NCAA looking into expanding tournament
Please please please don't do this. The four play-ins are bad enough.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I mean guys, be rational, the Sistine Chapel celing's gotta go to make room for the Starbucks on the second floor. Simple economics.
chrisRunner7
- Spokane, WA
The article says the CBS-NCAA contract (which runs until 2032) doesn't require CBS to fork over more money if the tournament is expanded. This is about the power conferences wanting more of their teams included.
I really don't have strong feelings if they want to add 4-8 more teams... except I would like to see the First Four-- or First Eight or whatever it will be called-- limited to the lowest seeded at-large teams. They should have to fight their way into the real tournament. Let the automatic qualifiers skip Dayton... almost nobody wants to watch two 16-seeds square off, anyway.
I really don't have strong feelings if they want to add 4-8 more teams... except I would like to see the First Four-- or First Eight or whatever it will be called-- limited to the lowest seeded at-large teams. They should have to fight their way into the real tournament. Let the automatic qualifiers skip Dayton... almost nobody wants to watch two 16-seeds square off, anyway.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
I mean, come on.
I think they sho
I agree this the tournament should stay as is (or go back to 64). The only way I see it being worth it is for them to create a larger play-in round that has an entirely separate TV contract with the winners qualifying for the 64. Then they could get more bidders for the rights without diluting funds to the top 64.
TheDukeUIUC
- Twin Cities, MN
On the other hand, pulling some 16 seeds into the first four effectively strengthened the 16 line, giving you Virginia and Purdue, so....
I see two paths forward if we have to do this ... (I hate sports where 50%+ of the teams make the playoffs.)
1) Price out the weaker conferences with mandatory payer play such that 4-8 of the conferences decide that they would rather be in Div II. Replace those guaranteed conference seeds with at large seeds.
2) 8 play in games.
4 games played Tues (Thurs brackets)
4 games played Weds (Fri brackets)
Each of Tues/Weds, there is an early/late game for each of:
15s and 16s seed game.
A lowest at large teams game
The games are paired such that there is always a 15/16 game and a lowest at large seed game going at the same time. That way there is always something better to watch than the 15/16 games.
1) Price out the weaker conferences with mandatory payer play such that 4-8 of the conferences decide that they would rather be in Div II. Replace those guaranteed conference seeds with at large seeds.
2) 8 play in games.
4 games played Tues (Thurs brackets)
4 games played Weds (Fri brackets)
Each of Tues/Weds, there is an early/late game for each of:
15s and 16s seed game.
A lowest at large teams game
The games are paired such that there is always a 15/16 game and a lowest at large seed game going at the same time. That way there is always something better to watch than the 15/16 games.
Just start it on 2/2 20?? And have all 362 teams fight it out also let the top juco and d2 teams in and let the bracket be chose by the marble randomized game.
If you think about it, expanding to 256 teams is only two additional games for everyone.
Are there real people, bodies in a chair, in a boardroom, actually discussing these things? And actually weighing the Pros and Cons, and making these decisions? Or are they really making these decisions based upon bots/website surveys from people who don't even know what the hell the NCAA Basketball Tournament even is??? I've actually meet several people, mostly younger adults, who have no clue..... about anything really, and certainly no clue about college sports.... This is sadness on an epic scale... Yeah, I'm Old School, I think if you have zero knowledge about any specific subject, then your opinion should be worth absolutely zero..... I could go into MUCH GREATER detail.... but that would be a thread that ends up locked inside of 24 hours, lol. And me being banned, hahaha.
the national
- the Front Range
I appreciate that you think of this as the Sistine chapel. I do t disagree. But what does that muck us, Loyalty?
IlliniwekKDR
- Colorado Springs, CO
Does anybody even watch the play in games? I might tune for a few minutes of one of the games but that's basically it. I can't see how this creates that much more money
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
I completely agree with this and have been saying it for years. Conference champions (however determined) should get to play round one.
I have mixed feelings on this. The intent is to keep the regular 64 team bracket which is a good thing. Adding more play in games is like a little play in tournament to get into the tournament. Doesn't bother me and I don't really watch the play in games anyway. I would like all play in games to be the last 4 or 8 at large bids. I think all small conference automatic qualifiers should be seeded in the bracket. A play in game between 2 teams going for a 16 seed doesn't really make you an automatic qualifier.
LadyLoyalty
- Indian Wells, CA
Unpopular opinion, apparently. I love the tournament and wouldn’t mind more of it. Who watches play-in game? Me. I love college basketball and will watch any team from any conference (I record/watch as many as possible all season), especially when the tournament kicks off. More teams means more chances for Cinderella upsets, busted brackets and gives more teams, who don’t have multi millions to spend on NIL a fighting chance. Plus, we are so on the rise. It shouldn’t affect us, at least in the foreseeable future. I’m here for it.
Everyone from conferences with tournaments is basically already in - just keep winning.
I think it's less about money and more the Bruce Weber point. Coaches want to be rewarded for mediocrity.
frozenrope9190
- Aurora, IL
I love watching the current play in games. I tune in every year to all 4 of them.
Having said that, I don't want any more. I don't want the 8th place Big East steam and the 12th place SEC team getting rewarded for their constant bitching about the unfairness of the committee not letting their 13-loss butts in. Feels like that is what's happening.
Having said that, I don't want any more. I don't want the 8th place Big East steam and the 12th place SEC team getting rewarded for their constant bitching about the unfairness of the committee not letting their 13-loss butts in. Feels like that is what's happening.