Talks have sparked up this past week about the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament being expanded from its current format of 65 teams (gotta love that play in game), to 96 teams. The NCAA has the option this summer to opt out of its current CBS contract this summer to broadcast the games.
To me, this seems like a money grab more than anything else and I am not convinced that it would even work as that in the long term. More games =More money makes sense but to me, 
even as a fairly avid fan this would denote overkill of something that is already a solid product that consumes office pools from the average Jane/Joe fan to the hardcore. Jane Office Pool might pick a team because she likes their purple uniforms or their mascot is cute (it worked for George Mason in 06′) and the ironic thing is that she has just as good of chance most years as the die hard sports slappy statistic studier. That is what makes March Madness so fun, that any given moment a buzzer beater could knock out a contender and knock a bracket down from winner to loser in the blink of an eye.
Only the coaches seem in favor of the move as fans and media alike, even Mr. Tourney Time himself, Dick Vitale is against the move. I understand the want for inclusion but I also am realistic and know that there will still be teams that feel deserving on the outside looking in. Hey, we’re all adults here and we don’t give out participation trophy’s to college age young men for doing a great job in the regular season. The formula is simple, win and you get in, lose and it’s NIT or nothing for you. The goal is the trophy on the right not the trophy on the left. If the tournament gets expanded wouldn’t it diminish the thrill of winning that trophy just a little bit?
I love the fun that is Selection Sunday. I love the banter of who should be in and who should be out (that’s what sports is all about right?). I love the candid shots of the teams who got in celebrating. I love the debate that is and consumes sports. I love the field of 64 being dwindled down to the Sweet 16 in a four day span. I love the drama and pageantry that goes into who will make the Final Four, and I love the Championship Game that decides the winner. All in all, this fan likes the current format and would not be in favor of a change. Take note NCAA, greed is not always the best way to go.
Posted 9:00 a.m.
February 5th, 2010 - 9:52 am
Excellent point on the participation trophy. It is like the bowls in football, where practically everyone in big conferences get in by winning as many games as you lose. How is that a successful season? It means you are average. Being average should not be rewarded–unless you are Matt Pelc and have very average writing skills.
It makes me laugh that they want to expand the tournament and add more games when that is their biggest argument to not have playoffs in football. They always say that playoffs would take the kids out of the classroom too much. Like academics matters to big programs anyway. 80 percent are stups (if you dont think so, did you hear about the Tennessee recruit who bolted for USC when Kiffen went there and posted on his Twitter account that he was going to be a “TROGAN.” Nice). Would not inserting more games take the kids out of the classroom even more, especially with every conference having a tournament now.
So apparently football players education is more important than the ballers?
In the end its all about the money. Each bowl has lucrative corporate sponsorships and that is what they are trying to protect, not the sanctity of academics and expanding the pool to 96 teams is all about money.Click here for the best Online Sports Betting