The NCAA is looking to go to 68 or 96 teams. I can see the move to 68 but I think 96 would water down the competition too much. The NIT can’t be too happy with this development either
There has not been a 16 seed victory so what chance does a 24 seed have. Most of the first rounds are going be scrimmages. And assuming top seeds get 1st round byes, any low seed getting into the 2nd round will face a juggernaut killing any drama the tournament has. The 1st/2nd rds. are where most of the big upsets and new stars are made.
This is one of my favorite blogs take on the whole thing. I especially agree with this:
I like it the way it is now. It’s the closest thing to perfection in sports. If changes must be made id prefer having four “play-in” games (68 teams ). This would allow more smaller schools a chance to get beat down.
As for the NIT, the NCAA bought them out in 2005, so they aren’t a concern.
Ugh. What’s the need? I was against the play-in game because it was a way to eliminate one minor conference team and let another big conference school get in. This is more of the same.
Ninety-six teams would suck, because it would create immediate and unrelenting pressure to move to 128. Somebody would upset a team that got a bye in the first round, and everybody will yammer that the upset occurred because the favored team was rusty due to the bye. We went through the same ratchet effect in the 1980’s, moving from 32 teams to 40 to 48 to 53 to 64.
There are regular season sports fans, and there are playoff sports fans. I’m a regular season fan. If I follow a sport at all, I follow it all year and I want the regular season to be meaningful. It’s bad with 65 teams, and would be worse with 96 and worse yet with 128. If I had my way, they’d go back to a 16-team tournament limited to conference champions.
Unfortunately, when the league and TV executives add up the number of fans like myself, it sends them into fits of scornful laughter.
The one thing that would be cool that I heard half-ass suggested was a larger play in. Like 16 teams for the 8 15-16 slots. I like the one play in now because it gives those schools a chance to actually be on TV and win and have fun. Particularly the 16 seeds. The have absolutely no freakin chance to get a win once they get in the full tournament, and are just going to get stomped ugly. Give them a chance for a piece of glory while we whet our appetites for the full entree.
That’s not what happens. What happens is that two teams with automatic byes get to play. Since one of them will lose, its slot can be given to a mediocre team from a big conference. The losing team is “in” the tournament but never gets near it in reality. It’s a con job.
…which says something about how exciting the play-in game is and how many people pay attention to it.
How is that not what happens. The 64 and 65 play. One of them gets to have a nationally televised win, which they would never have against the 1st ranked team
I am very, very happy with the current format. For the last few years, I’ve taken vacation days on the first Thursday and Friday, so I can spend ALL DAMN DAY drinking and watching buzzer-beaters. Go Tech!
Indeed! March Madness is just about the only sporting event that coincides with my days off. Wake up in the morning and park it on the couch with my PJs and leave only to pay the pizza dude and grab another beer. Good…times.
The NIT could benefit, actually, if they went to 96. They could hand out invites to all the higher seeded teams that got upset in the first 2 rounds of the bigger tourney, or to lower seeded teams that nearly had a miracle win.