Basketball tournament expanding to 68 teams in 2011

[nyc94]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2010-04-22-ncaa-tournament-cbs-turner-agreement_N.htm

The sport's signature event will grow to 68 teams from 65 in conjunction with a new 14-year, nearly $11 billion television agreement with CBS and Turner Sports announced Thursday. That gives the NCAA a 41% hike in annual media and marketing rights connected to the tournament — and "financial stability through the first quarter of this century," interim President Jim Isch said — without the controversy of a more dramatic move to a 96-team bracket.

[Jim Hyla]

Dumb.

[Al DeFlorio]

Dumb.

Yes, but not as dumb as 96.

[imafrshmn]

If you're gonna have 68, you might as well have 69. Heh heh heh.

[jtwcornell91]

Dumb.

Yes, but not as dumb as 96.

I dunno, 68 says "fuck you" to eight minor conference champions instead of two.  96 would at least make the bye/non-bye division a little saner (1/3 with byes, 2/3 without).

[Trotsky]

I dunno, 68 says "fuck you" to eight minor conference champions instead of two.

I had to read this four times to understand it, but, yes.

[RichH]

Oh good, more basketball for me to ignore.

[phillysportsfan]

Dumb.

Yes, but not as dumb as 96.

I dunno, 68 says "fuck you" to eight minor conference champions instead of two.  96 would at least make the bye/non-bye division a little saner (1/3 with byes, 2/3 without).

96 would have watered down the season too much though, practically the whole Big East and ACC would make it every year, these teams would then play even weaker non-conf schedules since it wouldnt matter which would only hurt the mid majors

[KeithK]

How about we go to a 33 team tournament. After all there are 33 DI conferences by my count.

[ugarte]

How about we go to a 33 team tournament. After all there are 33 DI conferences by my count.

The traditionalist rises again!

While I don't like the jump to 68 either, MidMajority.com points out that there is a hidden advantage in the move to 68 (as there was in the move to 65). Yes, that means that 8 teams/conferences will be in PIGs instead of 2, but it also means that 4 conferences will get win shares for winning the PIG instead of 1. Counter-intuitively, it will send more money to the bottom-tier conferences, since it is incredibly rare for a 15/16 to bring back any more money than the appearance fee otherwise.

[phillysportsfan]

How about we go to a 33 team tournament. After all there are 33 DI conferences by my count.

The traditionalist rises again!

While I don't like the jump to 68 either, MidMajority.com points out that there is a hidden advantage in the move to 68 (as there was in the move to 65). Yes, that means that 8 teams/conferences will be in PIGs instead of 2, but it also means that 4 conferences will get win shares for winning the PIG instead of 1. Counter-intuitively, it will send more money to the bottom-tier conferences, since it is incredibly rare for a 15/16 to bring back any more money than the appearance fee otherwise.

I dont think the NCAA has even decided if the 4 play in games will be for the 16 seed spot or will they be the bubble teams playing for a 12/13 spot.

[KeithK]

How about we go to a 33 team tournament. After all there are 33 DI conferences by my count.

The traditionalist rises again!

While I don't like the jump to 68 either, MidMajority.com points out that there is a hidden advantage in the move to 68 (as there was in the move to 65). Yes, that means that 8 teams/conferences will be in PIGs instead of 2, but it also means that 4 conferences will get win shares for winning the PIG instead of 1. Counter-intuitively, it will send more money to the bottom-tier conferences, since it is incredibly rare for a 15/16 to bring back any more money than the appearance fee otherwise.

I suppose that's possible but highly unlikely. The point of expanding the tournament is to get a higher percentage of big name, big conference teams in the tournament.

I dont think the NCAA has even decided if the 4 play in games will be for the 16 seed spot or will they be the bubble teams playing for a 12/13 spot.

Do you really believe that would happen? I'd be shocked if they didn't have the playin at the bottom (which is how they do it now).

[phillysportsfan]

How about we go to a 33 team tournament. After all there are 33 DI conferences by my count.

The traditionalist rises again!

While I don't like the jump to 68 either, MidMajority.com points out that there is a hidden advantage in the move to 68 (as there was in the move to 65). Yes, that means that 8 teams/conferences will be in PIGs instead of 2, but it also means that 4 conferences will get win shares for winning the PIG instead of 1. Counter-intuitively, it will send more money to the bottom-tier conferences, since it is incredibly rare for a 15/16 to bring back any more money than the appearance fee otherwise.

I suppose that's possible but highly unlikely. The point of expanding the tournament is to get a higher percentage of big name, big conference teams in the tournament.

I dont think the NCAA has even decided if the 4 play in games will be for the 16 seed spot or will they be the bubble teams playing for a 12/13 spot.

Do you really believe that would happen? I'd be shocked if they didn't have the playin at the bottom (which is how they do it now).

I dont think it would happen because the NCAA loves to screw the mid majors but I am still shocked they went to 68 instead of 96. The bubble teams playing each other would be better for tv ratings since they would be more name teams

[Jim Hyla]

I suspect the 68 was so all number one seeds get to play a team that had to play during the week.

[KeithK]

I suspect the 68 was so all number one seeds get to play a team that had to play during the week.

because it's so unfair for Duke or Kansas to have to play a 16 seed that hasn't played the day before. They might have to break a sweat to win!

You're probably right though.  68 does have that (minimal) symmetry.