Ad spots for the women’s NCAA Tournament on ESPN have sold out, it was announced Tuesday.
In total there will be 22 advertisers for the 2022 tournament, 14 of which are NCAA corporate sponsors.
“The spotlight is on women’s sports as hidden gems,” said ESPN Senior VP of Sports Brand Solutions Sean Hanrahan. “Brands are starting to realize that it’s a highly engaged audience with good ratings, so why shouldn’t they be there?”
The tournament tips off on ABC and across ESPN’s networks on March 16 and 17 with four play-in games. The Final Four will take place on April 1 and 3 in Minneapolis.
It’s the first time that the women’s championship will field 68 teams.
Returning as presenting sponsor of the tournament is Capital One. Werner Ladders has secured branding during post-victory net cutdowns, as it has since 2008. Unilever will hold rights to halftime while Target, a Minneapolis-based company, will headline the alternate camera-angle shots.