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NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

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NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

"The NCAA has started meeting with broadcasters to explore the media value of expanding the men’s basketball tournament field, industry sources say.

As part of that process, the group also is gauging the feasibility of moving the tournament from broadcast to cable.

Though the discussions are being characterized as preliminary, they shed a light on the NCAA’s thinking as it decides whether to exercise an escape clause in its 11-year, $6 billion deal with CBS, the NCAA’s longtime partner.

CBS has a long-standing relationship with the NCAA, having broadcast the tournament since 1982, and is expected to move aggressively to keep the tournament on its network."

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Good or bad idea in your opinion??

Here's what FAU Head Coach Mike Jarvis had to say about the potential move:

"Everything is dictated by television.  More teams would be in a tournament, but I'd like to think we'd go beyond just thinking about the tournament and start thinking about what's best for the kids.  They miss a tremendous amount of time (from class) as it is."

"How about those kids that advance week after week? And every week you're not in class but, if you're lucky, a day.  Because you're on the road traveling again.  Everybody's concerned about graduating as opposed to getting an education.  And there's a huge difference.  A lot of kids are going to graduate, but they're not being educated because they're not in class.  We're not concerned about the right things most of the time", said Jarvis.

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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

I agree with MJ keep it as is remember these are STUDENT athletes.
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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

96 is wayyyyyyyyyy to large of a field. Keep it at 64.

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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

Agreed, keep it at 64.  Increasing the number will just allow the big conferences to get every single team in so they can make more money.  But, I am sure they will say it will give the smaller conferences a better chance.  The NCAA doesn't care about that garbage, they care about making more money…and that comes by getting the bigger conferences more opportunities.
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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

Also, the move would seemingly crush the NIT...who would be left to play in it, and who would want to watch it??
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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

Rick said

Also, the move would seemingly crush the NIT…who would be left to play in it, and who would want to watch it??

Nobody watches it now.  Can anyone even remember who won the NIT?  Adding more teams would be better for the Sun Belt and smaller conferences though, so I'm torn.  I think the current setup is fine, but and if it means millions of more dollars from CBS, then it will eventually happen. 
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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

NIT= Not Invited Tournament

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

Interestingly, the NIT used to be THE tournament…but the NCAA has become such a $$$ pit of power and influence, they simply ran them out of house and home…
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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

Wow… +1 to Jarvis!

Yeah, leave it at 64.  Academic reasons aside, what is the point of this?  A 16 has never beaten a 1 in the men's tournament; do we have any reason to think a 24-seed will?  The first round becomes a play-in round, and not a very interesting one because the top 8 seeds in each region won't be in it.  Sixty-four is a nice number, and the opening Thursday and Friday is always the best moment of the tournament for me.
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Re: NCAA Considering a 96 Team "Big Dance" for Men's Hoops

NCAA can "expand BB from 64 to 96 but can't figure out how to do D1 football, not college geniuses I guess??
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