Duke, Duke can't cry this year. They're having incredible, incredible season.

[Priya Desai]

Look, I can't. I'm trying to not have too much of a bias here, but I really can never, even if I know Duke is going, has a chance of taking it all. I will not put them that far in my bracket. I am a certified Duke hater.

[David Fuerst]

Oh, here we go. All right. Well, there we go. You know, you can call. If you are not a Duke hater, you can call into 212-433-9692. Let's take one of your calls. This Jeff in Brewster, New York. Welcome to all of it.

[Jeff]

Hi. Thank you. I just wanted to say I Think you guys are kind of. You're wrong about how difficult it is to take a brand new team far in the NCAA and the double A tournament. Because with NIL, it's easier than ever. There's no restrictions on transferring anymore. And like for instance, in, in Rick Pitino's case, he was able to buy Teton Hall's best player, you know, Right. He got, he had a donor come in that gave them millions of dollars, literally millions of dollars. There's no restrictions on even how much a player can get paid. So players are going to go where the money is.

[Priya Desai]

No, absolutely. I think what, what I was alluding to is the chemistry between all the players. Right. Like you can't, I mean, to be able to do that like right out the gate is pretty impressive. Right. I think that was kind of what we were talking about. But you are absolutely right. The NIL has completely.

[David Fuerst]

Yeah, explain what that means. The NIL maybe.

[Priya Desai]

Name, image and likeness. Look, once upon a time, and Rick Pitino knows about this, if you gave, if someone connected to the university or if anyone gave a player money to go to that school, you get pinged for that. And in Pitino's case, first of all, the FBI was called, which I think everyone forgets, it was only 2017 and they had to vacate a couple of wins. He then got fired and the pay for play stink was all over him. Which is just ironic now because now you can. Through a series of court cases, students are now considered employees and they can get nil money. And that has changed everything.

[David Fuerst]

Still, it's hard to put together the chemistry that is a winning team.

[Priya Desai]

Oh, no, absolutely. I think that it's very difficult. So this is pretty rare to see. I don't, I don't know if it's that common anymore. If I could disagree with your caller.

[David Fuerst]

Yeah, but. And where does St. John's go from here? Yes, they put together, you know, a team in a pretty quick fashion as he was talking about. They finished the regular season ranked number six in the nation. Hugely successful. But, but where do they go from here? How hard is it for a team to get back to that level?

[Priya Desai]

Yeah. And they also were ranked the number one defense in the country, which is why I had them going pretty far. Uh, one, you gotta find some players who can shoot threes successfully. I think that really, really caught up with them. And then it was the layup after layup that they were missing in the last game. I was shocked to see. So did they get nerves, like moving on? Like, I don't know what happened. And as for Pitino, he's not really saying much right now. So after the loss, he wasn't answering questions. He was in true patina fashion, which is, you saw what happened, you tell me what happened, and you're like, no, coach, I'm the journalist. I'm asking you questions. But I don't think he's going to have a lot to say until the tournament is over.

[David Fuerst]

Okay. 212-433-9692. As we consider March Madness, let's hear from Keith in Irvington, New York. Welcome.

[Keith]

Hi. Hi. Yeah, I just wanted to call in and shout out our favorite pizza place in Sleepy Hollow, New York, called Beekman Ale House. It's actually a cozy pub with pizza so good that we will, you know, leave our jobs in Manhattan and hurry home to Westchester, which I couldn't believe I'd ever say to get pizza. I mean, it's some of the best pizza I've ever had. And they do a March Madness bracket for four pizzas. And yes, they're constantly coming up with new ideas.

[David Fuerst]

Do you have to vote on the best on the best pizza?

[Priya Desai]

Is that the way an example of.

[Keith]

You vote with your order?

[Priya Desai]

What's. It's. It's the order.

[Keith]

It's a team. Well, well, they have a bodega cat pie, which is, it's pepperonis. And I forget, you know, we actually ordered the vodka slice with chicken cutlet on it and wished we had gotten the bodega cat. But our favorite piece was the. They come up with a pie of the week every week. And our favorite pie was the papi tulo, which was like mascarpone cheese, red sauce and a pesto sauce. Okay.

[Priya Desai]

I'm starving.

[Keith]

Well, Keith, thin crust, it's amazing.

[David Fuerst]

We will have to check back in with you when this all wraps up to see who takes first in in the in the pizza March Madness there. Can you shout out the name of the place one more time?

[Keith]

Yeah, it's Beekman Ale House and you can check their Instagram to see the current coating for their bracket.

[David Fuerst]

I'm voting for the bodega cat pie for sure. If you want to join the conversation, 212-433-9692. Artemis in Queens. Welcome.

[Artemis]

Hi. Wow, caught the end of a pizza discourse there. I'm into it. I'm hungry.

[David Fuerst]

Are you watching the games?

[Artemis]

I am. You know, I am not super tuned into basketball, but recently I've learned about some friends of mine that are involved in an organization here called Basket Dolls. Which is an all trans women basketball league.

[David Fuerst]

Wow.

[Artemis]

It's for all trans people, but specifically centering trans women doll being a kind of in community term for trans women, if you didn't know. And it is so fabulous. It's so fun. It's so competitive and it's just a really beautiful community event. And in a time when there's so much tension around trans people, especially trans women in sports, it's been a really beautiful space for. Yeah. Trans folks to just play and have fun.

[David Fuerst]

Well, thank you so much for sharing that. And Priya, just as we're wrapping up here, who's gonna win it all? Can you give us a definitive answer?

[Priya Desai]

Houston, both sides here, women and the women's be tough. I think South Carolina, but if they get matched up with UConn, it's going to be a really, really tough game. But they could also be matched up with Notre Dame. I don't know where to go with that one, but I've had my eye on Houston all year.

[David Fuerst]

You're pulling for Houston. I like it. So that's who you want to win it all? Do you think they're going to do it?

[Priya Desai]

Yes, because I need to make some money.

[David Fuerst]

Okay. Well, Priya Desai, thank you very much as we're. Oh, Luke, one of the producers on the show here giving a last shout out for UConn, may have a connection, may have gone to UConn. He's pulling for the women's team. So we'll see how it all works.

[Priya Desai]

In one of my brackets too, I promise.

[David Fuerst]

Okay. Priya Desai, thank you so much for joining us.

[Priya Desai]

Thank you.

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