The document discusses Florida Gulf Coast University's improbable run in the 2013 NCAA men's basketball tournament as the first 15 seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen. It compares FGCU's young athletic program and smaller student body and budget to the University of Florida's long-established basketball tradition. The document also examines other "Cinderella" lower-seeded teams that have had deep tournament runs and the increased applications, donations, and ticket sales, known as the "Cinderella Effect," that can result for their universities.

1. Once upon a time, there was...
...in March.
George MasonButler VCU
Admissions
Increase
Athletic
Donations
Season
Ticket Sales
41%
45%
25%
20%
67%
27%
22%
25%
100%
The Perfect Bracket
The odds of filling out a perfect bracket were a staggering
1 in 9.2 quintillion.
That's 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 if you're not into the whole rounding thing.
For NCAA basketball aficionados, the odds increased to
1 in 128,000,000,000.
How big is that?
You’d have a better chance of hitting four holes-in-one in a single round of golf.
You could travel to the edge of our solar system
and back 9.9 billion times.
The End
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2297246/NCAA-bracket-predictions-2013-
Professor-says-1-9-QUINTILLION-chance-getting-picks-right.html
www.geekosystem.com/odds-of-perfect-bracket/
www.freep.com/article/20120313/SPORTS08/120313043/ncaa-tournament-
perfect-bracket
www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/03/19/ncaa-tournament-perfect-
bracket-odds-quintillion/1999795/
www.lostlettermen.com/larranaga-will-haunt-gmus-ad-forever/
www.espn.go.com/blog/playbook/dollars/post/_/id/460/tournament-pays-
handsomely-for-schools
www.espn.go.com/blog/playbook/dollars/post/_/id/3222/how-fgcus-run-
can-benefit-admissions
www.eagle.gmu.edu/newsroom/591/
www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/region_focus/2011/q2/pdf/
upfront.pdf
www.nytimes.com/2006/12/09/sports/09mason.html
www.butlersports.com/releases/nacma-awards2011
www.espn.go.com/blog/playbook/dollars/post/_/id/3217/stubhub-says-
advantage-louisville
activ8social.com // @activ8social // facebook.com/Activ8Social
Cinderella Stories
FGCU vs. UF: In State Rivalry
Florida Gulf Coast was the first 15-seeded team to advance to the
Sweet Sixteen. Their March Madness run ended in Texas where the
Eagles were defeated by the Florida Gators 60-52 on Friday, March 29.
48,785$8,474,783 12,000
UF #3
est. 1853
Student Body Arena SeatingB–ball Expenses
8,000$1,098,569 4,500
FGCU #15
est. 1991
Villanova #8
1985
Butler #5 + #8
2010 + 2011
Mizzou #12
2002
Temple Owls #11
2001
Loyola Marymount #11
1990
Cleveland State #14
1986
Chattanooga #14
1997
FGCU #15
2013
National
Champion
National
Championship
Elite 8
Sweet 16
Final Four
LSU #11
1986
GMU #11
2006
VCU #11
2011
The Cinderella Effect
The Cinderella Effect (n.) - the dramatic increase in student
applications, athletic donations, and season ticket sales as a result of
an underdog school’s advancement in the NCAA tournament.
Historically more #12 seeds have
2nd round wins than #11 seeds with
a winning percentage of 48.8%.
2013 was the only year to have 3 teams
seeded 12 or lower in the Sweet 16:
Oregon #12, LaSalle #13 & FGCU #15
1991 & 2013 had at least 1 team
of every seed (except #16’s)
advance to the Round of 32.
Butler is the only team to make
consecutive Final Fours while not being
a #1 or #2 seed either time.
FGCU: 596 days UF: 80 years
Full NCAA
Division 1 Eligibility