Will Big 5 split from NCAA basketball?

[HoosierPal]

These University President's can't help themselves. They have no responsibility for the greater good. They are not unlike Goldman Sachs. Get your hands on the money--the rest is minor details. The problem that I see is threefold: 1). sports generates a lot of $, and college athletics is no exception; 2). football at it's highest levels generates the most and so it drives the bus; 3). decisions are made in order to maximize that football $ and anything outside of that (ie- the greater good of all college athletics) is secondary. So if it makes the most money for the P5 to become the P4 and the Big12 gets swallowed and there are 64 teams remaining (4 x 16 team leagues) then it will happen. All the other sports and schools outside those 64 will just have to deal with it (sort of like we've already started getting ourselves accustomed to doing). And if they can figure out that holding their own March tourney makes them more $, then guess what happens next. The only saving grace we have are the networks themselves. If they are writing some of those big checks, and they like March Madness as is, then they may be able to influence the future on the basketball side a little (until the Presidents figure out a way to package all sports together to their liking / benefit). I hope that does happen (help us out CBS, Fox & ESPN). Because if it doesn't I am going to pray like hell that Villanova has a plan to upgrade in FB and offer the Philly market to a conference (like the ACC) that needs that market.

We are all basketball fans/junkies so we may be living in some denial that we have a say. But when Jim Boeheim at Syracuse, Rick Pitino at Louisville and Coach K at Duke have zero say in the future of athletics at their own schools that tells you all you need to know about where hoops lies in this new landscape.

I think you nailed it Gumby. I differ on one statement of yours. The networks are in this for the same reason the P5 are in it, MONEY. If they can get the sponsors lined up to line their pockets, as well as the P5 pockets, there will be no emotion in their decision to have a field of 65 in their P5 tourney. They like March Madness because it makes them money. The more money, the more CBS, ESPN and Fox will like it. And can you blame them? Do you think Fox Sports started Fox 1 because they like basketball? They did it to make more money. Right now sports is a golden goose. Any way they can get a bigger golden egg, they will do it.

[GumbyDamnit!]

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/08/18/ncaa-tournament-future

I thought this article from SI was appropriate for the discussion. Although a bit tongue-in-cheek, they too foresee what may be coming. Sad.

[LMS]

I just don't think this is going to be an issue long term. My concern, however, is that the P5 schools could drag this out a long time and that would certainly hurt us in recruiting.

[step2me]

I've long heard that the dream of the big schools (UK, UNC etc.), was to have a 32 team, double elimination tournament. This would all but assure that you would have 2-3 blue bloods in the Final Four every year.

[HoosierPal]

Here is an idea for you to shoot holes in:

The P5 has their tourney
There are three other tourney's. Pick and choose as you with:

Big East, AAC, A-10, Valley, Ivy, CUSA, MWC, WCC - top for teams in each league qualify
Atlantic Sun, Big South, + + + + + +.
Colonial, Sun Belt, Western, + + +

You can switch the three tourney combos up annually or keep them constant.

Then have a tourney of champs with the four winners squaring off in Madison Sq Arena on a Sat - Monday double header.

Lots of TV revenue.

I'll let smarter people work out the details.

[DudeAnon]

We are over-thinking this. "If it ain't broke don't fix it" as my fellow Kentuckians will say. Unless ratings start to slide or it gets complicated legally, they won't change the NCAA tourney.

[stever20]

We are over-thinking this. "If it ain't broke don't fix it" as my fellow Kentuckians will say. Unless ratings start to slide or it gets complicated legally, they won't change the NCAA tourney.

AMEN!

Frankly- the NCAA tourney is the thing that is keeping the NCAA together right now. Or more to the fact- the TV contract for the NCAA tourney.

[Professor_Bulldog]

We are over-thinking this. "If it ain't broke don't fix it" as my fellow Kentuckians will say. Unless ratings start to slide or it gets complicated legally, they won't change the NCAA tourney.

+1000

[aughnanure]

These University President's can't help themselves. They have no responsibility for the greater good. They are not unlike Goldman Sachs. Get your hands on the money--the rest is minor details. The problem that I see is threefold: 1). sports generates a lot of $, and college athletics is no exception; 2). football at it's highest levels generates the most and so it drives the bus; 3). decisions are made in order to maximize that football $ and anything outside of that (ie- the greater good of all college athletics) is secondary. So if it makes the most money for the P5 to become the P4 and the Big12 gets swallowed and there are 64 teams remaining (4 x 16 team leagues) then it will happen. All the other sports and schools outside those 64 will just have to deal with it (sort of like we've already started getting ourselves accustomed to doing). And if they can figure out that holding their own March tourney makes them more $, then guess what happens next. The only saving grace we have are the networks themselves. If they are writing some of those big checks, and they like March Madness as is, then they may be able to influence the future on the basketball side a little (until the Presidents figure out a way to package all sports together to their liking / benefit). I hope that does happen (help us out CBS, Fox & ESPN). Because if it doesn't I am going to pray like hell that Villanova has a plan to upgrade in FB and offer the Philly market to a conference (like the ACC) that needs that market.

We are all basketball fans/junkies so we may be living in some denial that we have a say. But when Jim Boeheim at Syracuse, Rick Pitino at Louisville and Coach K at Duke have zero say in the future of athletics at their own schools that tells you all you need to know about where hoops lies in this new landscape.

I think you nailed it Gumby. I differ on one statement of yours. The networks are in this for the same reason the P5 are in it, MONEY. If they can get the sponsors lined up to line their pockets, as well as the P5 pockets, there will be no emotion in their decision to have a field of 65 in their P5 tourney. They like March Madness because it makes them money. The more money, the more CBS, ESPN and Fox will like it. And can you blame them? Do you think Fox Sports started Fox 1 because they like basketball? They did it to make more money. Right now sports is a golden goose. Any way they can get a bigger golden egg, they will do it.

Wholeheartedly disagree. If they're in it for the MONEY, they're not going to destroy what makes them that much money. You eliminate 300 of the schools that normally would be involved and you want to assume the casual fan interest would remain the same?

Will there be some cutting? Of course, there's no need for 360+ schools in D1 basketball. Will it to 64/5? No. They know if they kill it, they will NEVER get it back.

[SJU87]

When the split happens I'm not watching college sports ever again. Enough with this greed ! I got other interests to keep me occupied and won't put up with that nonsense.