Tourney logistics two regionals and other issues

[Phil]

In the UNC Postgame Thread thread, several people including myself commented on logistics of the tournament.

I see the Geno is expressing himself forcefully, so I thought it is worth its own thread.

One of the questions asked was whether the two regional set up could be changed. I responded to that comment, which I will repeat here but I'll add links to Geno's comment

 

[Phil]

Women's tournament committed to 2-site regionals for next 5 years​

The NCAA women's basketball tournament is committed to having two sites for its four regionals for at least five more seasons but might return to four sites at some point after that. And if there is expansion for the men's tournament, the women's field also will expand.

 

[Phil]

 

[Phil]

 

[cancontent]

Had to share. 😏

 

[Bigboote]

And the irony of seeing all those empty seats after they went to two regionals to “fill up the arenas.” Not getting the fans and pissing off the coaches. Priceless.

 

[Phil]

They first tried two regionals in 2023. I have trepidation about how many would show up in Seattle, but the attendance numbers were great if I recall correctly.

In retrospect, that was the year Iowa was the overall runner-up and rabid Caitlin Clark fans helped fill the arena.

I haven't looked at all the attendance numbers I don't think this year is doing anywhere near as well.

 

[Jim]

I seem to recall people complaining about hotel accommodations at the Spokane regional. I think one of the teams had to go to Idaho to get hotel rooms.

 

[bballnut90]

They first tried two regionals in 2023. I have trepidation about how many would show up in Seattle, but the attendance numbers were great if I recall correctly.

In retrospect, that was the year Iowa was the overall runner-up and rabid Caitlin Clark fans helped fill the arena.

I haven't looked at all the attendance numbers I don't think this year is doing anywhere near as well.

Attendance has looked awful in games I’ve see which is a big disappointment for a sport that has had so much growth over the last few years. I thought women’s basketball had more staying power to fill regional locations but apparently not.

The one benefit of 2 regionals is it (in theory) helps keep games more neutral, though exceptions to that certainly exist.

 

[Puppy Love]

The one benefit of 2 regionals is it (in theory) helps keep games more neutral, though exceptions to that certainly exist.

The question of neutrality has been argued for as long as I’ve been watching women’s basketball. I don’t understand why people get upset about the idea home court advantage for teams that are seeded higher. No one complains when major league baseball gives home field advantage in the playoffs and World Series to teams that finished the highest. The NFL playoffs have higher seed home field advantage in a one and done situation. Women’s basketball is not yet to the point where games will sell out in a neutral location. The regionals need to be where the fans are. I don’t think that the fans are in Houston Texas.

 

[cancontent]

Attendance has looked awful in games I’ve see which is a big disappointment for a sport that has had so much growth over the last few years. I thought women’s basketball had more staying power to fill regional locations but apparently not.

The one benefit of 2 regionals is it (in theory) helps keep games more neutral, though exceptions to that certainly exist.

Another challenge could be how the tickets are priced. When you factor in the proximity of the regional compared to where some team fan bases are as well, it doesn't help.

 

[bballnut90]

The question of neutrality has been argued for as long as I’ve been watching women’s basketball. I don’t understand why people get upset about the idea home court advantage for teams that are seeded higher. No one complains when major league baseball gives home field advantage in the playoffs and World Series to teams that finished the highest. The NFL playoffs have higher seed home field advantage in a one and done situation. Women’s basketball is not yet to the point where games will sell out in a neutral location. The regionals need to be where the fans are. I don’t think that the fans are in Houston Texas.

I don't have a problem with the higher seeds getting home court advantage, but the 4 regional set up often creates scenarios where the #2 or #3 seeds wind up getting home court advantage.

Here are examples I found over the last 20-ish years:
-2022 #2 seed UCONN had home court advantage and advanced to the Final Four
-2019 #2 seed UCONN had home court advantage and advanced to the Final Four
-2019 #2 seed Oregon effectively had a home regional and advanced to the Final Four
-2014 #2 Stanford hosting a regional, they advanced to the Final Four
-2014 #3 Louisville getting a home regional, they lost by a bucket to get to the Final Four
-2010 #2 Ohio State got a home regional, they didn't advance to the Final Four
-2009 #2 Stanford got a home regional, they advanced to the Final Four
-2019 #2 seed UCONN had home court advantage and lost in OT to get to the Final Four
-2004 #2 seed UCONN had home court advantage and advanced to the Final Four


I'm sure there are others I'm missing, but 6/9 times the underseeded team playing at home advanced out of their regional over a 1 seed.
2 of the other 3 times where they didn't advance, the host team came within a basket of the Final Four.

These results wouldn't happen on a neutral court and unfairly screw over #1 seeds, who likely would advanced if the game been played on a neutral court or if the #1 seed received hosting privileges.

Since switching to the 2 regional set up, this scenario hasn't happened in 4 NCAA tournaments.