Odds of winning 2024 NCAAs

[Trotsky]

In 2018 we played BU.

These are the pairings that a straight 1/16 would have yielded.

[Iceberg]

And then you have instances like in 2015 where Providence basically gets two home games in the regional despite being a low seed and doesn't need to travel far for the FF--to a city they visit most seasons no less

[Chris '03]

The neutral site model simply hasn't worked. Time for a change.

It worked fine when there were only 12 teams.  That may have been the newness of the format or the fact that you knew you would see two of the teams advance to the Frozen Four.  It also might have been that the the era of live sports attendance hadn't started to wane.

I felt more excitement then too.  As an alternative to ditching the neutral regionals could there be two locations with eight teams at each?

In the 12 team era, there were two regionals of six teams. It's a larger fan pool to pull from.

Now that there's a day off between regional semi and final, I think they should return to two regions. Eight teams at each. If the ncaa could find venues that are permanent or semi permanent hosts, all the better to allow folks to plan travel, build traditions, etc.

Two games Thursday night. Two Fri. Region finals Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Sadly, I think on campus playoffs would likely suffer vs regular season attendance for two reasons: additional tickets to buy (we see it with ecac home series) and spring break attrition depending on the calendar.

Of course I'm somewhat biased in that from CT it's usually a lot easier for me to get to 3/4s of regionals than Ithaca. Especially ithaca potentially two weeks in a row.

[upprdeck]

I think home venues would work better than and ECAC venue does

one thing going for it is better opp.. much like Minn Dul coming in had a nice crowd..

The energy in the ECAC is because people plan on Cornell winning so often only show for the Sat game thinking  that will be it to clinch.

The energy of a real imp playoff game would be crazy i suspect.

[Trotsky]

Now that there's a day off between regional semi and final

This is the fucking killer of the regionals.  It makes it impossible to attend if you have a  job or classes so, hey, welcome retirees!

[Trotsky]

The energy of a real imp playoff game would be crazy i suspect.

This is why they should do both (1) home sites and (2) one and done.

Can you imagine an NCAA game at Lynah?  You want to finally restore the Golden Age of fan engagement?  That will do it.

And what a cherry on top for the season.  Going out to Lake Placid for the ECACs and then having the team get to come back home and play a super meaningful game.  Makes me hard just thinking about it, and with my blood pressure meds that's a miracle.

[adamw]

It is the right thing to do.  The temptation will be to make the games best-of-three.  TBH, I'd back that as well.  Anything to stop the factory schools with big rinks from buying their way to the F4, the way it is now.

This makes no sense, Mr. I Hate Sports Journalists.

The factory schools with big rinks are all the ones clamoring to go back to campus - precisely because they DON'T have an advantage currently. The reason the ECAC schools of the world want neutral site Regionals, is to avoid the double whammy of not getting home games vs. big schools in the regular season, and then having to go to their arenas for NCAA games.

[Trotsky]

It is the right thing to do.  The temptation will be to make the games best-of-three.  TBH, I'd back that as well.  Anything to stop the factory schools with big rinks from buying their way to the F4, the way it is now.

This makes no sense, Mr. I Hate Sports Journalists.

The factory schools with big rinks are all the ones clamoring to go back to campus - precisely because they DON'T have an advantage currently. The reason the ECAC schools of the world want neutral site Regionals, is to avoid the double whammy of not getting home games vs. big schools in the regular season, and then having to go to their arenas for NCAA games.

It makes perfect sense.

It's only an advantage if they finish top 8.  If they don't, devil take the hindmost.

If North Dakota earns a home seed then I am fine with that.  What I am not fine with is them or Michigan or Minnesota getting a defacto home game as a 13 because they ponied up the cash to host locally.  That's bribery, er, lobbying, er "development" ahem.

I am surprised ND wants this, but I assume they just want the larger gate.  Sometimes the asshole is right.

[marty]

It is the right thing to do.  The temptation will be to make the games best-of-three.  TBH, I'd back that as well.  Anything to stop the factory schools with big rinks from buying their way to the F4, the way it is now.

This makes no sense, Mr. I Hate Sports Journalists.

The factory schools with big rinks are all the ones clamoring to go back to campus - precisely because they DON'T have an advantage currently. The reason the ECAC schools of the world want neutral site Regionals, is to avoid the double whammy of not getting home games vs. big schools in the regular season, and then having to go to their arenas for NCAA games.

In a bid to drift this thread into an irrelevant direction, I will point out that AI sports writers can be hated by all.

[Trotsky]

At least their grammar's better.

[BearLover]

It is the right thing to do.  The temptation will be to make the games best-of-three.  TBH, I'd back that as well.  Anything to stop the factory schools with big rinks from buying their way to the F4, the way it is now.

This makes no sense, Mr. I Hate Sports Journalists.

The factory schools with big rinks are all the ones clamoring to go back to campus - precisely because they DON'T have an advantage currently. The reason the ECAC schools of the world want neutral site Regionals, is to avoid the double whammy of not getting home games vs. big schools in the regular season, and then having to go to their arenas for NCAA games.

If a team wins home-ice advantage, that's a lot fairer than a team purchasing home-ice advantage by hosting a regional. Another reason regionals on campus is fairer is that the selection committee won't move teams around to maximize attendance like they do now.  No more 3rd overall Cornell having to face BU in Massachusetts like in 2018. No more higher seed Cornell having to face four-seed Providence at Providence because Providence purchased a regional that year.

[upprdeck]

I would doubt that teams hosting would get much gate beyond cost to host.. the NCAA is gonna take most of the money.

[Trotsky]

I would doubt that teams hosting would get much gate beyond cost to host.. the NCAA is gonna take most of the money.

They can sell booze now tho.

[upprdeck]

I would doubt that teams hosting would get much gate beyond cost to host.. the NCAA is gonna take most of the money.

They can sell booze now tho.

Do they sell it like cornell does or can you purchase any where in the arena?

And who knows what rules the will come up with if they do it on who keeps the money

the BBALL the schools dont keep it all. They even limit what the can sell. I didnt think you could buy beer at ncaa championships? Has that changed too?

[Trotsky]

I didnt think you could buy beer at ncaa championships? Has that changed too?

I was assuming that was part of the change.