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When the top four seeds reached the Final Four last year, bracket creators and college basketball fans alike declared March Madness dead thanks to NIL.
But one expert, Jay Bilas, doesn’t believe in that idea.
“I’m not sure there’s enough data, because we live in a world where one data point automatically creates a trend,” the former Duke star turned ESPN analyst said in a recent interview with Pak Gazette Digital.
“And I’ll give you an example. A few years ago, San Diego State and Florida Atlantic made it to the Final Four, and San Diego State made it to the championship game. And the narrative was, ‘The world is flat, NIL has made everyone equal. Anyone can win. There’s complete parity in college sports now.’ And a couple of years later, we got the four No. 1 seeds to make it, and the narrative was, ‘Cinderella is dead.’ sport is ruined…’
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ESPN College GameDay host Jay Bilas prepares to broadcast before the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 1, 2025, in Durham, North Carolina. (Lance King/Getty Images)
“Each of these tournaments is different. And I repeat, a fact does not set a trend. This is a sport in the rearview mirror. People complain afterwards. They like it when it happens, but they complain afterwards.”
Bilas also noted that the four number one seeds reached the Final Four in 2008, almost 13 years before the NIL existed.
So while some may think NIL has ruined the tournament, Bilas believes that couldn’t be further from the truth and will enjoy it with an ice-cold Garage Beer, founded by Travis and Jason Kelce.
“I like beer and garages,” Bilas joked, adding that the Kelce brothers are a key reason why he wanted to be a spokesperson for the drink this March Madness. “I probably shouldn’t talk about how much I like beer, but I like beer and I like Garage Beer. And there’s nothing better than tournament time, and those two things go very well together. I try to avoid it when I’m on the air, but I’m like everyone else: When there’s a good game, I like to open one.”
General view of the “March Madness” logo during First Four practice at UD Arena. (Images by Rick Osentoski-Imagn)
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Bilas also called out the hypocrisy among commentators and fans that loyalty has been lost as the transfer portal has become more popular than ever.
“When you couldn’t leave, was that called loyalty or was there just no other option? And I like living in a world where an under-recruited player out of high school has to go somewhere they didn’t aspire to, and prove themselves so much better than that. Are they required to stay there for their entire college experience when they can jump onto the biggest stage and show what they can do? And everyone knows who they are,” Bilas said.
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“I mean, coaches do it when a team from a smaller school is doing very well, the coach comes to the bigger school, but the players can’t. I mean, I like that they’re allowed to do that. And if we want them to stay, then sign them to a long-term contract, where it’s the player’s decision and the school’s decision for them to stay.”
Bilas cherry-picked the Final Four last year, but is hoping for some parity this year in what may be one of the most memorable tournaments.
A general view of the March Madness logo on center court at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
“People say even in my business there are people who say the sport is broken, but on the court it has never been better,” Bilas said. “The players are better than ever. The game is older now than it was five or six years ago, I think it’s a fabulous product and I think it’s better than ever.”
