Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

[HoboD]

A number of news sources, including ESPN, are reporting that the NCAA is in serious discussion regarding the adoption of an expanded NCAA basketball field to 96. Essentially, opening the door for additional major conference teams. Here is a link to one article:

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/source...one-deal-27742

This would inevitably hurt the midmajors and lesser conferences who would end up playing either each other in play in games. It would dilute the meaning of making it to the tournament and in my mind inhibit the biggest appeal of the tournament which are the cinderella stories like George Mason. BAD IDEA!

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

A number of news sources, including ESPN, are reporting that the NCAA is in serious discussion regarding the adoption of an expanded NCAA basketball field to 96. Essentially, opening the door for additional major conference teams. Here is a link to one article:

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/source...one-deal-27742

This would inevitably hurt the midmajors and lesser conferences who would end up playing either each other in play in games. It would dilute the meaning of making it to the tournament and in my mind inhibit the biggest appeal of the tournament which are the cinderella stories like George Mason. BAD IDEA!

Awful idea. Let's take the best event in all of sports...and change it!!!

Not surprised though, considering the NCAA is involved.

[filbert]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

Personally, I think if the extra 31 teams are a second automatic qualifier from each of the conferences (regular season champion, maybe?) then it would be a net good thing for college basketball and the Tournament.

If there are just 31 more at-large teams, mostly from the major conferences, then it won't be nearly as good for college basketball as a whole.

If the result is to give a little bit more of the big pie to the mid-major conferences (which a second AQ would do) then it would be worth doing for conferences like the Summit.

[propar80]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

So I'm assuming they will have to have one whole round of 16 Play-In games...which of course will all consist of Mid-Major schools I'm sure.

My math tells me they will have to have 16 play-in games in order to keep the trademarks...Sweet 16, Elite eight, and Final Four.

This sucks, especially for the Summit League/Mid-Major conferences IMO. The only positve would be that your chances of winning 1 game in the tourney would be better.

Go Jacks!!

[MaddogJack]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

I'm kind of on the fence. I've read that the top 32 would have a bye - leaving the other 64 to start it out. If the mid-majors picked up a said amount of those additional, I would be in favor of it. If it's in a move to make sure 7 of the 10 Big 10 schools make it, I'm against it.

Along another thought - since a 1 has never lost to a 16, why not make them (the 1's) work harder and give the bottom 32 a bye?(just playing devil's advocate)

[filbert]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

So I'm assuming they will have to have one whole round of 16 Play-In games...which of course will all consist of Mid-Major schools I'm sure.

My math tells me they will have to have 16 play-in games in order to keep the trademarks...Sweet 16, Elite eight, and Final Four.

This sucks, especially for the Summit League/Mid-Major conferences IMO. The only positve would be that your chances of winning 1 game in the tourney would be better.

Go Jacks!!

Or you could have a 3-game first weekend-- the first round being 32 games and 32 byes, and then go to the round of 64 (32 games) and a round of 32 (16 games) to get down to the regional field of the Sweet 16 (tm) for the second weekend, as before.

[Evolution Prime]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

[HoboD]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

Personally, I think if the extra 31 teams are a second automatic qualifier from each of the conferences (regular season champion, maybe?) then it would be a net good thing for college basketball and the Tournament.

All the sources Ive been reading indicate the extra bids would go to at large teams which translates into additional teams for the majors conferences.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

All the sources Ive been reading indicate the extra bids would go to at large teams which translates into additional teams for the majors conferences.

Of course the NCAA is going to make it so that more major conferences get in to the detriment of mid-majors. It is the same reason that almost all the FBS teams get into a bowl. It is all about the money.

Personally I like the idea of awarding a bid to all the regular season conference winners. But, since it makes so much sense, there is no way that the NCAA will do it.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

So I'm assuming they will have to have one whole round of 16 Play-In games...which of course will all consist of Mid-Major schools I'm sure.

My math tells me they will have to have 16 play-in games in order to keep the trademarks...Sweet 16, Elite eight, and Final Four.

This sucks, especially for the Summit League/Mid-Major conferences IMO. The only positve would be that your chances of winning 1 game in the tourney would be better.

Go Jacks!!

There would actually be 31 extra games needed. Each game is used to eliminate one team. In a single elimination tournament the number of games played is always one less than the number of teams in the tournament.

Also: http://www.theonion.com/content/vide...rch_madness_to

[22jack]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

I think it is funny that the NCAA wants to change the basketball playoffs but they won't fix the BCS in football.

[FargoBison]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

The NCAA fixes only what the BCS power schools want fixed.

[OKC_Poke]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

The NCAA fixes only what the BCS power schools want fixed.

As Fonzie would say.....

Correct-a-mundo!

[jackmd]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

All the sources Ive been reading indicate the extra bids would go to at large teams which translates into additional teams for the majors conferences.

This is my understanding as well. There will be no additional automatic bids with any expansion. The idea is to allow more of the major conference teams a chance in the tourney. A chance to make more money, that is.

Viewership has been declining over the last few years for various reasons. The NCAA is looking to shake things up a bit.

I've also heard and read sources stating that a post-season conference tourney will be required for an automatic bid. In other words, no more awarding the auto-bid to the regular season conference champ. If you don' have a tourney, no auto-bid.

[zooropa]

Re: Field of 96 for NCAA Basketball a "done deal"

So what happens to the NIT?

Do they get the rest of the Big Six schools?