NCAA Tourney on the Verge of Expansion

tm3308

tm3308

Well-Known Member
A release on ESPN said that the tournament is close to finalizing a deal to expand the tourney from 65 to 68 teams (so a play-in game for each number one seed). The games will all be shown live over 4 different networks (the contract is with CBS/Turner Broadcasting). I'm no fan of expansion, but I'll take this in a heartbeat over going to 96 teams. This deal would be effective for next year's tourney, and runs through 2024.
 
This release just made my day. I am so happy that the NCAA will remain a normal tournament and that CBS will continue to carry the tournament.

Go Hawks!
 
I like this also, you now have 8 small schools playing for the shot to take on the #1 seeds, you pick up 3 more at large bids, and the competition improves across the board with more chances to see upsets.
 
SI.com is reporting it's a done deal. 14 years for a $10.8 billion total (average of $771 million per year, up about $225 million from last year's rights fee.
 
Forgot to mention I am super excited about this as well. I have been saying for years to go to 68 with 4 play in games on the Tuesday before the Big Dance really starts. It will feel more like an NCAA tourney day if 4 games are being played, which will hopefully make the experience better for the Arkansas Pine Bluff's of the tourney.

Also, the games being live on 4 different networks is HUGE! Love that.
 
i would be quite happy is this was as far as they went with expansion. i definitely see the logic in it, whereas the 96-team thing just seemed like a pure money grab.

key question: will most tourney pools start making people pick the play-in game winners? how many points will/should those games be worth?
 
I think the NCAA got the money they were looking for in this deal without having to go to 96 teams. Not sure they need to now. The only way they would is if Turner and CBS are pressuring or agreed to the deal only if there is further expansion down the road. I like 68 teams, I think it works great.

I noticed TruTV is the 4th network that will get the live 1st round games. Glad I have that channel and in HD, but not sure how many other folks get that channel.
 
I could be wrong....

HWK4LYF said:
This release just made my day. I am so happy that the NCAA will remain a normal tournament and that CBS will continue to carry the tournament.

Go Hawks!
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but I don't see anything in this release that would preclude the tournament from going to 96 teams during the terms of the contract. If anything, the pieces are now in place to be able to televise a tourney with 96 teams in it with the various CBS platforms now available.
 
olivecourt said:
key question: will most tourney pools start making people pick the play-in game winners? how many points will/should those games be worth?
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Nothing, the pairings/brackets are released Sunday night and these games are played on Tuesday. Just not enough time.
 
rodg12 said:
Plus they're basically meaningless since they'll just lose to the 1 seed...
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Have they officially said it would be four play in games for the 16th seed? I would rather see the last major teams on the bubble, the Illinois, Va Techs, and Daytons play their way in to the tournament. That would also produce much better ratings for the Tuesday games. I'm also incrediblely glad ESPN didn't get them so I don't have to listen to Dick Vitale doing any games.
 
HawkeyeMike23 said:
Have they officially said it would be four play in games for the 16th seed? I would rather see the last major teams on the bubble, the Illinois, Va Techs, and Daytons play their way in to the tournament. That would also produce much better ratings for the Tuesday games. I'm also incrediblely glad ESPN didn't get them so I don't have to listen to Dick Vitale doing any games.
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I agree completely. The last 8 at-large teams in the field should be the ones facing off in the play-in games.
 
rodg12 said:
Plus they're basically meaningless since they'll just lose to the 1 seed...
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True, but go back and look at the brackets from this year and move those 15 seeds to 16. Robert Morris gave Villanova all they wanted in that game and a 15 seed has upset the 2 seed twice (i think). One would hope a few of those 1/16 games would be more competitive. If your sliding those 3 extra at large bids in the 13 seeds then you increase the chances of seeing more upsets in the 2/15, 3/14, and 4/13 games making the entire tournament even more fun to watch. I would have enjoyed watching Illinois taking on a Georgetown or Pitt.

shonblatt said:
I agree completely. The last 8 at-large teams in the field should be the ones facing off in the play-in games.
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No way, have the small no name schools go at it on Tuesday.
 
This seems to be a grand compromise to me...expansion to 68 teams is not a fundamental change and televising all the games on TBS + CBS is a great improvement.

Well done,NCAA.
 
CBS-Turner reach to broadcast NCAA tournament

Posted on: April 22, 2010 11:44 am

The NCAA unanimously passed a recommendation to the Division I Board of Directors to increase the NCAA tournament to 68 teams late Wednesday, and on Thursday reached a new agreement that will allow CBS and Turner, as partners, to broadcast the event starting next season.

The agreement is for 14 years and $10.8 billion.

“This is an important day for intercollegiate athletics and the 400,000 student-athletes who compete in NCAA sports,â€￾ said NCAA interim president Jim Isch. “This agreement will provide on average more than $740 million annually to our conferences and member schools to help student-athletes in 23 sports learn and compete.â€￾

The new agreement calls for opening-round games, first-round games and second-round games to be shown nationally on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. CBS and Turner will split coverage of the regional semifinal games. CBS will handle coverage of the regional finals and the Final Four, including the national championship game, through 2015. Beginning in 2016, coverage of the regional finals will be split by CBS and Turner with the Final Four and the national championship game alternating every year between CBS and TBS.

NCAA senior vice president Greg Shaheen said it remains unclear how a 68-team bracket will look.

He added it should be determined by "mid-summer."

All games will still be available online.
 
I can live with this. 4 play-in games instead of 1. Big deal, really. I'm just glad that they are keeping what is essentially a 64-team format.

The tournament is perfect as it is. No need to water it down by letting everyone in...
 
ssckelley said:
True, but go back and look at the brackets from this year and move those 15 seeds to 16. Robert Morris gave Villanova all they wanted in that game and a 15 seed has upset the 2 seed twice (i think). One would hope a few of those 1/16 games would be more competitive. If your sliding those 3 extra at large bids in the 13 seeds then you increase the chances of seeing more upsets in the 2/15, 3/14, and 4/13 games making the entire tournament even more fun to watch. I would have enjoyed watching Illinois taking on a Georgetown or Pitt.



No way, have the small no name schools go at it on Tuesday.
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The small no-name schools got an automatic bid - they earned their way in to the tournament.

I don't think they should be punished by having to play an extra game just to make the main draw and then face a #1 seed, just so extra at-large teams can get in as 11-12 seeds.

Plus, if they want anybody to actually watch the games, they're going to have do better than put a 16/17 matchup on TruTV.

The 'last four in' should play 'the last four out', with the winners advancing to an 11-12 seed slot.
 
shonblatt said:
The small no-name schools got an automatic bid - they earned their way in to the tournament.

I don't think they should be punished by having to play an extra game just to make the main draw and then face a #1 seed, just so extra at-large teams can get in as 11-12 seeds.

Plus, if they want anybody to actually watch the games, they're going to have do better than put a 16/17 matchup on TruTV.

The 'last four in' should play 'the last four out', with the winners advancing to an 11-12 seed slot.
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The small no name schools "earn" their way into the tournament by playing other small no name schools. Take the 15 seed Robert Morris and go look at who they played to earn their automatic bid. They got crushed by last place Penn State but got to go to the tournament because they beat Quinnipiac in their conference tournament. On the other hand the 5th place team in the Big 10, Illinois, got to go to the NIT because they got knocked out of the B10 tournament for losing to 5th ranked Ohio State. Or how about Mississippi State? They win the SEC West, finish 23-11, but got left out of the NCAA because they lost in the SEC Championship game, in OT, against #2 ranked Kentucky.

Taking TV ratings out of the picture, who really should be playing in those play in games? I say make all the small schools play their way into the tournament. If I was a fan of a small school I would not mind the play in game. They get to go up against another conference champion and if they win that then they get a shot at the #1 seed. I would love to see my team getting to play 2 games on national tv instead of just a 1 and done.
 
ssckelley said:
The small no name schools "earn" their way into the tournament by playing other small no name schools. Take the 15 seed Robert Morris and go look at who they played to earn their automatic bid. They got crushed by last place Penn State but got to go to the tournament because they beat Quinnipiac in their conference tournament. On the other hand the 5th place team in the Big 10, Illinois, got to go to the NIT because they got knocked out of the B10 tournament for losing to 5th ranked Ohio State. Or how about Mississippi State? They win the SEC West, finish 23-11, but got left out of the NCAA because they lost in the SEC Championship game, in OT, against #2 ranked Kentucky.

Taking TV ratings out of the picture, who really should be playing in those play in games? I say make all the small schools play their way into the tournament. If I was a fan of a small school I would not mind the play in game. They get to go up against another conference champion and if they win that then they get a shot at the #1 seed. I would love to see my team getting to play 2 games on national tv instead of just a 1 and done.
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Illinois and Mississippi St didn't go to the NIT because they lost to Ohio St and Kentucky. They went because they weren't very good. Look at some of the terrible losses both schools had. Miss St. lost to Rider, Western Kentucky, Illinois lost 15 games including losses to Bradley, Georgia, and barely beat Stony Brook in the NIT. Let the crappy major conference schools play their way in.
 
HawkeyeMike23 said:
Illinois and Mississippi St didn't go to the NIT because they lost to Ohio St and Kentucky. They went because they weren't very good. Look at some of the terrible losses both schools had. Miss St. lost to Rider, Western Kentucky, Illinois lost 15 games including losses to Bradley, Georgia, and barely beat Stony Brook in the NIT. Let the crappy major conference schools play their way in.
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There are 68 teams getting into the NCAA Tournament, of course you are going to have teams in it that are "not very good". You pick out some of their losses but fail to point out that each of those schools also beat some other good teams. Every at large team has good wins and bad losses or they would not need to get in with an at large bid. You are comparing losses of a team that finished 5th in the B10 to at least respectible teams to a Robert Morris who lost to a Albany (7-24), Duquesne, Detroit, Appalachian St, and Long Island. Oh, did I mention they got BLOWN out by Penn State (11-20)? A team like Robert Morris would finish in the bottom of the B10. I do not mean to pick on Robert Morris, this is just an example.

I am not trying to make a case that Illinois or MSU was any good, but if they are going to get into the tournament then put them in the #13 seed playing Pitt, New Mexico, Georgetown, or Baylor and let those small schools play for a shot at taking on the #16 seed.
 
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