140K Attended April 1-3 NCAA Men’s Final Four Tournament Games in N.O.

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans tourism boosters often cite the positive economic impact of major festivals and events in the city. Here, from the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, are some metrics that tell the story of the April 1-3 NCAA Men’s Final Four basketball tournament:

  • 140,025 attended the Men’s Final Four on Saturday and Monday. 70,602 basketball fans came to the Caesars Superdome for the semifinal games on Saturday, April 2. 69,423 fans attended the National Championship game on Monday, April 4.
  • 149,278 fans attended the tournament’s many ancillary events over the weekend
  • 36.2 million viewers tuned into the games on CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV. The UNC-Duke Final Four National Semifinal matchup, featuring the final game of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, averaged 18.5 million viewers. That makes it the second-most watched college basketball game in cable TV history.
  • 36.8 million social media engagements were generated on March Madness men’s basketball social channels during the tournament, up 58% vs. 2021.
  • More than 4,000 pounds of popcorn were consumed during the Men’s Final Four semifinal and championship games. Meanwhile, 3,000 Hurricanes were sold at Pat O’ Brien’s on Bourbon Street over the weekend. 

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