What's Your Take: Should the NCAA do away with Conference Tournaments?

[FanSince17]

In Geno's presser yesterday, he voiced the opinion that conference tournaments perhaps are not necessary. He also stated that basically middle-of-the-pack teams with sub-500 league records do not belong in the NCAA tournament. Earlier in the week, Kim Mulkey also spoke against conference tournaments. Arguments about these topics have been around since conference tournaments started but what has changed is the landscape. There has been talk recently about inviting all DI teams to the postseason tournament. What is that, only 2 more rounds? 64-128-256.

• I think it's a different scenario depending on a team's position in the standings. (Geno mentioned this)
• What do you think the benefits and/or drawbacks of a conference tournament are as you see it, in general.
• For UConn this year, will the conference tourney help or hurt the team going forward.
• Any historical references you could share.

I played in HS with Steve Castellan, who went to UVA. His freshman year there, 1975-76, the team went 13-11 overall, 4-8 in the ACC, and they won the conference tournament and went to the NCAA tournament, at a time when ALL leagues were one bid leagues. They beat NC, NC St, and MD to win the tourney to advance, eventually losing to DePaul in the NCAA's. That was historic stuff for the ACC. Long story short, it meant a lot for that team!

 

[Gael]

In the 1950s and 1960s in men's basketball, I only recall the ACC having a conference tourney.

I certainly don't think conference tourneys are "necessary" for any reason. The regular season winner should be the NCAAT invitee not some lucky middle-of-the-packer in a post-season tourney, especially in one bid conferences.

I suspect most conference tourneys lose money. And, by definition, all the contests will be duplicates or triplicates — hence repetitive — of games already played in the regular season.

Instead of a conference tourney, I'd rather see three extra games allowed for non-conference play for all teams during the regular season. That would be more interesting to me.

However, the conference tourneys are now customary or even traditional. The power conferences like them because they may result in more invitees to the NCAAT from their conference. In sum, I don't see conference tourneys going away.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I think the regular season Championship is the true judge of who's the best in each conference!
Not who's healthy and hottest for a weekend!
An undefeated team in their conference who is sick or hurt for their tournament may not make the tournament in a 1 choice league!

 

[Bone Dog]

I like the idea of cutting the conference tournaments in favor of a much expanded national tournament. Maybe not 256, but 128 might be good. I wonder if that would leave out many teams above .500? And would we be talking about >.500 teams in conference or >.500 in OOC as well? I also wonder if it would eliminate the surplus of P3 teams.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I don’t find them meaningful, unless you consider the revenue generated. It’s just summarizing the conference regular season in a weekend. And the daily games are just tarnishing the product. Players are exhausted, especially those who don’t get byes. The season is long enough. Some of the mega conferences should consider limiting the number of teams in their conference tournaments. I don’t want to see a 10 loss team play a 15 loss team. Another thing they might consider is a conference All star weekend. Play a couple of games, go home and get ready for the big tournament. Nothing serious. Just a cool down period.

 

[Sifaka]

There are quite a few distinct questions here: First, should the NCAA decide whether the individual conferences should conduct tournaments?

Hell no!

It should remain within the powers of each individual conference to decide for itself.

Now that we have established the INcompetance of the NCAA to decide, with its usual skill, anything more, let us proceed to the merits of each choice.

My most unworthy opinion is that the conference tournaments are a burden with few discernible benefits.

Next: Expand the NCAA tournament? Why? We can already see lots of mediocre games.

Next: Should teams with <.500 records in their respective conferences be invited to the “big show?”

No.

My sole credential for saying these things is that I, like you, have opinions.

 

[diggerfoot]

Whenever the relevant topic has come up in the past I always stated that teams with a sub .500 record in conference should not get into the national tournament. March Madness has three goals: 1) Find a champion; 2) Generate broad interest through the opportunity for even mid-majors to have a chance to play in the tournament; 3). Make money.

Expecting a program to win at least half its games against its conference peers is not going to exclude what could be the eventual champion, not even in the unusual case presented above. What it does is open up slots for a well-coached and highly successful mid-major to enter and perhaps even win a game in the national tournament. The potential broadens for more schools to take part in a once in a lifetime opportunity for the excitement of March Madness.

 

[Skeets]

Everyone is going to have a different perspective. For Geno it's probably just 3 more games that don't do anything in getting ready for the big dance. For the top teams in the mega-conferences, it probably a beating they don't need to take. They are going to the big dance with a nice seed whether they win their conference tournament or not. Actually, the conference tournament could potentially hurt their NCAA seeding.

I do like the fact that the mid-major conferences get an automatic bid for winning their conference. Most would not get an invite otherwise. It does add color to the NCAA, although the "first 4 out" probably hate it.

 

[Sifaka]

I do like the fact that the mid-major conferences get an automatic bid for winning their conference. Most would not get an invite otherwise.

There is a ridiculously easy fix: Assign the automatic conference bid to the team with the best conference record. Remove any reference to a conference tournament.

 

[BRS24]

Ok, so let's have some fun with this. I'll track the regular season vs conf tourney champs. If we were to fill the NCAAT spots with those two groups, how many would be left? As of this morning, 67 sports left after W IL won both.

 

[WiseWillie]

In the 1950s and 1960s in men's basketball, I only recall the ACC having a conference tourney.

I certainly don't think conference tourneys are "necessary" for any reason. The regular season winner should be the NCAAT invitee not some lucky middle-of-the-packer in a post-season tourney, especially in one bid conferences.

I suspect most conference tourneys lose money. And, by definition, all the contests will be duplicates or triplicates — hence repetitive — of games already played in the regular season.

Instead of a conference tourney, I'd rather see three extra games allowed for non-conference play for all teams during the regular season. That would be more interesting to me.

However, the conference tourneys are now customary or even traditional. The power conferences like them because they may result in more invitees to the NCAAT from their conference. In sum, I don't see conference tourneys going away.

Conference tournaments in college basketball can make significant money for conferences and participating schools from ticket sales, sponsorships and television/streaming revenue. While there may be exceptions, you can say that in general mid majors are on shaky grounds with the P4 leagues doing all they can to freeze them out. For smaller, mid-major conferences the conference tournament is a major, often primary source of revenue for the athletic departments.

 

[Kat]

Definitely could do without them. They diminish the regular season championships, and do we really need teams to play each other three times? But the tourneys are about the tv dollars, and those dollars drive college sports. That's why we have things like a Big 10 conference that has teams crossing three time zones to play each other. As for expanding the NCAA tournament field, that would only diminish the product. There's too much off a drop-off in quality teams when you include so many.

 

[oldude]

I feel like Claude Rains in Casablanca. “I’m shocked, shocked to find there’s gambling going on in here.” In this instance I’m shocked to find this is all about money.

Here’s a question for those BY’ers who are advocating for doing away with lucrative conference basketball tournaments. How are schools that are paying head coaches million dollar salaries, as well as paying players 5 and 6 figure profit sharing salaries, going to be able to field competitive teams if they start cutting revenue sources from their budgets?

 

[maple]

I like them. Especially for mid majors. I enjoy watching them and I like that it gives kids the chance to play in a tournament and maybe even get a shot at a Cinderella run. Most teams will never even make the NCAA tournament, so for them the conference tourney is the only thing they’ll get to experience.

That said, even the top teams seem pretty excited when they win the conference tournament. It’s all about it being one more step in the journey. It’s one more big accomplishment.

We could talk dollars and cents any day, but we’re forgetting that the core experience is for the student athletes first and foremost.

 

[meyers7]

$$$$$$$$$

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I feel like Claude Rains in Casablanca. “I’m shocked, shocked to find there’s gambling going on in here.” In this instance I’m shocked to find this is all about money.

Here’s a question for those BY’ers who are advocating for doing away with lucrative conference basketball tournaments. How are schools that are paying head coaches million dollar salaries, as well as paying players 5 and 6 figure profit sharing salaries, going to be able to field competitive teams if they start cutting revenue sources from their budgets?

Have a bake sale like a lot of schools have to do. Sell candy bars. Maybe cut some of the staffing surrounding the team. Why are there 30 people on the benches these days? 😆 But seriously, when this NIL thing started, and I support it, I was hoping the NCAA would establish a set amount for EVERY player (by sport) and leave it at that. Outside sponsors is of course more complicated, but I don’t want to thread drift.

 

[Cornell Lt]

The NCAA does enough damage, they need to keep there grubby little hands off the conference tourneys

 

[Huskie837]

Selfishly with Mohegan Sun in my backyard I enjoy the BE tournament a bunch. I can see Geno's point however especially this season with the overall competitiveness in the league way down.

 

[HuskyNan]

I feel like Claude Rains in Casablanca. “I’m shocked, shocked to find there’s gambling going on in here.” In this instance I’m shocked to find this is all about money.

Here’s a question for those BY’ers who are advocating for doing away with lucrative conference basketball tournaments. How are schools that are paying head coaches million dollar salaries, as well as paying players 5 and 6 figure profit sharing salaries, going to be able to field competitive teams if they start cutting revenue sources from their budgets?

Lucrative? Beyond the Big East and P4 conferences, I’d be surprised if other league tournaments made money

 

[willie99]

No, I disagree with Geno. It keeps hope alive for the also rans. And while that dream hasn't yet been realized on the women's side, it will. Just like the gap has been closed on the men's side and dreams come true

Many programs just want to be mentioned on Selection Sunday (or whatever day that is)

 

[ConnMotors]

It’s all about money. However, I have never been a fan of the conference tournament. Over the years I have attended many of the Big East’s as well as ACC, NEC, America East and MAAC. And, I agree that they are not needed. Just add a couple of more games. Another way to look at this is that there are to many conferences in the NCAA Tournament. Consolidation of conferences needs to take place at some point. Every team in a conference has to play every team either once or twice. It can’t be play every team just one time and another team two times. A quick example is the SEC where one league team plays another twice. That’s unfair scheduling.

 

[oldude]

Lucrative? Beyond the Big East and P4 conferences, I’d be surprised if other league tournaments made money

Well, let’s just look at the BE. Without the revenue from the conference tournament, in UConn’s backyard, along with the tv revenue, both of which are split evenly among every conference member, what would happen to the rest of the conference, not named UConn?

By the way, there are a whole bunch of P4 teams that can’t draw diddly to home games. They too depend on the revenue split from tv contracts and the conference tournament. That’s why the SEC decided to hold their conference tournament in Greenville, SC, a stone’ throw from Columbia.

 

[Zonepress]

Well, let’s just look at the BE. Without the revenue from the conference tournament, in UConn’s backyard, along with the tv revenue, both of which are split evenly among every conference member, what would happen to the rest of the conference, not named UConn?

By the way, there are a whole bunch of P4 teams that can’t draw diddly to home games. They too depend on the revenue split from tv contracts and the conference tournament.

maybe $ from tv doubtful the
cost of bringing 11 teams to mohegan leaves much if any
profit from ticket sales

 

[FanSince17]

After watching last night, I think the tournament is going to help catapult UConn into the Big Dance. The program takes things seriously, so they will soak up whatever positive there is. What integrity! The team is still playing a tad spotty. I want Sarah to have one of those 25/15/8/5/3 games. Blanca is still a little overanxious. Ash gotta hit that 5 foot J. (think soft, like Hannah) Serah's elbow bugged me a bit. All that said, there were 20 just inspiring plays in the game. Blanca's crossover in traffic, Big Fish's one-on-one take, Carol's splash from the corner, K9's ability to finish...... Getting a little mushy: this team touches me. TV's image of Blanca's parents in the stands. (last year Jana's) This program, true legend!

 

[oldude]

maybe $ from tv doubtful the
cost of bringing 11 teams to mohegan leaves much if any
profit from ticket sales

In addition to ticket sales, tv revenue and concessions, the BE tournament gets a substantial amount from the Mohegan Sun, who bids on hosting the tournament. The Mohegan Sun then takes in money from hotel rooms, dinner reservations and gambling revenues over a 4 day period that total in the 10’s of millions

Trust me, BE teams more than cover their travel expenses to Uncasville, CT for the conference tournament.