Welcome to the second annual Merch Madness bracket! Once again, we’ve searched the country and found 32 of our favorite items sold by college radio stations, and they will compete to see who has the coolest merch! Everyone in the bracket is already a winner so support these stations by buying some of these great items. Make sure to cast your votes and check back to see who will be on top at the end of Merch Madness 2023! The last station standing will win a $100 donation and be featured on the 35000 Watts homepage for a month.
The voting will be conducted on our Instagram account (@35000watts).
There will be two Round 1 match-ups each day, look below the bracket to see upcoming match-ups in detail (completed match-ups are at the bottom of the page). Be sure to click the photos to go to the station’s store so you can purchase the item for yourself!
CHAMPIONSHIP
April 3
KFJC (Foothill–De Anza Comm. College) vs. WKNC (North Carolina State)
The champion of the West bracket is KFJC 89.7 FM from Foothill–De Anza Comm. College in Los Altos Hills, CA. Just like last year, one of their excellent annual artist T-shirts has proven very popular, but will it win the whole thing?
The East Champion is WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1 and HD-2 from North Carolina State in Raleigh, NC. Their Monster T-shirt design has racked up several big wins, so it should be an exciting final matchup!
Completed Rounds
March 12
KBGA (University of Montana – Missoula) vs. KCPR (California Poly. State Univ.)
Our first match-up pits two T-shirts head-to-head: a cool shout-out to DJs from KBGA in Missoula, MT up against an excellent retro tee from KCPR in San Luis Opisbo, CA.
KCSB (Univ. of California – Santa Barbara) vs. KCSS (California State Univ. – Stanislaus)
Next up, a another T-shirt showdown featuring a car-driving cat from KCSB in Santa Barbara, CA up against a retro tee from KCSS in Turlock, CA.
March 13
KDHX (Community Radio – St. Louis) vs. KFJC (Foothill–De Anza Comm. College)
More T-shirts in this matchup, with a very cool anti-algorithm T-shirt from KDHX up against another artistic entry from one of our Final Four participants from last year, KFJC.
KIWR (Iowa Western Comm. College) vs. KJHK (University of Kansas)
Another rematch from last year’s bracket, this time featuring a logo baseball tee from KIWR vs. a tower illustration t-shirt from KJHK.
March 14
KOFA (Arizona Western College) vs. KRUI (University of Iowa)
This matchup features our first non-apparel entry, KOFA’s Border Radio mug, going toe-to-toe with KRUI’s Sound Alternative t-shirt.
KSPC (Claremont College) vs. KTRU (Rice University)
It is California vs. Texas in a totebag matchup between KSPC in Claremont, CA and KTRU in Houston, TX.
March 15
KUMM (Univ. of Minnesota – Morris) vs. KURE (Iowa State University)
A midwestern showdown between t-shirts from the always-clever KUMM and newcomer KURE from Ames, Iowa.
KXLU (Loyola Marymount) vs. KZSC (Univ. of California – Santa Cruz)
A coastal California matchup between KXLU in Los Angeles and their 65th anniversary totebag taking on KZSC in Santa Cruz who are appealing to the youth with a simple but funny kid’s t-shirt.
March 16
WESU (Wesleyan University) vs. WHFR (Henry Ford Comm. College)
Our first east coast showdown features WESU vs WHFR.
WKNC (North Carolina State) vs. WMPG (Univ. of Southern Maine)
Newcomer WKNC from North Carolina brings a nifty illustrated t-shirt but is going up against WMPG from Maine with something we’ve never seen before: a mini-radio.
March 17
WMSE (Milwaukee School of Engineering) vs. WPGU (Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Another rematch from last year! This time WMSE brings a guitar-smash design t-shirt while WPGU counters with a delightful “rocks cow” design.
WREK (Georgia Institute of Technology) vs. WRIU (Univ. of Rhode Island)
A classic and iconic logo T-shirt from WREK in Atlanta, GA goes head-to-head with a unique offer from WRIU in Rhode Island: logo leggings.
March 18
WSOU (Seton Hall Univ.) vs. WSUM (Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison)
Two creative entries battle it out between WSOU from New Jersey and their cool cassette label sticker and a fun “My Name Is” hoodie from WSUM in Wisconsin.
WTJU (Univ. of Virginia) vs. WTUL (Tulane University)
Another unique entry from WTJU with the “clean your ears” soap taking on first-timer WTUL and their classic logo sweatshirt.
Round 1
March 19
WUTK (Univ. of Tennessee) vs. WVBR (Cornell University)
Another first-timer, WUTK from Tennessee, enters the fray with their football cartoon design (on a baseball tee), which tackles the cozy hot chocolate design from Ithaca’s own WVBR.
WVUM (Univ. of Miami) vs. WYXR (Univ. of Memphis)
Our final matchup of Round 1 finds WVUM’s cool illustrated t-shirt taking on the “Raised on Sound” totebag from Memphis’ WYXR.
March 20
KBGA (University of Montana – Missoula) vs. KCSB (Univ. of California – Santa Barbara)
The first match-up in Round 2 sees two unique T-shirt designs going head-to-head two T-shirts head-to-head: the very strong DJs from KBGA up against the driving cat from KCSB.
March 21
KFJC (Foothill–De Anza Comm. College) vs. KJHK (University of Kansas)
Round 2 continues with the always formidable KFJC’s annual artist t-shirt from 2022 taking on the stylized tower t-shirt from KJHK.
March 22
KRUI (University of Iowa) vs. KSPC (Claremont College)
This Round 2 matchup is a Midwest vs. West Coast battle between the very cool Sound Alternative T-shirt from KRUI going up against a nifty totebag from KSPC.
March 23
KURE (Iowa State University) vs. KXLU (Loyola Marymount)
Another Iowa vs. California matchup! This time, it is KURE with a very sharp tower design T-shirt going up against KXLU’s “65 & Still Alive” design.
March 24
WESU (Wesleyan University) vs. WKNC (North Carolina State)
We move to the East side of the bracket for a Round 2 matchup between WESU’s totebag and WKNC’s Monster T-shirt.
March 25
WMSE (Milwaukee School of Engineering) vs. WRIU (Univ. of Rhode Island)
A classic Wisconsin vs. Rhode Island battle in this matchup between WMSE’s guitar smasher t-shirt and the unique leggings from WRIU.
Round 2
March 26
WSUM (Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison) vs. WTUL (Tulane University)
It’s a northern/southern showdown between the “My Name Is” hoodie from WSUM in Wisconsin taking on a classic logo T-shirt from WTUL in Louisiana.
March 27
WVBR (Cornell University) vs. WYXR (Univ. of Memphis)
The final matchup of Round 2 pits the cozy comfort of WVBR’s hot chocolate sweatshirt against the cool “Raised on Sound” totebag from WYXR.
March 28
KCSB (Univ. of California – Santa Barbara) vs. KFJC (Foothill–De Anza Comm. College)
Round 3 starts off with a West Coast T-shirt showdown between the popular driving cat design from KCSB and the annual artist design from KFJC.
March 29
KSPC (Claremont College) vs. KURE (Iowa State University)
The Iowa vs. California battles continue into Round 3, with the milk totebag from KSPC going up against the tower logo T-shirt from KURE.
March 30
WKNC (North Carolina State) vs. WMSE (Milwaukee School of Engineering)
A perfect T-shirt showdown between the Monster design from WKNC and the Guitar Smasher design from WMSE.
Round 3
March 31
WSUM (Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison) vs. WYXR (Univ. of Memphis)
Two strong contenders go head-to-head in this matchup between WSUM’s My Name Is Hoodie and WYKR’s Raised by Sound totebag.
SEMI-FINAL
April 1
KFJC (Foothill–De Anza Comm. College) vs. KSPC (Claremont College)
The West Semi-final comes down to a matchup between the Bay Area and Southern California, with the artist T-shirt from KFJC going up against the milk totebag from KSPC.
April 2
WKNC (North Carolina State) vs. WSUM (Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison)
The Eastern Semi-Finals should be a close battle between the Monster T-shirt from North Carolina’s WKNC vs. WSUM from Wisconsin with the “My Name Is” Hoodie.