Thirteen Big East schools would make the field in certain years, 10 ACC schools, nine Big Ten schools, at which point the regular season becomes more irrelevant than it is already. And those great non-league games you love? Forget about them. The power schools will implement a new strategy where they play buy games, a rivalry game or two, and that's it. Why risk it? Everybody will know 7-9 in the ACC (and perhaps 6-10) will be good enough to make the field. So they'll schedule the type of schedule Virginia Tech played this season, win a bunch of meaningless games in November and December, then try to win every other league game. Do that, and they're in. Which is why doing this is a mistake.

(04-08-2010 07:46 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Thirteen Big East schools would make the field in certain years, 10 ACC schools, nine Big Ten schools, at which point the regular season becomes more irrelevant than it is already. And those great non-league games you love? Forget about them. The power schools will implement a new strategy where they play buy games, a rivalry game or two, and that's it. Why risk it? Everybody will know 7-9 in the ACC (and perhaps 6-10) will be good enough to make the field. So they'll schedule the type of schedule Virginia Tech played this season, win a bunch of meaningless games in November and December, then try to win every other league game. Do that, and they're in. Which is why doing this is a mistake.

You don't have to convince me. But I've, for the most part, already stopped watching regular season college games that don't involve UALR.
It will start approaching the NBA, which I never watch until the playoffs.

I believe most rational basketball fans would believe that even 64 teams for the tournament is too many. Why so many At-Large teams? As Wally has pointed out, it's all about money. Now, if it expands to 96, it will be even more watered down, and like the NBA will be a 2nd season. How can it not lessen the importance of the regular season?

(04-08-2010 05:45 PM)DollarBill Wrote:  I believe most rational basketball fans would believe that even 64 teams for the tournament is too many.

Here is one who agrees with you. (Hope that means I'm rational.)

(04-08-2010 05:45 PM)DollarBill Wrote:  I believe most rational basketball fans would believe that even 64 teams for the tournament is too many. Why so many At-Large teams? As Wally has pointed out, it's all about money. Now, if it expands to 96, it will be even more watered down, and like the NBA will be a 2nd season. How can it not lessen the importance of the regular season?

Well you all know I'm not rational. I'd like to see 128. But with limitations on how many teams could come from one league, and all regular season champions having automatic bids. That puts importance on the regular season, as some have worried about. So just wait guys.
When I am King of the World, there will be 128 teams in the tournament, and everyone will love it when UAPB meets UALR for the national championship, and Coach Shields will receive a new 12 year contract.

So that's life plus 12. Sweet.

Of course it is about the money.

Where does that money go?

Well part of it pays salaries in Indianapolis. Part goes to pay for things that don't make money like volleyball and tennis championships.

A little trickles down to Division II and III

The rest comes to the schools.

Let's say that the value of a unit stays the same, roughly $200,000 and the Sun Belt earns an average of 3 extra units over the course of six years either by getting a second or third team in or winning an easier first round game. That's an added $600,000 each year for the conference. If we don't increase our expenses as a conference, that's basically the value of a road money game extra the league earns per team. That will pay one lower-rung athletic department member's salary.

That assumes not increasing any of the other five revenue sharing pools.

I'm not a fan of 96 but I understand that 96 will likely help our mission.

If you're gonna expand (which I'm against), expand it to 128. Everyone should have to win the same amount of games to win the championship.