ICYMI: What March Madness Carries Into the Pros

If you've ever wondered what peak fandom actually looks like, this one's your answer. March Madness just wrapped, and watching those final moments — the upsets, the eruptions, the arenas turned into something electric — it felt like the right time to revisit one of the most resonant clips we've put out. Because what happens in college basketball doesn't stay there. It carries into the pros, into arenas across every sport, into every brand marketer trying to build something that lasts.

So we went back to Mel Barry.

She leads brand marketing for the New Orleans Pelicans, and in our original conversation she described a playoff run that ended in elimination at home — and a standing ovation that no one had scripted. The team walked off the court having lost, and the crowd rose. Not out of politeness. Out of pride. Out of the feeling that this team had shown up in ways nobody expected, had fought past assumptions, and had earned something that a final score couldn't take back.

That moment — done, but at peak fandom — is the thing worth studying. It's what happens when you build genuine community instead of just chasing wins. It's what the best operators in live entertainment, sports, and fan-driven brands are reaching for every single day.

This is Fandom Unpacked: In Case You Missed It. Short, sharp, and worth your five minutes.

If this resonates, find the full conversation with Mel in the link below — and subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.

Full episode with Mel: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449648/episodes/16825422-converting-local-fans-into-lifelong-brand-advocates-with-the-new-orleans-pelicans

Transcript

Heather Gault: 0:00

Hey, I'm Heather from the producing team of Fandom Unpacked, and this is In Case You Missed It, a new little series where we revisit the moments that stuck with us most. March Madness just wrapped, which is always a huge moment for fandom. And watching it this year, it felt like a good reminder that what shows up in college basketball, those big, emotional moments which feel even bigger near the end of the season, doesn't just stay there. It carries into the pros too. It actually made me want to go back to one of the interviews we got the most response to last year, coincidentally, also basketball. Here's a clip from our conversation with Mel Berry. She leads brand marketing for the New Orleans Pelicans, so a bit of context. She's talking about a playoff run, one that ended in elimination at home.

Mel Barry: 0:54

You know, one of the coolest moments we had, and it was unfortunate, but a couple of seasons ago, we made a real strong run at the playoffs, and we were eliminated at home by the suns, and as our team walked off the court standing ovation, like, everyone was just like, You know what? We like, fought and we showed up in ways that people didn't think we would. You know, first couple games, Devin wasn't even playing, you know, Devin Booker, and then he was and like, we're like, we're like, yeah, like, we're that kind of team. You've got to play your stars, because that's how you know, hard we want to play and want to win. And so, like, I literally am giving myself goose bumps, but like, it was just such a cool moment, because we were, we were done, right? But we were, like, at our peak, at that moment, in terms of fandom, because we were all so proud of what we had done.

Heather Gault: 1:36

If you want to hear the full conversation, it's in the link, in the description, I'm Heather. This has been Fandom Unpacked: In Case You Missed It.