Thanks to UMBC, everyone got free pizza
If there’s a co-worker at your office who got back late from lunch with a Little Caesars pizza box in tow, UMBC is why. In the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, UMBC beat Virginia, and became the first 16-seed in NCAA tournament history to beat a 1-seed.
A 16 beating a 1 doesn’t automatically trigger an obscure free pizza law. (Though that would be awesome. Little Caesars offered a promotion that promised free pizza (with conditions, of course) to the world if a 16-seed finally beat a 1-seed.
A No. 16 has never beaten a No. 1 team in the first round of #MarchMadness. But if it happens this year…
FANS WILL GET A FREE @littlecaesars HOT-N-READY LUNCH COMBO! That's a $5 value right there! pic.twitter.com/Kv26EYA0tA
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) March 14, 2018
The people at Little Caesars probably never thought it would happen, but it did. And on Monday the pizza chain made good on their promise, and free pizza took over the land.
When was the last time you saw a line outside your local Little Caesars? Probably today.
Everyone in USA, except Virginia fans were happy when No. 16 UMBC beat No. 1 Virginia in the NCAA Tourney @littlecaesars had a free lunch combo promo b/c of the upset. 15-min wait in Waterford, MI as the line wrapped around and down the sidewalk here @freep #pizza pic.twitter.com/PJuCHmD7Bt
— Eric Seals (@ericseals) April 2, 2018
The line is growing as people wait for a free lunch combo at the @littlecaesars on Division in Traverse City. They’re available until 1:30 p.m. #freepizza pic.twitter.com/gfPAX9VZOL
— upnorthlive.com (@upnorthlive) April 2, 2018
Little Caesars is about 80 deep in line @wzzm13 pic.twitter.com/ojDFIhB7EZ
— David Bailey (@DavidBaileyWZZM) April 2, 2018
The line at the Little Caesars in Odenton. @UMBCAthletics pic.twitter.com/CbXHX52fMp
— Ryan Morse (@rymo4569) April 2, 2018
Lines are out the door and down the street here at the Pine Bluff Little Caesars. pic.twitter.com/k7dZ730kWM
— Gabriel McDonald (@GabeMcDonald_) April 2, 2018
The line at the Holland @littlecaesars is already forming. All this for some free pizza… @wzzm13 pic.twitter.com/WUAa5z0S5L
— Rose White (@rosekellywhite) April 2, 2018
Checking in to see how many people are grabbing some free pizza and pop @littlecaesars for their 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. giveaway today. I’m at a LC on Monroe in Dearborn. There’s a line out the door that’s growing, and it’s 11:38 a.m – via @freep pic.twitter.com/mjh20yBA3g
— Aleanna Siacon (@AleannaSiacon) April 2, 2018
Line wrapped around for free pizza at @littlecaesars. They're almost out of their 500 pizzas! pic.twitter.com/tb37gfkUKE
— Zahra (@zahrahuber25) April 2, 2018
Those are some serious lines. Those are stocking-up-on-bread-and-milk-before-a-big-snowstorm lines. People love free stuff!
All those photos are fun, but there’s something missing. Where are the young men who made this glorious, pizza-filled day happen? A few of them were able to snag some pizza, too.
Just some dogs getting free pizza @UMBCAthletics @littlecaesars pic.twitter.com/sxZOijMVcd
— Nate Beyer (@natebeyer1) April 2, 2018
Thank you, UMBC, for shocking the world and providing one of the best sports moments of the year, and possibly even the decade. And thanks for the free pizza, too!
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Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
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