How Color Will Predict the NCAA March Madness Winner

Although I’m not the most well-versed in NCAA basketball teams (their records, players, coaches, etc.), I do try my hardest to analyze a few stats before picking my bracket choices each year. Some people just throw all the rules out the window and base their choices on all kinds of things, such as home state bias, favorite mascots or — if you’re some of my more fashion-oriented friends — you choose based on which color uniforms you like best. I know, I know. Men everywhere are laughing so hard they’re crying. But maybe it’s not that crazy after all…

The Psychology of Color

At this point, most people are familiar with the idea that color has a strong effect on our thoughts and emotions. As a result, companies make conscious decisions about their brand colors based on this idea of the psychology of color. For example, more corporation-based businesses (Dell, AT&T, American Express) choose blue because it instills a sense of trust, strength and dependability. Businesses like Starbucks, Whole Foods and BP choose green because it promotes a sense of peace, health and growth. See a few other examples in this infographic:

This same logic can be applied to sports teams and how their jersey colors have a psychological effect on the players and their opponents. According to National Geographic, when teams are equally matched, the team dressed in red is more likely to win. Want proof? Just ask the 2013 Champs Boston Red Sox or Miami Heat. Even last year’s NCAA tournament champions out of Louisville donned red uniforms. Coincidence?

According to color psychology, red is the color of energy, passion and action! It’s the color of youth and excitement. It can even have a physiological effect on the body, stimulating energy, raising blood pressure and heart rate (maybe not great for the hypertensive, but excellent for young college basketball players). Many highly successful teams have worn red uniforms, including six of the last 10 World Series champs.

So while you were watching all season, studying up on offensive patterns and defensive strategies and free throw percentages, all you really had to do was channel your inner Joan Rivers to pull off a win in your office bracket this year (and maybe even win some Warren Buffet cash)! Maybe some members of our Delucchi team should have taken note when they chose Duke as this years champs.

And with that, the 2014 NCAA Men’s College Basketball Champions will be the Arizona Wildcats. Guaranteed.