Dove Men+Care is joining forces with basketball legends — David “The Admiral” Robinson, Shane Battier — to shine a light on the passion of sports fans during NCAA March Madness.

The brand is recognizing the “impact of care” on the game, drawing attention to the fact that millions of fans are in the stands cheering for their teams. “This support and care from fans is what fuels the energy of the tournament,” the brand says. Dove Men+Care recreated the “Real Strength Manifesto” – a unifying message for fans that “recognizes the impact of their care on the game.”

Robinson comments, “As an athlete, I have always been impressed by the intimate relationship between the fans and their teams. When I was playing during college and as a professional, the fans gave me the energy I needed to support my team and be the best player possible.”

For the 2018 “Real Strength Manifesto”, Dove Men+Care partnered with CBS college basketball analyst and sports writer Seth Davis to interview current and former athletes to better understand the positive ripple effect that fans have on the game. In addition to Robinson and Battier, Davis spoke with Jameer Nelson, Trey Burke, Marques Johnson, Gordon Hayward, Doug McDermott, and Danny Manning. These interviews and impactful stories, combined with Seth’s deep understanding of college basketball, inspired and informed the new Real Strength Manifesto.

Dove Men+Care and the NCAA will highlight the Manifesto to celebrate the fans’ role in the game during select games in Nashville, Detroit, Dallas and Los Angeles. The Manifesto will be displayed in-stadium while a group of local youth basketball players welcome the participating student-athletes onto the court.

Nick Soukas, vice president of marketing for Dove Men+Care at Unilever, adds, “As a brand that is dedicated to highlighting the care that real men show every day, we are proud to partner with the NCAA to bring the Real Strength Manifesto to life…the impact that positive fan culture has on all men, and the next generation, is significant, because of the way that sports can bring us together.”