CLEVELAND — With the University of Akron playing the University of Arizona Friday night, it marks the fifth consecutive year a school from Northeast Ohio has made it to the NCAA tournament.
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'It’s really what you play for," Akron Basketball Head Coach John Groce said. "It shines a spotlight on our university."
This is the Zips third trip to March Madness in the past four years. Additionally, Kent State made the tournament in 2023 and Cleveland State competed at the big dance in 2021.
"In my opinion, it’s the best tournament in the world," Akron guard Tavari Johnson said. "The world is watching."
So what does an NCAA appearance mean for a school?
Typically, buzzwords like “exposure” and “publicity” are thrown out.
But is there anything more?
There's a term for this kind of exposure: "The Flutie Effect." In 1984, Doug Flutie's Hail Mary against Miami led to a 16% surge in college applications at Boston College the following year.
A 2009 study took a deep dive into the impact of basketball programs and their appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
It detailed how just making it to the big dance can lead to a 1% jump in applications. That number rises the farther a team goes in the tournament, hypothetically up to 7-8% for winning the tournament.
"It’s really like a surreal experience," Akron guard Shammah Scott said. "You have to be grateful for it because not many people get this opportunity."
Remember when Kent State made it to the Elite Eight in 2002?
For Kent State basketball head coach Rob Senderoff, he's seen the bump that can come from a "Cinderella" run.
He served as an assistant when the Golden Flashes made it to the Elite Eight in 2002 as a #10 seed. On that run, Kent State defeated #7 Oklahoma State, #2 Alabama and #3 Pittsburgh before losing to runner-up #5 Indiana.
"The publicity you receive for being in that is unmatched," Senderoff said. "For any program, to go to the NCAA Tournament is a big deal."
Here's a look back from 2002 when News 5 covered a Kent State - Oklahoma State watch party:
University officials told News 5 that many factors can contribute to a rise or decline in applications and that Kent State has largely seen an increase in applications over the last 25 years. However, they did see a 9% bump in the year following the Elite Eight run.
Kent State has made it to the NCAA Tournament seven times, as recently as 2023.
Is the 'bump' still a thing? Yes, but experts say it's evolving.
Fast-forward to today, and “The Flutie Effect” may look a little different. It is specifically less focused on application numbers and more on the transfer portal.
Both Kent State and Akron told News 5 they haven’t seen a bump in applications directly tied to their recent tournament appearances.
However, experts say that in an era in which college athletes can now make money and transfer much more easily than before, recruiting and retaining players is the new name of the game.
Beginning in 2021, the NCAA's transfer portal adopted regulations that allow college athletes to switch schools without sitting out a year.
As a result, MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher points out that the business behind the game is changing by the day, meaning that making the tournament may matter more than ever before.
"People want to go where there is success," Steinbrecher said. "They want to go somewhere where they can win. That’s part of it and part of it we don’t know yet because we’re just getting into this free- wheeling name, image and likeness, the House [v. NCAA] settlement coming down, and maybe some extra benefits for student-athletes through that."
Steinbrecher added that college programs are no longer building teams for four years but one year at a time.
After Akron lost several big-name players to graduations, the team was able to replace and replicate its success with transfers coming off the success of last year’s NCAA tournament appearance.
Steinbrecher said that colleges need to be careful with the transfer portal when looking for immediate success.
"We're not professional athletics, and if we're going to be attached to the academy, our primary focus needs to be on educational outcomes, not short term economic opportunities," he said.
Friday's matchup marks Akron's seventh trip to the NCAA tournament.
Clay LePard is a special projects reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on Twitter @ClayLePard, on Facebook Clay LePard News 5 or email him at Clay.LePard@WEWS.com.
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