Healthcare reform may be a hot-button topic in our country right now, but it’s not the issue that is on my mind most these days (guess that shows you where my priorities lie!).
No, the issue that is concerning me is talk of the NCAA expanding its men’s basketball tournament field from 65 teams to 96. I hate this idea. Absolutely loathe it. If you truly care about college sports, you should, too.
First of all, a little bit of background for those who don’t know, courtesy of Sports Illustrated’s Stewart Mandel. Basically, expanding the tournament field would allow for more participants (obviously), save coaches who are on the proverbial job bubble and generate more money for both the NCAA and for whichever network wins the rights to broadcast the tournament in the next round of television contract negations for the event.
So now that you know, I’ll present my argument as to why tournament expansion would be horrible for college basketball. Actually, I barely even need to present my case because the NCAA men’s basketball tournament did it for me last weekend.
The first and second rounds of the men’s basketball tournament last weekend were, quite frankly, crazy. There were major upsets across the field. No. 1 overall seed Kansas went down in the second round to little-known Northern Iowa. In fact, eight teams that were seeded lower than their opposition came up victorious on the tournament’s opening weekend. Three so-called mid-majors (Saint Mary’s, Cornell and Northern Iowa) will participate in the Sweet Sixteen this weekend.
All of this drama that occurred would effectively be wiped out if the NCAA expands the field. Sure, there could still be a ton of close games in the first round, as was the case this year, should the field expand. The top 32 teams in a 96-team field would receive a bye, though, which basically eliminates the whole “David slays Goliath” scenario that had us on the edge of our seats all weekend. If the big boys of college basketball (I’m looking at you, Kansas and Villanova) weren’t scared of the little guys before this weekend, you better believe they are now. The perceived gap between the power conferences and mid-majors is closing – quick. The NCAA should be embracing it instead of trying to get rid of it with a diluted tournament field.
I also don’t subscribe to the “everyone should get to play/everyone gets trophy” complex that exists in sports today. People affiliated with schools who didn’t quite have the convincing resume to make the field of 65 cry foul every year on Selection Sunday when their school is left out of the dance. I say, BALOGNA. If your school truly deserved to make the tournament, you wouldn’t be on the bubble to begin with. Take care of business during the regular season and conference tournament, and you won’t have the door to the ball slammed in your face. Heartbreak sucks, but it is also part of the beauty of college athletics.
NCAA and TV networks, I know that you’re seeing big dollar signs in your eyes over the thought of expansion. Honestly, I don’t blame you for considering it. For once, though, let’s consider our most important public – the fans, and not ruin a good thing.
For more on the argument against tourney expansion, check out SI’s George Dohrmann’s column.
PR Sports U 