Division IAA Basketball?

[jackmd]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

They may expand the tournament, but you can bet it won't be to let more Mid-Major's in the field, especially automatically.

Go Jacks!!

Bingo! The big money conferences want more money and the way you get more money is more teams in the tourney, more tickets sold, more TV rights, etc...

I don't see them splitting up NCAA DI basketball. I'm a little discouraged by the idea that a season is deemed successful only by a playoff appearance or tourney invite. I think we live in a world were mediocrity is often too greatly rewarded and the value of learning how to lose and learning from loss is being ignored.

One example, Roy Williams at UNC. The guy is a complete basket case because Carolina is mediocre at best. He has never experienced anything like it and he isn't able to cope.

[propar80]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

I'd take that bet...

The only reason they're talking at all about expansion in the tournament is because of TV revenue. CBS is driving the expansion talk and it's not so they have more Mid-Major teams in the mix.

The ratings show that other than the first round of the NCAA's, people want to see the big-boys. I'm actually just the opposite. Unless there's a couple of Mid-Major's in, I don't watch much of it.

The year George Mason was in the Final Four, CBS had the lowest TV ratings ever. I would've thought just the opposite too.

Granted, much of my info, comes from listening to way too much ESPN Radio, so take my comments for what they're worth. I'd love to find out the "experts" are wrong on this one!!

Go Jacks!!

[LakeJack]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

The only reason they're talking at all about expansion in the tournament is because of TV revenue. CBS is driving the expansion talk and it's not so they have more Mid-Major teams in the mix.

The ratings show that other than the first round of the NCAA's, people want to see the big-boys. I'm actually just the opposite. Unless there's a couple of Mid-Major's in, I don't watch much of it.

The year George Mason was in the Final Four, CBS had the lowest TV ratings ever. I would've thought just the opposite too.

Granted, much of my info, comes from listening to way too much ESPN Radio, so take my comments for what they're worth. I'd love to find out the "experts" are wrong on this one!!

Go Jacks!!

Food for thought

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/04/15...1975-2007/2844

According to this source the Avg. veiwership through the regional finals in 2006 (George Mason) was second highest in their data.

[22jack]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

Bingo! The big money conferences want more money and the way you get more money is more teams in the tourney, more tickets sold, more TV rights, etc...

I don't see them splitting up NCAA DI basketball. I'm a little discouraged by the idea that a season is deemed successful only by a playoff appearance or tourney invite. I think we live in a world were mediocrity is often too greatly rewarded and the value of learning how to lose and learning from loss is being ignored.

One example, Roy Williams at UNC. The guy is a complete basket case because Carolina is mediocre at best. He has never experienced anything like it and he isn't able to cope.

Amen!

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

In my opinion there is no way this happens. It would diminish the aura of the NCAA tournament. IMO, the tournamnent expanding to 128 teams is going to happen before something like this.

I hope you are right but I wouldn't count on anything. If the big conferences hve enough power to continue to hold the NCAA from going to a football playoff system that identifies a true national champion then you can bet they will try and get their hands on all the cash from the "Big Dance"!

It would have a devostating effect on the "Non-BCS" conferences.

I'm all for the expansion as well!

SUPERBUNNY

[State_fan]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

If that happened, I honestly think that would kill what makes the tournament special. You kill the Cinderella teams and therefore kill the first round or two possibly up to the Sweet 16. Everyone knows that the larger schools like Kansas, Kentucky, Connecticut, Duke, etc are going to win every year. That isn't what makes the tournament so popular. Its the "little" guys like Valpo, UNI, Kent St, George Mason making some runs and upsets. There are actual teams in the lower conferences that can play, though their entire conference as a whole maybe can't. You eliminate them, you eliminate the greatness of the tournament.
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So to summarize everything up, I hate this idea.

Must be a slow day at work today, huh EP?

I agree, DIAA basketball is a bad idea.

In regards to increasing from 65 to 128... I think the number is ok the way it is, but haven't really thought about it too much. I don't think they would give the smaller conferences more entries anyway; they'll just bring in more schools from larger conferences. I suppose I could be swayed the other way if they bumped the number of autobids from each conference (top two as opposed to conf tourney champ, as an example).

[sdsurulz08]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

Half the fun of college basketball is debating who's in who's out and who's on the bubble. if there is 96 teams getting, the bcs conference tourneys will mean less as most teams will get in anyway. Also joe lunardi, who does the espn bracketology, will be living on the steet and the NIT tournament will be an afterthought...

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

I believe the contract between CBS and the NCAA has language that says "when" the tournament is expanded to 96 and not "may" be expanded to 96 when discussing the television coverage and the dollar amount that CBS pays. Can't remember where I read this, I think on ESPN.com a year or two ago and that it really indicated that it was a joint decision on expanding. In other words if the NCAA wanted to but CBS thought it was a bad idea, no expansion.

I don't think I like the idea, but I do think it is going to happen at some point.

[MaddogJack]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

If you really wanted to water things down, include the SDHSAA in the planning of it and you will break it down into 6 classes or subdivisions- "so everyone has a chance to win a title in their lifetime". (ala HS FB in SD)

Keep it the way it is, at it's purest. David vs. Goliath makes for better stories.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

If you really wanted to water things down, include the SDHSAA in the planning of it and you will break it down into 6 classes or subdivisions- "so everyone has a chance to win a title in their lifetime". (ala HS FB in SD)

Awesome Post. They also would give the BCS schools a double-elimination round.

[Nidaros]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

Awesome Post. They also would give the BCS schools a double-elimination round.

I have never understood the purpose of loser brackets in the State Tourneys. Maybe it was designed to give the student fans who escape to Rapid, Aberdeen or SF for three days something to do besides doing drugs. I suppose the loser bracket brings in extra revenue too, I do not know, but seems like North Dakota is the only state that has a loser bracket for BB tourneys. I guess a state tourney would not be complete without someone playing for seventh and eighth place. Even if it ends by a forty point margin.

Double elimination in BCS, that has to be tongue in cheek thinking.

As far as expansion of brackets at NCAA D1, that could be good for more tv revenues, I am not an expert on the current contract with CBS. CBS can probably allow just so much pre-emption of their regular programming and soon the viewing public will be upset.

I hate seeing Young and Restless pre-empted. It's my favorite soap, btw. Eric Baerden as Victor Newman is the man with his slight German accent, and telling everyone he does not GIVE A DAMN. He comes across very authoritative, and to see his fine acting pre-empted by North west Montana vs Dakota State may not set well with the general public. This has to be the biggest consideration in expanding the field.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

Double elimination in BCS, that has to be tongue in cheek thinking.

AA basketball

[hareball]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

Thought I would play the role of devils advocate in this discussion. Not saying I agree with Huggins, but just some thoughts. More excitement and better crowds at for football or mens basketball? More excitement if women were in position to realistically win a national championship at the 1-AA level vs maybe at best reaching the 3rd round at the Big Dance? Summit League tournament was a great experience last year, but what if down the road the tournament goes back to Tulsa? WNIT crowds were great a couple of years ago. What would playoff setup be for 1-AA, would the Jacks have a chance to host some games? The dollars involved with the SEC, Big 10 programs put them on a completely different playing field than the Big Sky, Summit, Horizon and even the MVC. If the 1-AA tournament better promoted, could it draw nationwide interest or will it be viewed as second class by many similar to the FCS playoffs and championship?

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

IMO, coaches like Huggins are a little nervous about what "small" schools have been able to do since kids started leaving school early for the next level. Recruiting is a lot harder now than it was 10 years ago because power schools get the best recruits who seldom stay for 4 years (UNC, Kansas, Duke, Kentucky).

New Mexico
Temple
Butler
BYU
UNI
Richmond
Gonzaga
Rhode Island
Utah St.
Siena
San Diego State
Dayton
William and Mary
St Mary's
Cornell
Wichita State

There's a list of schools in the top 50 rpi that Bob Huggins would like to see in another tournament. 16 dangerous teams that are probably good enough to knock West Virginia out of the tournament (sort of like how all his Cincy teams got knocked out).

These schools can recruit about 4 kids per year, as most recruits will be in the program for 4-5 years. Schools like the big 4 have to recruit 5-6 kids every year because they will always have at least one player bolting for the draft. This evens the playing field, which scares the bejebus out of the power players.

[bub94]

Re: Division IAA Basketball?

Huggins only wants this subdivision so he has a better chance of making the dance. But just because West Virginia is in a big conference, would you pick them in the top 110? Win your conference and don't rely on conference name help. The only expansion I wouldn't mind seeing is going from 65 to 68. Have one, one game playoff in each bracket (a 16-17 seed game). You don't add an extra week to the tourney, since all the games would be played on the Tuesday night. But reward some little guys and not just the W.V.'s.