Ranking the Most Obnoxious NCAA Tournament Ads

March Madness is a beautiful thing. Even when it provides heartbreak, the NCAA Tournament stands apart as the best sporting event in the world.

The game was changed in 2011 when CBS partnered with Turner. For our younger readers, there was a time in the not-so-distant past when you could only watch one NCAA Tournament game at a time. CBS catered to local markets, and would only switch over during a dramatic moment for a “live look-in.”

It’s a stark contrast to what we experience now, with four games on one screen with YouTubeTV’s multiview. Even though we have more options to watch, as the number of games dwindles, the amount of ads we watch expands exponentially.

CBS and Turner are paying around $850 million to broadcast this year’s NCAA Tournament. They’re making that money back with big ad packages. The problem is many of these advertisers spent all of their money for the time, not on creating entertaining ads. Now on day four of the NCAA Tournament, I can’t get some of these terrible ads out of my head. These are the worst of the worst.

4. A Footlong Subway Cookie

This is not the worst Subway ad campaign. The company has a history of poor choices in advertising. This ad isn’t objectively bad, but who wants a footlong cookie? I cringe at the sight. Unfortunately, I cannot come up with a more creative way to say this product looks disgusting and I want it out of my face.

3. Enough’s Enough, Capital One

Few companies spend more on March Madness ads than Capital One. Pairing Charles Barkley with Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee have provided some amusing moments over the years. “The Midnight Train to Georgia” was especially delightful, but the magic is all gone. Now we have a double dose of Jennifer Garner in a blimp, with a cameo from Jim Nantz. Last I checked, Jim Nantz isn’t calling the Final Four. Want to add a broadcaster to the ad? Let Bill Raftery serve Chuck some onions. This, this just isn’t good.

2. Buffalo Wild Wings Box Out

Buffalo Wild Wings had an ingenious idea a few years ago. A bartender hit a button that forced a bad play on the field that led to overtime, giving fans a reason to stick around longer to watch more sports.

BW3s still sponsors each overtime game. As soon as they cut to a commercial break, we’re stuck with Beck Bennett voicing a buffalo that is yelling “BOX-OUT!” Seriously, you all couldn’t make one more ad? The CGI to create one buffalo must be expensive.

1. Wendy’s Brings Out Sandstorm

We’re stuck with Sandstorm during college football season. It only takes Saturday in Columbia to get my fill of Sandstorm for an entire year. This year they cranked it up a notch by inviting Darude to Williams-Brice Stadium. Now Wendy’s is forcing it down our throats throughout March Madness, and even worse, they put lyrics in the song. “Get it for a buck — DAVE’S SINGLE DAVE’S SINGLE.”

Make. It. Stop.