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Productivity impact
The Estimated Cost of March Madness at Work
A simple estimate of how time spent following games during the workday can add up across the U.S.
$13.1B
Estimated productivity lost during March Madness, based on self-reported daily time spent following the tournament.
Estimated total
1.5 hrs/day
average time workers spend following March Madness
10.5 hrs
over 7 weekday game days (1.5 × 7)
$107.22/hr
estimated productivity value per hour (BLS)
11.6M
estimated active workers following March Madness
Estimation method
10.5 hours × $107.22 × 11.6M workers ≈ $13.1B
$1,125
estimated cost per worker
Source: Action Network survey of 3,000+ U.S. workers. Percentages rounded. Productivity value per hour uses U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics output-per-hour as a proxy. “11.6M workers” scales survey results to the U.S. workforce and adjusts for typical vacation/sick absence.
