At NCAA’s March Madness, Music Is a Big Business This Year, Too
By Ethan Millman
Published on March 31, 2026.
The Chainsmokers are set to perform the first-ever "Bridge Show" between the two upcoming Final Four games for the NCAA Men's National Basketball Tournament, a move that reflects a growing presence of music programming at major sporting events. The Bridge Show will air on TBS and is hoped to appeal to casual fans during the games. The annual March Madness Festival, which Turner Sports has produced for over a decade, features a strong lineup including Post Malone, Twenty One Pilots, Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney, Ravyn Lenae, Russell Dickerson and Dominic Fike. Music sponsorship agent CAA, Dave Aussenberg, said the weekend represents "eight figures" in deals. Music is becoming a more prominent buy-in for additional programming for major sports events across the country, with the Super Bowl Halftime Show drawing 128.2 million viewers and Kendrick Lamar putting up 133.5 million the previous year. FIFA has also been increasing its musical presence as well.
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