College sports fans are their own breed, and it’s a fact sponsors took to heart during the 2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four Tournament weekend in San Antonio, TX, with activations designed to place attendees at center-court.
From April 4-7, across the official Final Four Fan Fest presented by Capital One at the Henry B. González Convention Center; the March Madness Music Festival presented by AT&T, Coca-Cola and Capital One at Tower Park; the Men’s Final Four Dribble presented by Buick at Travis Park; and other fan-centric events around the city, brands gave die-hard college hoops fans plenty of chances to become a part of the action. Check out a roundup of some of the top activations below.
AT&T
AT&T maintained its annual widespread presence at this year’s Final Four with fan activations at multiple events. Over at Fan Fest, the AT&T Fan Zone once again blended sports and technology, giving attendees a chance to design their dream basketball court using AI, and to compete in the Tournament of Dreams AI-powered basketball game for a chance to win brand swag. Visitors were also able to meet and take photos with NCAA coaches and former players at the AT&T Blue Basketball Wall. Plus, to support the South Texas Business Partnership and Compudopt, for every basket made, AT&T donated $10.
And at the March Madness Music Festival, the AT&T Block Party on April 4 offered a lounge space to enjoy live music by artists like Pitbull and Doechii. To underscore that it’s all about speed, AT&T let customers “connect” to an expedited entry through the AT&T Fast Lane by flashing the AT&T icon on their phone screen. (Agency: Wasserman)
Photo credit: Jenna Fernandez/Aesthetic Digital Media
Dove Men+Care
Dove Men+Care served as the official personal care partner of the 2025 Men’s Final Four, and appeared throughout the tournament, including at Fan Fest, to tout the benefits of its deodorant and skin cleansing products for men.
To amplify the messaging around its Care Changes Everything campaign, which promotes self-care, the brand additionally partnered with 10 creators to help showcase the tourney through the lens of care and community. During a five-day trip to San Antonio, the influencers took part in a series of experiences that put Dove Men+Care products “to the test,” including VIP high-intensity workouts and spa treatments, visits to the Fan Fest activation and in-arena game experiences, and a private brunch with Grant Hill, and meet-and-greet with Shaquille O’Neal.
Hershey
The Hershey Company connected with fans with an assist from brand ambassador Shaquille O’Neal, who made his way through several sponsor experiences this year. On April 3 at the NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Tournament, Hershey teamed up with San Antonio-based Operation Homefront to support the nonprofit, which serves ill or injured military veterans and their families—a cause close to O’Neal’s heart.
Then beginning April 4 at Fan Fest, Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies, the Official Gummy of March Madness, was in the spotlight. Attendees could enjoy sampling, giveaways and on-court game breaks anchored by interactive fan experiences. And the free Reese’s College All-Star Game on April 4 gave the company another chance to connect with fans IRL.
Invesco QQQ
Invesco QQQ, the Official ETF of the NCAA, returned to the Final Four with its Innovation Arena activation that debuted in 2024. The tech-forward experience placed fans in the shoes of March Madness players, and included sideline coaching from the holographic form of former WNBA star Candace Parker. Upgraded stats-tracking was also part of the interactive experience.
Beyond the convention center, on April 6, as part of the NCAA’s Men’s Final Four Talks, Invesco QQQ hosted a conversation about financial experiences and lessons learned for student-athletes from NCAA host universities and schools in the surrounding San Antonio area. (Agency: 160over90)
Photos: Courtesy of Invesco QQQ
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy hedged its bets on game-day rituals at the Final Four, offering Bonvoy members access to services traditionally associated with basketball culture (think: complimentary sneaker cleaning and fun shoe charms and laces), all from the comfort of a stylish lounge space.
In addition, the global company’s portfolio of hotel brands launched a Points for Points campaign to reward 134 lucky Marriott Bonvoy members for every point scored during this year’s men’s and women’s DI basketball tourneys. Points could be redeemed for several exclusive Marriott Bonvoy Moments experiential packages, including a behind-the-scenes stadium tour and access to game practices, on top of a sweepstakes that rewarded winners with courtside tickets to the Women’s Final Four. (Agency: 160over90)
Photos: Courtesy of Marriott Bonvoy
Mondelēz Brands
Mondelēz unleashed a number of its brands for the men’s tournament, with Ritz, Oreo, Chips Ahoy! and Wheat Thins all taking up real estate at Fan Fest. In addition to sampling complimentary Ritz Toasted Chips, Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookies and Blondie Baked Bites, and belVita Banana Energy Bites, attendees were invited to shoot their shot for a chance to score premium giveaways, including inside Ritz’s footprint, where fans tried out the brand’s dedicated Toasted Chip hoop.
Pizza Hut
Forget player appearances—the star of Pizza Hut’s Men’s Final Four programming was its new mascot Hutty, a “second-screen companion” designed to enhance the game, keep fans connected and serve up rewards throughout the tournament. Essentially, as consumers are scrolling through their phones while watching games, Hutty offers real-time reactions, hot takes and exclusive Pizza Hut discounts and product drops in an effort to create an interactive, community-driven digital experience.
For his IRL debut, Hutty was on-site at Pizza Hut’s Fan Fest activation, interacting with attendees, shooting hoops and encouraging fans to sign up for a chance to win free pizza for a year.
The Home Depot
Attendees at both the Men’s and Women’s Final Four fan fests were invited into Shaquille O’Neal’s “Tool Shaq,” which anchored The Home Depot’s expansive footprint at the convention center. Visitors were in for some DIY fun and interactive moments with a range of touchpoints.
Top engagements spanned holograms of Shaq and WNBA player Sabrina Ionescu welcoming fans into the space, commemorative magnets attendees could decorate using BEHR paint and scan to see them “painted” live on-screen in the space; a garden-themed whack-a-mole game dubbed “Shaq-A-Mole” that showed fans how to protect their lawns and gardens; a “Spread the Floor” hoops competition presented by Scotts that had fans contending for “Phil the Bucket” hats, arm sleeves and Home Depot gift cards; and a colorful, larger-than-life Seed Bracket installation that was updated in real-time as the final two teams were determined.
But wait, there’s more. Outdoors at the Tip-Off Tailgate presented by Nissan, The Home Depot Dunk Bucket gave fans an opportunity to slam-dunk over a giant Home Depot Bucket, and walk away with a slow-motion highlight video for social sharing. (Agency: Octagon)
Photos: Courtesy of The Home Depot
Wendy’s
Wendy’s set up shop outdoors at the Tip-Off Tailgate with a basketball court-themed footprint and “Frozen Sucks” messaging that touted the brand’s fresh burgers. The highlight of the activation was a giant hamburger ice sculpture that fans were invited to smash with an ice pick (while wearing a protective helmet), making for some solid social media content.
Werner’s
The net-cutting ceremonies that have become a cherished NCAA Men’s & Women’s Final Four tradition were supported once again this year by ladder manufacturer Werner’s, which builds exclusive podium ladders specifically for the NCAA regional and national championship games.
For 2025, Werner’s encouraged fans to become part of the net-cutting tradition on the brand’s experiential “ladder tour,” which hit select events in NCAA host cities ahead of the championships. Attendees who stopped by could snap photos while standing atop the Podium Ladders, and enter to win memorabilia through a social media sweepstakes.
