SURVEY SAYS: Who's Your Pick in the NCAA?

March 18, 2009 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - March is more than half over, but March Madness doesn't officially begin until tomorrow when the Men's NCAA Division 1 basketball tournament gets underway (setting aside Tuesday night's "play-in" contest).

This week, I asked readers if you were participating in a pool – who you’ve picked to win – and/or which team you’d like to see win.

As it turns out, more than half are participating in at least one pool – but nearly as many were not ( 47.7% ).    As for those who were participating:

27.3% – yes

9.1% – yes, and with more than one sheet

8.0% – yes, and more than one pool

8.0% – yes, more than one pool – and with more than one sheet.

And while nearly half ( 48.3% ) said their workplace had no policy on such activities, more than a quarter ( 26.4% ) – weren’t sure.   Among the rest, 17.2% said these activities were not allowed, while the remaining 8.0% said they had a policy against such activities, “but nobody pays it any mind.”

Policy “Exceptions”

Those official policies weren’t always negative, however.   “Our pool sheets are bought as donations to Relay for Life,” noted one.  “Last 5 years I have always tried to get 0 points for picking the winners. I have found it is harder to pick losers of games then winners. My lowest score has been missing three losers, the low rated losers ended up knocking off the rated team. Going through a bracket and taking the lowest rated team as the winner is difficult because of the upsets.”  And, they explained, “Thus I have Radford as my NCAA champ.” 

“Yes, allowed, but with limits on winnings,” said another.   One reader noted, “Actually, #2 is Yes, it’s officially encouraged – since it is run by one of our business contacts.”  More common was the reader who said that they “cannot solicit employees for inclusion in pool. Cannot use company email account for distribution of results.”  But then noted that, “We have an outside source (former employee) who handles everything for us.”   Another reader noted, “Would a policy really stop pools or control the amounts of money? There are probably bigger issues to deal with than an office pool.”

One reader noted, "The problem is always the distraction they can be. HR can try to make them stop but I bet they are there underground anyway. People like them."   Indeed, for all the concern that is frequently expressed about these pools and their drain on workplace productivity, that must occur AFTER the brackets are turned in.  

Roughly two-thirds of this week's respondents took 15 minutes - or less - to make their picks.   In fact, 27.3% said they made them "in about a minute", while 12.1% said it took about five minutes, and a full quarter ( 25.8% ) said it took "about 15 minutes."

As for the rest, 24.2% said it took between 15 minutes and a half hour, 6.1% said they "weren't keeping track", and 4.5% ...were "embarrassed to say."

Anyone who participates in these pools quickly realizes the "pull" between head and heart - the firm belief that some schools are destined to dominate versus the ever-present hope that on any given day, a Cinderella team could prevail.   The top seeds were a clear favorite among this week's respondents in their brackets; North Carolina garnered the support of 27.2% of this week's readers, with Louisville's Cardinals a distant second ( 19.8% ).  's13.6% was good for third place - but tied with "don't care" (though you needn't look for that team on your bracket).   Other teams mentioned:

7.4% - Connecticut

3.7% - Duke

3.7% - Me

2.5% - Oklahoma

While Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Radford, Villanova, Wake Forest, and Wisconsin split the remaining votes.    

Want to Wins?

As for the "heart", "don't care" topped the list of the teams readers wanted to see win, although it was only selected by 12.6% - but you can hardly fault the 8% who noted that the team they wanted to win isn't playing.  

Setting those aside, the two top teams were Louisville and Missouri, each of which got the support of 5.7% , just ahead of Marquette, Me, and North Carolina, which each garnered 4.6% .

Connecticut, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma, Syracuse, and Wake Forest each drew 3.4% , with Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Tennessee, USC, and Wisconsin each got the support of 2.3% - with Binghamton, Boston College, Butler, Cornell, Gonzaga, LSU, Maryland, Michigan State, Morehead State, Villanova, Washington and Xavier splitting the remainder (about 1% each).

There were the usual interesting assortment of humorous verbatims, of course.   Here's a sampling:

"You know your co-workers are dumb, when even though I sent the pools from home to other co-workers home emails, I still came to work to find 3 emails from these people using subject line "March Madness" (that won't trigger a compliance audit), asking how much "money" (using $ signs next to the word, another audit)they owe me. I am awaiting my pink slip. Thanks co-workers!"

"I didn't have a clue how to answer who would win or who I would like to win and so I asked our IT guy here for some help. He follows sports."

"The real answer to who I want to win is "anyone except Duke."

"I never do too well picking the teams, so I had my cat pick the teams for me this year. She seemed to like the teams with cats or animals as mascots. If she wins I promised her a tuna treat."

"We don't have a policy prohibiting these pools, but no one has ever put together a sports pool. The only pools we have ever had concern the birth of a baby. I guess we don't have a lot of sports fanatics."

"I know the pools take away valuable productivity time, but I also think they get people talking to one another which has value as well. Of course they never tell HR what is going on, they look at us as the fun-killers (sigh)."

One of my favorites was from the reader who said, "Our company policy is just to make sure nothing violates state law for whatever state you're in. And of course, nobody has any idea what the state laws are, so there might as well not be a policy at all."

But this week's Editor's Choice goes to the reader who said, "Maybe, I should attach forms that I still need signed from December onto the pool sheets...since the pool sheets get filled out in less than 2 hours....."

We don't have a policy prohibiting these pools, but no one has ever put together a sports pool. The only pools we have ever had concern the birth of a baby. I guess we don't have a lot of sports fanatics.
Maximum amount of money that you can win.
I fill in a bracket for my own use, but I don't pay to play, so to speak. Kind of interesting since I'm an Illinoisan.
Not to be done at work!
I hate both these pools AND basketball!
Not allowing them is the only safe bet for an employer. Though NCAA pools have transcended sports and crossed into mainstream culture, someone will always be offended by their "gambling" nature.
With a pregnant wife at home who doesn't care about college basketball, I never get to watch!
Yes, that is why I took about 40 peoples home emails, and sent it from my house to their house. That way it is not a work issue.
I never do too well picking the teams, so I had my cat pick the teams for me this year. She seemed to like the teams with cats or animals as mascots. If she wins I promised her a tuna treat.
I think they're fun, get people talking, and are a way to increase camaraderie.
Harmless fun. I'd go so far to say that they are actually a useful vehicle to get people in the office to interact who normally wouldn't.
Actually, #2 is Yes, it's officially encouraged - since it is run by one of our business contacts.
I understand the policies against them but to be honest, I don't see the harm. It's a great way to meet more people in your office and be able to contact outside of work related things.
We actually have a program where everyone can participate but no betting - just bragging rights and a trophy if you win.
My pool is not through work
Maybe, I should attach forms that I still need signed from December onto the pool sheets...since the pool sheets get filled out in less than 2 hours.....
I really don't care about the entire "March Madness". I pick my alma mater to win because it's my alma mater.
Cannot solicit employees for inclusion in pool. Cannot use company email account for distribution of results. We have an outside source (former employee) who handles everything for us.
We've got one and I'm running it!
Fun is OK, but we (fans) must share the blame for devaluing the game when we bet anything significant.
While it would be fun...it's against the law in WI. Given that we are a non-profit religious organization, it's probably best that we not run any illegal gambling pools!
This is the only time I like Basketball. I don't follow it, or know anything about the teams...but I won the pool last year. That was cool!!
Over time with more people doing more work with less resources we have managed to squeeze the "fun" out of our workplace. I am in favor of pools. However, having said that at my husband's workplace pools have been banned since the year one person ran a pool, collected all the money and they didn't pay out any of it. He's no longer with the company and neither is any pool or any kind for any event.
Would a policy really stop pools or control the amounts of money? There are probably bigger issues to deal with than an office pool.
Makes for good bragging rights talk around the office.
As long as they do not interfere with daily work activities and no money is exchanged they should be allowed.
Loads of fun and prognestication!
I think they are generally harmless. The problem is always the distraction they can be. HR can try to make them stop but I bet they are there underground anyway. People like them.
Yes, allowed, but with limits on winnings.
I am disappointed that I will not be participating this year, but all the folks that usually put one together are heads down working and did not have time to create a pool.
Our company policy is just to make sure nothing violates state law for whatever state you're in. And of course, nobody has any idea what the state laws are, so there might as well not be a policy at all.
I like watching the games once they reach the sweet 16, before that, I don't really watch any basketball, so I have no idea who is good yet.
With the Final Four in April, caa we really call this "March Madness?" Should the theme song change to "Two Shining Months?"
you know your co-workers are dumb, when even though I sent the pools from home to other co-workers home emails, I still came to work to find 3 emails from these people using subject line "March Madness" (that won't trigger a compliance audit), asking how much "money" (using $ signs next to the word, another audit)they owe me. I am awaiting my pink slip. Thanks co-workers!
Will you be publishing a scorecard of Plan Sponsors who chose to reduce or eliminate their contributions (discretionary, match, etc.)?
I didn't have a clue how to answer who would win or who I would like to win and so I asked our IT guy here for some help. He follows sports. (Thanks for having my job description in this survey!!)
Go Huskies!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Cards!
Our pool sheets are bought as donations to Relay for Life. Last 5 years I have always tried to get 0 points for picking the winners. I have found it is harder to pick losers of games then winners. My lowest score has been missing three losers, the low rated losers ended up knocking off the rated team. Going through a bracket and taking the lowest rated team as the winner is difficult because of the upsets. Thus I have Radford as my NCAA champ.
I really enjoy starting my day with News Dash...thanks for all your work!
The real answer to who I want to win is "anyone except Duke."
Wile you did not ask, my Final Four is UConn over Missouri, UNC over Syracuse with UNC winning it all.
Being a Michigan State alum, naturally I would like to see them win it all.
I have to pick Xavier, my husband works for the University, and it is all about the basketball!

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