OT: Growing the Game

[Boreifs]

IU had over 18000 people at its game versus Purdue today. I just wish there was a way to play regionals at the home of the Top Seed. Broadcasting Elite Eight games at neutral sites with half empty stadiums is not a good look.

 

[Topdawg]

IU had over 18000 people at its game versus Purdue today. I just wish there was a way to play regionals at the home of the Top Seed. Broadcasting Elite Eight games at neutral sites with half empty stadiums is not a good look.

There have been several well attended games this year and many games with large online viewership. NCAA needs to be smart to grow the game. They could prioritize ticket purchases for visiting teams and still fill the remaining seats with locals. I agree, poorly attended games are not a good look.

 

[Tonyc]

I have been against having just 2 sites for the regionals since they started talking about it. For the fans I agree we need to hold the regionals at the Top Seed sites. SC IU Stanford and UConn will all draw and if they dont hold them elsewhere where you get fannies in the seats.

 

[MSGRET]

I don't know why they did this, they stated it would save money and be more neutral for all teams. I disagree if they want to save money and be more neutral, put all 16 teams in one city and play the remaining games in that city. The Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four and the NC, with the first two rounds on the top 16 teams court.

 

[cgshuskie]

The NCAA just doesn't get it.....

 

[Skeets]

I don't know why they did this, they stated it would save money and be more neutral for all teams. I disagree if they want to save money and be more neutral, put all 16 teams in one city and play the remaining games in that city. The Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four and the NC, with the first two rounds on the top 16 teams court.

One city, maybe like Las Vegas?

 

[sun]

Maybe growing the game means putting some new fans in the seats instead of catering to fan bases that are already established.
The arenas won't be as overwhelmingly partisan which can reflect neutrality, sort of like the Olympics.
That can have more appeal to national TV audiences too, since the fans may act more reserved overall.
Maybe the NCAA will attract/ invite some BB celebrities to attend who want to promote their image & the game too.
Advertisers may also be more inclined to support a less partisan event for the sake of the sport.
Visa Card doesn't support pro sports like they do the Olympics because it's on a world stage. and the NCAA is trying to build a national stage to help grow the game.

 

[CL82]

Playing at the home of the higher seed would tend to entrench and solidify the positions of the existing top teams particularly for the final four and the national championship game. The best way is to allow neutral arenas to bid on it and rotated from year to year. I think it’s fine for the first couple of rounds but after that, it should be in truly neutral venues. The problem is that the only arenas that would be interested are those who have a strong woman basketball presence in the area, namely, those close to good teams.

I don’t mind the two location experiment, but this year it is giving an advantage to two perennial top teams. That might help with attendance but I think in the long run it will decrease interest.

If we can’t fill up a mega stadium, play the games and smaller venues.

 

[oldude]

The other side of the argument through the years has been that well attended regionals in places like Bridgeport, CT & Albany, NY are basically home games for UConn. While I personally don’t buy that argument, Dawn, Brenda and other coaches have complained about facing the Huskies during the Big Dance in front of large, pro-UConn crowds.

I would counter by pointing out that UConn had to insure those spots in favorable locations by earning a #1 or #2 seed each and every year. There were also regionals in Ft Wayne, IN and Greenville, SC that were taylor made for ND & SC respectively. Specifically regarding the Ft Wayne regional in 2020, the tournament was unfortunately cancelled that year due to Covid, although ND would not have been there under any circumstance after going 13-18 that season.

 

[sun]

One city, maybe like Las Vegas?

Las Vegas is not scheduled to be a FF site anytime before & including 2031.

South Carolina beats Iowa to complete unbeaten season, win 2024 women's NCAA title

All you need to know for March Madness women's tournament, which runs from selections on March 17 through the championship on April 7.

www.ncaa.com

 

[dabears17]

I don’t mind the two location experiment, but this year it is giving an advantage to two perennial top teams. That might help with attendance but I think in the long run it will decrease interest.

If we can’t fill up a mega stadium, play the games and smaller venues.

South Carolina is 100 miles from Greenville. What is the second program with an advantage?

 

[oldude]

South Carolina is 100 miles from Greenville. What is the second program with an advantage?

Must be the Gonzaga Bulldogs heading to Seattle…..

 

[ConnMotors]

I don't know why they did this, they stated it would save money and be more neutral for all teams. I disagree if they want to save money and be more neutral, put all 16 teams in one city and play the remaining games in that city. The Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four and the NC, with the first two rounds on the top 16 teams court.

I agree with this. Was not a fan of if the two sites. Use the Mississippi River as a guide. There are some huge cities within the dividing line. From Minneapolis to St. Louis to New Orleans. Or detour to San Antonio. No Greenville and no Seattle.

 

[oldude]

I agree with this. Was not a fan of if the two sites. Use the Mississippi River as a guide. There are some huge cities within the dividing line. From Minneapolis to St. Louis to New Orleans. Or detour to San Antonio. No Greenville and no Seattle.

While there are lots of cities and arenas around the country, not many are interested in hosting a WBB regional tournament where attendance can be spotty depending on the teams. Bridgeport & Albany always bid on hosting the regionals, precisely because you can pretty much pencil in UConn as the East Regional 1 or 2 seed every season.

This is not the case in MBB when many cities bid to host a regional tournament, where attendance is usually very good, regardless of the teams.

 

[Bigboote]

To me the two sites seems like the worst of both worlds. I greatly prefer having four sites, but if you're going to "fix" that to reduce costs, fix it all the way and make it a single site. I'm not a fan of halfway measures.

 

[Rowdy831]

Two regional sites saves money on what exactly? All or most of the teams have to travel and having east coast schools traveling to Seattle is a huge disadvantage and an additional cost to the NCAA and the schools. The men have four sites and that is what the women should have too. It won't need to be a home court advantage but every team should have a chance to include its fans in the excitement of the tournament.

 

[Pharos]

Growing the game... is what, exactly?

• making coaches happy?
• giving more players a chance to improve and perform at higher levels?
• making arena corporations happy?
• encouraging young girls to take up the game?
• making managing the money easier? better? more profitable?
• displaying the game in a way that gives fans in many locations the chance to marvel?
• making TV networks happier?

 

[Boreifs]

Growing the game... is what, exactly?

• making coaches happy?
• giving more players a chance to improve and perform at higher levels?
• making arena corporations happy?
• encouraging young girls to take up the game?
• making managing the money easier? better? more profitable?
• displaying the game in a way that gives fans in many locations the chance to marvel?
• making TV networks happier?

In this case, my definition of “growing the game” was quite narrow; large crowds for all sweet sixteen games. The new format seems designed to insure that will never happen.

 

[MSGRET]

Las Vegas is not scheduled to be a FF site anytime before & including 2031.

South Carolina beats Iowa to complete unbeaten season, win 2024 women's NCAA title

All you need to know for March Madness women's tournament, which runs from selections on March 17 through the championship on April 7.

www.ncaa.com

Las Vegas has the Men's FF APR 1 & 3, 2028 at Allegiant Stadium. They are currently the only city that hosts 5 separate conferences Men's and Women's basketball tournaments. The following conferences have the Las Vegas area host their Conference Championships. They have also been selected to host 22 other NCAA sports tournaments through 2031 and will most likely be hosting the Women's when the NCAA releases the 2032 - 2036 FF.

1. Big West - March 7 - 11

2. Mountain West - March 5 - 11

3. PAC 12 - Women's March 1 - 5 / Men's March 8 - 11

4. Western Athletic Conference - March 6 - 11

5. West Coast Conference - March 2 - 7

 

[sun]

Las Vegas has the Men's FF APR 1 & 3, 2028 at Allegiant Stadium. They are currently the only city that hosts 5 separate conferences Men's and Women's basketball tournaments. The following conferences have the Las Vegas area host their Conference Championships. They have also been selected to host 22 other NCAA sports tournaments through 2031 and will most likely be hosting the Women's when the NCAA releases the 2032 - 2036 FF.

1. Big West - March 7 - 11

2. Mountain West - March 5 - 11

3. PAC 12 - Women's March 1 - 5 / Men's March 8 - 11

4. Western Athletic Conference - March 6 - 11

5. West Coast Conference - March 2 - 7

If you notice all of those tournaments are for western US conferences.
Of all the FF locations selected up to 2031, only Portland, OR in 2030 is in the PST zone.

Las Vegas is also in the Pacific Time Zone while Phoenix which was selected for the 2026 FF is in the Mountain Time Zone.
3 FF sites are in the Eastern Time Zone & 4 are in the Central Time Zone.
Maybe the NCAA is largely avoiding the Pacific Time Zone for the purpose of TV, marketing &/ or the increased traveling distance, especially if it were to exclusively be the host city for all 16 teams as @Skeets mentioned.
That would be a lot of wasteful flying time & money.

 

[tkaes]

If wishes were horses...

Keep in mind that sites have to be selected well in advance to ensure that there are enough room-nights available at the close by hotels to accommodate the influx of visiting fans and to allow the local community to properly market the event. This precludes selecting totally neutral sites because there are potential tournament teams near every major city that can handle the visitors.

Someone suggested Las Vegas. Although UNLV doesn't have a perennial strong WCBB team, they could conceivably. Suppose UNLV decided to pony up big bucks and hire Dawn. With the way she recruits, how long would it take them to be competing for NCs?

 

[MSGRET]

If you notice all of those tournaments are for western US conferences.
Of all the FF locations selected up to 2031, only Portland, OR in 2030 in the PST zone.

Las Vegas is also the Pacific Time Zone while Phoenix which was selected for the 2026 FF is in the Mountain Time Zone.
3 FF sites are in the Eastern Time Zone & 4 are in the Central Time Zone.
Maybe the NCAA is avoiding the Pacific Time Zone for the purpose of marketing &/ or the increased travel distance..

Right, they have half of the Sweet Sixteen in the farthest Western city in the U.S. and you talk about avoiding the Pacific Time Zone and increased travel distance. While Las Vegas is easier and many times cheaper to fly to then Seattle, Phoenix, and most other Western States. Hotel rooms are usually cheaper than those cities and no other city has more of them in the U.S. then Las Vegas.

Those other conferences discovered that they save money hosting their tournaments in Las Vegas then in their own states. The costs are anywhere between 20 to 60 percent less then California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and New Mexico. Plus they were getting more fans to attend the tournament in Vegas then many of the other cities because it cost the fans less in the long run.

In 2020 Las Vegas was finally allowed to put in bids for hosting NCAA sanctioned events and they were for the years 2023 thru 2026, this is what they were awarded for the first time.

Las Vegas was selected for the following events:

• 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Regional; T-Mobile Arena
• 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Regional; Bear’s Best Las Vegas
• 2023 National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship; South Point Hotel
• 2024 NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships; Boulder Creek Golf Club and The Legacy Golf Club
• 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Regional; Spanish Trail Country Club
• 2024 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships; UNLV – Peter Johann Memorial Field
• 2025 NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships; Boulder Creek Golf Club
• 2026 NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships; Boulder Creek Golf Club
• 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship (Frozen Four); T-Mobile Arena

Currently the NCAA is looking at Las Vegas to be one of the hosts for the football championship playoffs when they expand to 12 teams and that Vegas is also being looked at as a permanent regional site for the NCAA golf tournament.

 

[MSGRET]

If wishes were horses...

Keep in mind that sites have to be selected well in advance to ensure that there are enough room-nights available at the close by hotels to accommodate the influx of visiting fans and to allow the local community to properly market the event. This precludes selecting totally neutral sites because there are potential tournament teams near every major city that can handle the visitors.

Someone suggested Las Vegas. Although UNLV doesn't have a perennial strong WCBB team, they could conceivably. Suppose UNLV decided to pony up big bucks and hire Dawn. With the way she recruits, how long would it take them to be competing for NCs?

Don't need her, they hired Lindy La Rocque in March 2020, an assistant coach under Tara at Stanford, she was a basketball star here in Vegas before playing for Stanford making it to the Final Four all four years of her time at Stanford 2008 - 2012, they lost to UConn in the 2009 Final Four 83 -64, lost to UConn in the 2010 NC Game 53 - 47, lost to Texas A&M in the 2011 Final Four 63 - 62 and lost to Baylor in the 2012 Final Four 59 - 47.

She currently has a record of 41 - 16, was 2nd in the Mountain West (MWC) her first year and has won the MWC Regular Season title the last 2 years, currently 25 - 2. She took the Rebels to the NCAA tournament last year for the first time since 2002 winning 26 games for the first time in over 30 years. She is also the first women's coach who was originally from Las Vegas, still holds the Durango High School leading scorer (both boys and girls) with 2,678 points.

We just hope that she stays here in Vegas and builds the program to a prominent player in the Women's game.

 

[Pharos]

In this case, my definition of “growing the game” was quite narrow; large crowds for all sweet sixteen games. The new format seems designed to insure that will never happen.

BTW is that Lake Placid in your picture?

 

[DefenseBB]

The problem is the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games not being in a Top seed geographical region as noted, attendance is usually half full when that occurs. The NCAA decided to try the 2 site Regional location with the venues selling "All Session passes" for all 4 days. Please note that usually the Regional is only 2 days (Thur/Sat or Fri/Sun) and in this case the NCAA is selling all 4 sets of sessions (in short attending 2 regionals).
It does not show that you can only by Fri/Sun or Sat/Mon sessions when your team would be playing. Those tickets are individual tickets only for Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon.

As most teams except SC (Bon Secours) and Stanford (Climate Pledge) do not know where they will be placed, tickets are still readily available.
Here's the ticket link for those who care:

https://ncaa.ticketsoffice.org/performers/ncaa-womens-basketball-tournament?msclkid=0a470964a66419dfb1a36a91ad9b47c0