(01-30-2019 10:25 PM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote: (01-29-2019 04:53 PM)ken d Wrote: It might well kill the NCAA's Golden Goose. But I don't believe it would significantly impact the value of the tournament. It would just cut 250 schools (and the NCAA) out of the picture as beneficiaries of that contract.
Where can I sign up to this arrangement? Some of me does wish some of those 250 schools could stay, but ALL of me wishes the NCAA would cease to exist.
I don't know how they do it now, but back when everyone in Arkansas except the Hogs, AState and Little Rock where in the NAIA and most in the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference the NAIA had district tournaments. The AIC didn't have a conference tournament, they had a tournament with their teams plus a few other random schools in the area. Win your district, go to Kansas City for the 32 team tournament.
If I were a power 5 AD I'd lobby to create a P5 owned and run tournament and each conference is guaranteed seven teams in.
That leaves 29 slots to fill. I'd throw the rest of the schools that want to be Division I into 16 districts and the 16 district champs get in and pick 13 at-large teams.
Hey non-power teams you don't want to be in a conference with the school 50 miles down the road? Fine but you are zoned for the same district as them instead of with your conference mate 700 miles away so if you draw them in the District tournament them's the breaks.
We will cover your travel to the district tournament but you want the big payday win that sucker or be remarkable enough to get an at-large
Crushes the value of your basketball TV package because outside the best non-power leagues, your tournament is the value and you aren't going to have it any more. You aren't getting the brand value of your conference tournament.
Win and the money is wonderful but if you can't get out of district, tough break.