What’s the $ impact of UNCW being in NCAA Tournament?

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The UNCW Seahawks will play Duke in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Division 1 Tournament on Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s the first appearance in the event for the Seahawks since 2006.
Winning the CAA Tournament a week ago brought a fair amount of attention to the university, but it pales in comparison to the attention the school will get this week for playing against Duke in the NCAA Tournament.

WWAY’s John Rendleman caught up with UNCW A.D. Jimmy Bass on Monday.

WWAY’s John Rendleman: “What is the economic impact and the publicity impact of UNCW being in the big dance?”

Jimmy Bass: “We can not put a dollar value on the national publicity we’re getting right now from all of the networks, from the networks following March Madness. Obviously it’s been ten years since we’ve been in the tournament. The visibility will help with inquiries about admissions to UNCW and we hope down the road that it will mean more financial support for the university not just in athletics certainly, but in other areas too with Cameron School of Business, nursing and all the great academic programs we have here.”

“If the Seahawks win on Thursday it’ll be magnified five fold or ten fold with a win over the Blue Devils.”

“No doubt. It’ll go from 64 competing down to 32 and that is even more exposure and more visibility. Everything that is good about UNCW we are putting our best foot forward this week.”