Courant article on the tourney

[HuskyNan]

Mike Anthony: NCAA women’s Tournament should value fair matchups, consider a shift in structure

 

[Vowelguy]

I don't have a problem with thinking outside the box, and there may be changes that could make things better.

That said,
* No NCAA sport except CFB and MCBB has "neutral" site playoff games
* "Neutral" is debateable. How often do Duke/UNC MBB play opening rounds outside the Carolinas?
* And CFB has decided that its playoff games will rotate among sites in Georgia, Florida, LA, Tex, and Phoenix. 4 of those 5 are SEC or SEC-adjacent. None are within 1,000 miles of the BiG.

And yet the inequities in these other sports rarely get mentioned. But WCBB gets tagged as unfair.

 

[Puppy Love]

Sixteen teams in one location seems like such a poorly thought out idea when considered in the context of ‘growing the game’. It might make sense to move the regionals around more frequently. When people go to their first games, they are more likely to return if what they are seeing is a quality product. The regionals are the best chance of getting quality games in front of people people who aren’t hard-core fans. If all of the best matchups are in a single permanent location, there is less possibility to expose the game to broader regional audiences. Only fans who are highly vested in games are going to travel to see their team play. It would seem that the result would impact overall ticket sales and hurt the game in the long run. Moving the regionals might have a positive impact. If you put them not so far away that established fans will still travel but far enough that there would be exposure to new audiences it might be a positive thing.

 

[triaddukefan]

I don't have a problem with thinking outside the box, and there may be changes that could make things better.

That said,
* No NCAA sport except CFB and MCBB has "neutral" site playoff games
* "Neutral" is debateable. How often do Duke/UNC MBB play opening rounds outside the Carolinas?
* And CFB has decided that its playoff games will rotate among sites in Georgia, Florida, LA, Tex, and Phoenix. 4 of those 5 are SEC or SEC-adjacent. None are within 1,000 miles of the BiG.

And yet the inequities in these other sports rarely get mentioned. But WCBB gets tagged as unfair.

Not saying you are complaining, but I see alot of people complain about this. Why not play in a basketball mad state... a state that has three arenas that seat 19,000+ in three separate sizable metro areas... that generally sell out. What other state offers that? Texas, California... Florida ??? Let the record show..... the last time Duke played in Greensboro... they lost in the first round.... the last time they played in Raleigh.... they lost in the first round. People know that anytime they put Duke and that other school in the same venue..... its pretty much a road game for Duke. Personally... I'd rather see them play them elsewhere if it means getting away from that other school's fans

 

[Vowelguy]

Why not play in a basketball mad state...

I wasn't arguing against the current MBB system.

I was complaining that WCBB gets held to a different standard.