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Where does March Madness stack up amongst America's major sporting events in terms of ad revenue? Near the very top, right below pro football. That’s right—the tournament rakes in more commercial dollars than any other sporting post-season besides the NFL’s. Moreover, college basketball’s championship game draws the highest ad unit rate than any single event (after the Super Bowl, of course)—that includes major bowl games, the NBA championship and the World Series. The NCAA’s marketing appeal appears to be growing, too: in 2008, ad spending for the tournament soared to a record high of $643 million, a 24 percent increase from the previous year.