DefenseBB
Snark is always appreciated!
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2016
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With the WCSB just completed and with the MCBB Super Regionals getting started, I though now is the apropos time to remind the audience on what the "two closest sports to WCBB in terms of revenue/costs" do for their championships.
An overview:
For the field of 64, the top 16 seeds host the remaining seeded team in groupings of 4 ( 17-64 in a theorized snake ranking). With only 16 teams emerging. Then the higher ranked team (top 8) host the Super Regional for a 2 out of 3 game set on their campus, with the 8 winners going to either Omaha or Oklahoma (WS is held at the same site every year).
My point here is the "illusion" created either by the NCAA, the misinformed coverage experts (media, news, school SID etc.) or the fans is that WCBB is on equal footing with Men's BB or Football in terms of revenue generation from ticket sales and media rights fees and that "neutral venues is either warranted or recommended". The blunt assessment is that IT IS NOT. This is identical to the situation MCBB and WCSB. The simple matter is the high seeds host games due to earning that right with their play, facilities and local interest. Is this unfair to lower seeds and an unfair advantage to the top seeds? Constraints dictate this format. If anything, the Super Regionals are more skewed towards an unfair advantage than anything that the WCBB does by hosting games "locally" in Bridgeport, Dallas, Chicago or where ever else is close to a traditional power school. Having to win 2/3 in a hostile environment is harder than winning just 1 game. I think of the "concerns" Maryland exhibited over their seeding. Analogies to what happened to Minnesota Softball is also apropos as the voting concerns had them ranked #1 yet the selection committee put then #17 due to a poor conference ranking (also Big 10) and poor OOC.
Yet the fervor over what occurs in these sports is completely muted and in my opinion, rightfully so as these sports follow all our sports "playoff" logic of higher teams hosting (see NBA, NHL, MLB).
While I am definitely a WCBB enthusiast, my grounded view on the revenue and near term financial trend points to regional hosting to generate interest, keep costs down and stay within the structure that exists.
When a sports championships can make money (be in the black) then "neutral" championships can be held. Until then, the current process is preferable.
An overview:
For the field of 64, the top 16 seeds host the remaining seeded team in groupings of 4 ( 17-64 in a theorized snake ranking). With only 16 teams emerging. Then the higher ranked team (top 8) host the Super Regional for a 2 out of 3 game set on their campus, with the 8 winners going to either Omaha or Oklahoma (WS is held at the same site every year).
My point here is the "illusion" created either by the NCAA, the misinformed coverage experts (media, news, school SID etc.) or the fans is that WCBB is on equal footing with Men's BB or Football in terms of revenue generation from ticket sales and media rights fees and that "neutral venues is either warranted or recommended". The blunt assessment is that IT IS NOT. This is identical to the situation MCBB and WCSB. The simple matter is the high seeds host games due to earning that right with their play, facilities and local interest. Is this unfair to lower seeds and an unfair advantage to the top seeds? Constraints dictate this format. If anything, the Super Regionals are more skewed towards an unfair advantage than anything that the WCBB does by hosting games "locally" in Bridgeport, Dallas, Chicago or where ever else is close to a traditional power school. Having to win 2/3 in a hostile environment is harder than winning just 1 game. I think of the "concerns" Maryland exhibited over their seeding. Analogies to what happened to Minnesota Softball is also apropos as the voting concerns had them ranked #1 yet the selection committee put then #17 due to a poor conference ranking (also Big 10) and poor OOC.
Yet the fervor over what occurs in these sports is completely muted and in my opinion, rightfully so as these sports follow all our sports "playoff" logic of higher teams hosting (see NBA, NHL, MLB).
While I am definitely a WCBB enthusiast, my grounded view on the revenue and near term financial trend points to regional hosting to generate interest, keep costs down and stay within the structure that exists.
When a sports championships can make money (be in the black) then "neutral" championships can be held. Until then, the current process is preferable.