The Madness of Money in March

Consortium grad Rob Wilson

There's March Madness, and then there's Rob Wilson's March Money Madness.  Once again Consortium graduate Wilson will stage his contest that runs parallel to the college-basketball national tournament. This year, the prizes are bigger. In its third year, his contest helps promotes awareness in investing and stock selections.

Just like the NCAA tournament, there are brackets and rounds of competition. Participants will not project basketball winners; they must predict investment performance by choosing the stocks of companies they expect will generate the highest return during the month of March.  From week to week, just as March Madness brackets are about choosing a winner between two teams in a 64-team tournament, Money Madness also embraces "bracketology." Participants decide which of two stocks will out-perform the other. As with NCAA brackets, participants try to project the winner of several pairs of stocks in several industries.

For example, in week 1, a participant may be required to decide between Apple and Dell or Citi and Wells Fargo.  The stock with the higher percentage return in that period is the winner within the bracket. In basketball, participants tap their knowledge of the game, teams and players. In Wilson's tournament, participants must tap their knowledge of markets, stock trends, specific companies and industries.

This year, Wilson says, the contest has an entry fee of $5. That means the grand prize will be larger than before. Wilson hopes to attract up to 100,000 participants, including MBA students across the country, Consortium students and alumni, and anybody interested in projecting the outcome of stocks over a short-term horizon.  If he reaches that goal, the grand prize could total $250,000. Wilson says students could use prize money to pay for business school or invest in a start-up.

Wilson, a Consortium MBA graduate from Carnegie Mellon, is a financial adviser based in Pittsburgh. He appears often in local media to provide insight, updates and advice in investing.

To learn more about Wilson's activities, market viewpoints and financial advice, go to Rob Wilson TV.  To register for Money Madness tournament, go to March Money Madness. 

Tracy Williams