Dana O’Neil: tournament expansion unlikely to go past 76

[Leebo]

I read a piece that said basketball currently has a lower rate of participation in the championship event than the NCAA recommends for sports with more than 200 teams... But to me all that means is they've put too many teams in division 1.

 

[aburks41]

Does anybody watch the play in games except for the friends and family of the teams playing?

I'm a pretty big college basketball fan and I don't.

I watch them but there's no real excitement to them because I don't fill out my bracket until after they're over.

The only way I could see expansion being more exciting is if they made 16 teams fight for 4 spots. So on Tuesday you get 8 games, and then those 8 winners play again the following day. The 4 teams that make it out of that are then placed in the 64 team bracket. THAT would be pretty fun. Of course though, the Big 10 would probably cry about it being unfair that there's no rest day for poor ol .500 Maryland to prepare for facing a .500 Xavier squad lol

 

[Makryspost]

So long as the conference champs don't have to play in the play in games. All this is is the now bigger conferences saying its not fair and they should have more teams in because these new teams would have made it in their old conferences - it's not our fault that we have more competition. Hence they get more money. I am sure that's not how it would work out though and the sub 500 northwestern team will get in and not in a play in.

 

[Inyatkin]

Every expansion plan ignores the fact that basically any team, no matter how mediocre, can get itself a tourney bid right now. Just get hot and win your conference tournament.

 

[Glenn]

I would be ok with 96. A first round bye for the top 32, play-in for the next 64.

 

[Waquoit]

The only way I could see expansion being more exciting is if they made 16 teams fight for 4 spots.

Maybe they could use brass knuckles. Ratings would be huge.

 

[Shamon30]

68 is too many as it is

 

[ec33]

Maybe they could use brass knuckles. Ratings would be huge.

Are you suggesting Big East refs?

 

[ec33]

So long as the conference champs don't have to play in the play in games. All this is is the now bigger conferences saying its not fair and they should have more teams in because these new teams would have made it in their old conferences - it's not our fault that we have more competition. Hence they get more money. I am sure that's not how it would work out though and the sub 500 northwestern team will get in and not in a play in.

I think this is important. Either you are in the tournament or not. What are they playing into in the "play in" games if they are already in the tournament?

The current process disqualifies four "auto-qualifiers." Two teams are re-qualified and two teams find themselves disinvited.

 

[McLovin]

Does anybody watch the play in games except for the friends and family of the teams playing?

I'm a pretty big college basketball fan and I don't.

I’ll have it on if I’m not doing anything, but I don’t really care if I miss them. I could really care less though (it almost feels like watching the NIT).

 

[Scoe]

64 teams was fine, I have warmed to 68 teams a little the Tuesday and Wednesday is like the appetizer to the main dish, I do tend to fall asleep while it’s on though.

 

[huskyjawz]

I’ll have it on if I’m not doing anything, but I don’t really care if I miss them. I could really care less though (it almost feels like watching the NIT).

Point being how much additional money is there if no one watches the games.

 

[McLovin]

Point being how much additional money is there if no one watches the games.

For the networks? I don’t know. For the power conferences who will rack up 4 or more extra win units, apparently enough for them to want this.

 

[LBird33]

Meh eight

Boring eight

 

[JB75]

Virginia is on the bubble right now. They are a dreadful team that has no chance and nobody wants to watch in March. Expand the tournament and there will just be two days of mid-offs between poverty programs, which nobody will watch except for dimwitted ACC and Big 10 fans

Ha. This was good.

 

[gsmooth]

I personally dont want any expansion but if it’s bound to happen just double the First Four to First Eight (not very catchy though)

72 teams. Still too much but better than 80-90

This is probably the way to compromise. But I hate even compromising on this. Just keep it 68. No matter how many teams are chosen for the NCAAT there will always be a few teams that cry and feel slighted-it's inevitable.

All of this adding teams nonsense is just for the Power 6 conferences to get more teams in the Big Dance and I really hate it.