Greenville, S.C. – Furman's run to a Southern Conference men's basketball championship and NCAA Tournament second round appearance during the 2022-23 season will provide unforgettable memories for Paladin fans for years to come, but the impact of last season's success stretches beyond the hardwood.
According to Nielsen Media Research, a firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theater, films, and newspapers, the Paladins' memorable March run resulted in nearly $41 million in earned media for the university.
TV Brand Value, which identifies the broadcast as advertising value by using audience figures and advertising CPM (refers to the cost of displaying an advertisement one thousand times), estimates Furman's thrilling upset of Virginia in the opening round of the tournament and its loss to eventual national runner-up San Diego State in the second round to be worth more than $28.5 million. Including Furman's regular season games and SoCon Tournament run, the Paladins generated over $29.8 million in TV Brand Value during the 2022-23 campaign.
Nielsen also measures the value of Furman's editorial mentions, verbal mentions on television, and social media exposure during its March Madness success. All told, the research firm estimates the total media value of Furman's run at over $40.3 million.
"We are so proud of the record-breaking accomplishments of our men's basketball program led by head coach
Bob Richey," remarked Jason Donnelly, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics. "Utilizing Furman athletics as an asset, along with NCAA Tournament success, has a transformative impact on Furman University and our key performance indicators. We have seen significant increases in engagement, revenue, fundraising, admissions interest, academic recognition, and national exposure for the University as a whole."
Furman's academic reputation also received recognition during the tournament by capturing the
Inside Higher Ed's 2023 Academic Performance Tournament bracket featuring all 64 schools in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Furman was selected the winner of the bracket based on academic progress rate and graduation success rate. The impact of the Paladins NCAA success reached beyond the classroom and basketball court and into the pop culture landscape with segments highlighting the team and university on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Good Morning America.
"The media exposure from our March run impacted our program, university, and city in ways that are still tangible today," stated Richey. "From the national media attention to the moment in Orlando that everyone affiliated with Furman University was proud to claim as their own, to the ongoing interest in the program and the University since then, this widespread impact has continued to increase the visibility of our great university."
The Paladins, led by SoCon Player of the Year
Jalen Slawson and All-SoCon guard
Mike Bothwell, posted a program-record 28 wins en route to a SoCon regular season title, the school's first SoCon Tournament crown and NCAA Tournament berth since 1980, and the second NCAA Tournament victory in school history. During the Paladins' postseason run in the month of March, Furman experienced a 930% increase in mentions on X (formerly Twitter), an 800% increase in Facebook visits, and 258% increase in followers on Instagram. Combined, the school's @FurmanPaladins social media accounts have seen over three million impressions since the beginning of March.
Furman, which returns seven of its top nine scorers from last season and was selected as the preseason favorite to repeat as SoCon champions, is set to open the 2023-24 season at Timmons on Monday, November 6, at 7 p.m. versus North Greenville before entertaining perennial mid-major power Belmont on Friday, November 10. The best way to ensure great seats for this year and beyond for the future of Furman men's basketball is by securing season tickets today. You can view current season ticket availability by
clicking here.
