I would support an expansion if somehow the extra slots would go to deserving mid-major teams. I think conferences like the MAC get hosed when a good league championship team gets knocked out in their league tourny final and then gets no shot at the NCAA.
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that actually is kind of an interesting point. it reminds me of people believing expansion of pro sports leagues causing dilution, not realizing that the US population alone has grown by 50m since 2000 (on top of the fact that athletes are just wayyyy better now) (and also on top of the fact that diluted talent makes for more entertainment, not less).
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Iāve had enough of these dorks
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Yeah I thought I was strongly ādo not change the formatā and simply seeing someone I know has thought about this stuff a lot advocate for the opposite has given me some pause. I believe I saw John Gasaway say similar. If guys I think really care about the state of the game think itās a good idea, thereās prob at least some merit.
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I donāt really care that 3% fewer make it now. Most of the additions are dregs.
Honestly I most care about how expansion effects filling out a bracket
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Gasaway and KenPom are obsessed about expansion and itās started annoying me. Mostly they have their own ideas about it that they think are great, but the ncaa is not likely to adopt so itās totally pointless
Specifically both think expansion = more MM involvement.
Theyāre kind of on an island as far as expansion goes. Which is fine. But they have not swayed me in the slightest
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I think there is a way to come up with a creative system that includes more MM teams. I am also sure that isnāt ālet the NCAA and TV networks just pick 128 teams for one big bracket.ā. Creative thinkers are needed, and those are harder to find in big, old, rich organizations like the NCAA.
The NBA has tried getting creative with their play in and now potentially a mid season tournament. We will see.
I was against football expansion for the longest time but when it became apparent that 4-6 teams wasnāt going to work I am more comfortable with 8-12.
But I donāt need to see the 50th best team lose to Gonzaga by 40 points and I donāt need 10 teams from a power conference to make it. Sadly, I think rampant conference expansion by the B10/SEC may drive more desire for expansion of the big dance.
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Regular season and tournament winners for each conference get autobids. Boom.
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Definitely agree that who gets rewarded w the new spots matters a lot and youāre probably right that Paramount/Warner are not telling the NCAA that hella mid majors makes another weekend profitable.
But I donāt pay attention enough to know whoās advocating for what and whatās particularly likely. I think Iāve been wrong enough about what I thought I would like when it comes to this stuff that Iām more open to the idea.
That said, having seen plenty of bubble adjacent basketball in the past two years, I canāt say Iām super interested in letting more of that variety of team in the tourney. High majors get a ton of chances to punch their ticket and letting teams limp in is lame.
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How many teams were in the top 6 conferences in 1985 vs 2023? Conference size is bigger now. In 1985, there were only 10 teams in the big 10 (crazy!). So itās not a surprise the top 6 had a slightly higher percentage in ā23
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wrong. they are both dorks. and theyāre now on the list
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Feels like expansion is inevitable. Itās just whether itās done terribly or okay.
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thatās disgusting. I wonāt watch
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I will watch twice as hard to make up for it
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Iām okay with whatever format would have rewarded the incredibly deserving 2022-23 michigan wolverines with a bid
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Any expansion of the tournament is already done terribly
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Memphis should be good this year.
whatās his nickname again? Jack Cheese?
This is the most Iāve ever agreed with your knee jerk grumpy old man schtick. The tournament is basically the perfect sporting event. Expansion is a terrible idea. Donāt care how they do it.
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