(03-10-2013 11:46 AM)Freshy Wrote:  

(03-10-2013 11:34 AM)JMSTiger Wrote:  

(03-10-2013 10:30 AM)jfisher Wrote:  If you notice, until the last few years, the teams left out were from the major conferences......the last few years all the teams left out were from the mid major conferences.......quite a change, something changed, including wins against the top 50 and top 100 which of course benefit the major conferences since they get to play against many more of those than the mid majors. Another way the bigs keep the money to themselves!!!

You nailed it.

The 'ESPN Effect' at work: Name teams not getting into the tournament hurts their ratings, so they devise metrics that favor the bigger conferences and talk about how important those metrics are all season long. Then, it becomes a game of chicken: Who is willing to put a solid mid-major in the field over a major conference team when they know they will face withering criticism in the media for doing it?

Then how do you explain the tournament which is on CBS? CBS would want MORE mid-majors since that's who they have main contracts with for CBS SN

(03-10-2013 12:09 PM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  

(03-10-2013 11:46 AM)Freshy Wrote:  

(03-10-2013 11:34 AM)JMSTiger Wrote:  

(03-10-2013 10:30 AM)jfisher Wrote:  If you notice, until the last few years, the teams left out were from the major conferences......the last few years all the teams left out were from the mid major conferences.......quite a change, something changed, including wins against the top 50 and top 100 which of course benefit the major conferences since they get to play against many more of those than the mid majors. Another way the bigs keep the money to themselves!!!

You nailed it.

The 'ESPN Effect' at work: Name teams not getting into the tournament hurts their ratings, so they devise metrics that favor the bigger conferences and talk about how important those metrics are all season long. Then, it becomes a game of chicken: Who is willing to put a solid mid-major in the field over a major conference team when they know they will face withering criticism in the media for doing it?

Then how do you explain the tournament which is on CBS? CBS would want MORE mid-majors since that's who they have main contracts with for CBS SN

I am referencing ESPN's regular season ratings, which would increase for teams trying to solidify their tournament standing as opposed to those likely sitting on the outside. The difference between the two categories is small enough to be affected by carefully steered mass opinion. CBS SN doesn't have near the market penetration that ESPN does, or else it would be a much bigger player than it currently is. The actual tournament has ratings worthy of a 10.8 billion dollar contract...I doubt CBS much cares who is playing so long as the ratings stay that way.

(03-10-2013 10:31 AM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  Memphis won't make it to the CG anyway. If Marshall doesn't knock them out Thursday, ECU will Friday.

I also hope UTEP knocks off USM cause I want a rematch with them.

Bring it.