With March Madness coming to an end, students at Quincy University got a chance to weigh in on which postseason tournament they thought was the best.

Students at QU took an informal poll asking what they think is the best sporting event to watch out of five choices.

The survey presented options that are widely regarded as top-tier postseason events: the Super Bowl, the FIFA World Cup, the World Series, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and NCAA March Madness. These events span through different sports, levels of play, and global influence, providing a balanced mix for participants to choose from.

Of the 70 students who responded, the FIFA World Cup received the most votes, with 18 students selecting it as the best postseason tournament. This wasn’t a surprise, due to the amount of international students on campus at QU and the stats of it being the most watched sporting event of all time.

“Being from Argentina and watching Messi win a World Cup in 2022 was an all-time moment in my life; it made me proud of my country. There’s no doubt it’s the best event there is,” Martiniano Montero said.

March Madness came in a close second place with 15 votes. The tournament provides impeccable fan engagement, and watchers can make a bracket predicting what teams will win what games and then eventually who will win the national championship. The size of the tournament also helps the popularity skyrocket, with a handful of games on at a time; it’s the perfect sporting event for a college student.

“It’s the best because it has so many different teams, so you aren’t stuck watching the same teams throughout the playoffs,” Zack Kopsea said. “I enjoy making my bracket each year and watching the Round of 64, where there are three or four games on at once.”

Coming in third place was the World Series, receiving 15 votes. While baseball may not be as dominant on a global scale as soccer, its long-standing traditions and historic franchises continue to appeal to American sports fans.

The Super Bowl received 13 votes. Though it is a single game, the Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events annually, featuring elite athletes, halftime shows, and massive cultural attention. This result was surprising as this event was expected to rank first or second in the vote total.

“I love football. It’s my favorite sport to watch each week. I grew up in a football house, so it’s kind of what I know the most,” Nolan May said.

Then, with the eight votes remaining, the sport that received them was the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While not the most popular sport in the U.S,. it still earns some respect with it being referred to as the hardest championship to win, due to the length of the entire playoffs. It spans from mid-April and can stretch into early-mid June.