1 of 1- GW0509
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The End of March Madness?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- As the collegiate landscape changes amid conference realignment and the NCAA's future remains in flux, West Virginia men's basketball coach Bob Huggins said it's time for the major conferences to split from the other schools and create their own postseason tournament, so they can control the sport's most significant financial stream.
"They're doing it in football," Huggins told ESPN at Big 12 media day. "Why wouldn't they do it? The presidents and athletic directors that have all the juice, why wouldn't they do it? Makes no sense why they wouldn't do it. I think it's more 'Why wouldn't they?' than 'Why would they?' And then, the other people, they can have their own tournament."
Maybe our NIT title would be seen as more prestigious if it becomes the tournament of choice for "the other people"?
- GWRising
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Re: The End of March Madness?
Predicted long ago by none other than Jack Kvancz. It is just a matter of time.
- Steve
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Re: The End of March Madness?
Someone has got to be projecting revenue on this hypothetical event. I am not convinced that an all/only power conference tournament would have remotely the pull of the open NCAA field. The Cindarella story is half the draw. People watch for the chance to see #15 FGCU put an ass kicking on Georgetown.
- Florida Colonial
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Re: The End of March Madness?
Steve, I'm inclined to agree with you. The casual fan is certainly drawn in by the storylines. Even with GW not being in the tourney, I mainly watch to see how the A10 and other non power conference teams do in those opening rounds and hopefully beyond. My interest wanes as the tournament moves along and we're only left with the power conference schools, unless we get that breakout mid major. Thats the true attraction of college basketball. I enjoy becoming a UMBC fan for a day.
I may be naive but I think it would be a non starter.
But then again there is a lot that has happened recently, that I never would have imagined.
- Gwmayhem
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Re: The End of March Madness?
Then again, amongst the worst rated final 4's have been the ones when mid-majors crashed the party. Am not in disagreement with many people's interest over the first few rounds but once we reach the Sweet 16, the vast majority of this country is interested in watching the majors duke it out with one another.
- GW0509
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Re: The End of March Madness?
Don't forget that Huggy's argument is all about money.
Will the BCS conferences want to continue sharing TV revenue with the SWAC, MEAC, Big South, etc.? Even if X% of the interest goes away, do the BCS schools end up with more money since they don't have to split the pie between every autobid conference?
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Thread Starter- jf
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Re: The End of March Madness?
Couldn't pick a better spokesman than Huggins, who basically represents the anything goes philosophy
in what at least is technically college sports.
- FredD
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Re: The End of March Madness?
Huggins is correct. This is where things will end up. The only question is how a Power 5 only tourney can create a Cinderella. That is the only thing that TV needs to get to a power 5 tourney
- Steve
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Re: The End of March Madness?
I guess i can get excited about Marquette?
- Free Quebec
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Re: The End of March Madness?
If you want to see what would happen, take a look at the reaction in Europe to the proposed SuperLeague. I suspect at one point the BCS will seriously propose it - and then the question is will they be able to withstand the enormous backlash they will face for destroyed one of America’s most loved institutions.