NJ fans would miss a family funeral for a perfect bracket

March Madness is that time of year that I dread when college basketball takes over. But that’s my problem. Cause I’m not a basketball fan. But since everyone around me is, I’m lulled into the spirit of the season whether I like it or not. It’s kind of impossible to avoid. Everyone’s filling out their brackets, making wild predictions, and getting hooked on the chaos of the tournament.

But New Jerseyans are a particular breed. We are so passionate about March Madness that we’re ready to make some serious sacrifices for a perfect bracket.

According to a survey from The Action Network, the dream of filling out that flawless bracket has fans making choices they wouldn’t normally consider.

Here’s the breakdown: 26% of New Jerseyans would be willing to give up all their vacation days for a year, while 15% would sacrifice their favorite team winning the tournament. For some, it’s even more extreme—13% would skip a family wedding, and 12% would pass on the funeral of a close family member. But the most surprising statistic? 11% of people would give up their phone for an entire year just to get a perfect bracket.

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And it’s not just about the bracket—March Madness has workers calling in sick! 42% of college basketball fans admit they’ve taken a sick day to watch the games, with some spending up to 5 hours at work checking scores. It’s safe to say that New Jersey is fully invested in this tournament, even if it means skipping out on work—or major life events!

So, what’s the craziest thing you’d give up to get a perfect March Madness bracket? The answers might surprise you!

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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