MARCH MADNESS IS HERE!
One of our favorite times of the year is here! We love to explore the business behind the tournament, the cinderella stories, the new technology and the effect on our organizations. Take a look at some stories that we find interesting and our CEO's take on this time of year.
Betting on March Madness is NOW LEGAL for the first time in the Tournament's History

Last May the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal law that had confined legal sportsbooks to Nevada. Since then seven more states have begun to allow betting [including PA], and a couple dozen others are considering it. 

Nationwide, operators’ revenue could reach $6.5 billion by 2023, according to researcher Eilers & Krejcik Gaming. Bettors in New Jersey, where legalization arrived last June, are already wagering almost $400 million every month.

Every Office Has One...

We all have seen these situations happen during this time of year. Take a look at this compiled list of "The incredibly annoying people that inhabit your office during the NCAA Tournament." Here are 15 of them you will inevitably see once the games tip off.

*This article does contain mild forms of inappropriate language

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A New Study Shows the Tournament has a Positive Influence on Employee Morale
In new research from global staffing firm Robert Half, 72 percent of senior managers said college basketball tournament activities have a positive impact on staff morale. More than half of survey respondents (52 percent) also see productivity benefits.

In key survey findings, 75% of employers said they organize activities around sporting events like March Madness, with friendly competitions and invitations to wear team apparel the most common.

Companies in Des Moines, Iowa; Austin, Texas; Chicago; and Indianapolis were the biggest sports celebrators, while those in Boston, San Francisco and Pittsburgh were most likely to pass on celebrating .

Stealing Cinderella?
We don’t know quite how the NCAA tournament selection committee’s new team ranking formula is computed. That’s because they won’t tell anyone.

But evidence is piling up that the new NCAA Evaluation Tool, known by its acronym the NET, is wildly skewed in favor of power-conference teams compared with the old system, the Rating Percentage Index. Think of the NET as an exclusive men’s club that examines your personal wealth before deciding on your viability for admittance through its gate.

Just [Don't] Do It?
According to several attorneys, Zion Williamson has a clear case against several parties involved, and, depending on what contracts are at play, Duke could have claims as well. But damages could prove to be a high hurdle for any potential plaintiff to surmount.

Who Invented the March Madness Pool?

For almost half a century, American college basketball fans have spent innumerable hours poring over their NCAA March Madness brackets in an attempt to win cash and bragging rights over their co-workers. The tradition is tightly woven into the fabric of American culture, but its threads are tangled. For all their cultural significance, the official inventors of the March Madness office pool have never been honored for their contribution. What’s even stranger is that the people who probably did invent it haven’t bothered to fight for the title.

Over the years, only two parties have stepped forth as inventors of the college basketball pool.


Dave Baker's Take:
That being said, somewhere in the next few weeks we’re also going to witness a real live Cinderella. It might be a female or it might be a male – but there’s one honestly laboring in the shadows right now as we go about our daily lives. You see, it’s time for the big dance – it’s MARCH MADNESS!!!