North Central College sports management professor quoted in WalletHub

Jason Rice weighed in on the latest ‘Best Cities for College Basketball Fans’ ranking

College basketball fans across the U.S. are watching one of the must-watch March Madness tournaments fans have witnessed in years. College basketball is a big deal in the U.S., and depending on where you live, it may have even more draw than the professional level does.

Jason Rice, associate professor and program director of sports management program at North Central College, was quoted in WalletHub on what makes for a great college basketball city and how residents can ramp up their fandom without spending too much on betting.

“The beauty of college sports is the patchwork of fans,” said Rice. “There is the old guard that consumes the game the “old way”…turning down the volume on the national television broadcast, replacing the game call with the local radio station’s play-by-play. After the final buzzer, they remain tuned into the radio for the post-game call-in show where certain plays are dissected down to the smallest detail and there is always someone rallying support for the dismissal of the head coach. Then there is the younger generation who do not even know what the radio dial is. They follow athletes on social media and stream all the major matchups. All “good” fans have a passion for their teams/athletes and a connection stronger than wins an losses. This connection is the soul of college sports. The best fans ride through good times and bad.”

Click here to read the full article on WalletHub.