March 4, 20188 yr This came up in the NKU game thread. What should mid-major and low-major conferences do? In the case of the Horizon League, the #1 seed has not won a single game in three years. They tried a double-bye for the #1 and #2 two years ago and changed it to a bye and an day off after the first game for the #1 and #2 last year but one team is going to come out with a 1 or 2 game winning streak and some confidence which leads to upsets. Some of the small conferences let the higher seeds host opening games and the top seed host the last 2 games. Someone else mentioned money, which doesn't seem to be a big factor. In the Horizon, with the big-time arena, cheap tickets, and low attendance, how much are they making? Is it solely the exposure? The conference gets on ESPN but, does the exposure of a few games worth it? Many of these conferences end up not sending their best team to the NCAA.
March 4, 20188 yr For 1 bid conferences I think they are doing themselves a disservice by not having their best team in the tournament. I think their goal should be putting a team in the tournament who has a shot to win a game or two. I understand the argument that the conference tournament should have value so the conferences make money from them, but I think their best interests are served by putting their best team in the tournament.
March 4, 20188 yr Conferences outside the top 6 should really just have higher seeds host the game in the tournament all the way through. Nobody in these leagues are making money off of neutral site games that maybe a few thousand people go to every year. In this way, the best teams regular season will get a big advantage in the tournament due to home court advantage, ensuring the best team/teams get into the NCAA at a higher clip than currently do. Couple that with huge increases in revenue from ticket sales that would be through the roof and it is a no brainer. Just take a look at what C-USA is doing this year. Their tournament is in Frisco, TX at the Cowboy's practice stadium. Girls games and guys games are being played at the same time with a curtain between them. The stands are far away from the court and every team is going to be playing OFF in such a weird environment. It's too much randomness. It's too far away from C-USA's best fanbases and best teams. Pathetic. Just do home site games. Of course, there is a drawback to this as far as travel. How do you sell tickets for a home game and arrange travel for teams one day or two in advance of each game? How would national TV work? No clue.
March 4, 20188 yr At the end of the day as much as it sucks this year. Not many people seemed to have a problem with it last year when NKU benefited from the conference tourny. If they change it. Then NKU doesn't get that incredible run and experience they had to make the big dance last year.
March 4, 20188 yr I've always believed that one-bid leagues are best served by not having a conference tournament. It makes no sense for the publicity of your league to send a horrible team because they got hot at the end of the year. I'm not sure if these leagues could switch the NCAA/NIT carrot whereby a team that won the conference tournament could get into the NIT instead or something (or if the NCAA/NIT would allow it) but that's what I've always believed. And yes, what Conference USA is doing for their tournament this year is ridiculous.
March 4, 20188 yr At the end of the day as much as it sucks this year. Not many people seemed to have a problem with it last year when NKU benefited from the conference tourny. If they change it. Then NKU doesn't get that incredible run and experience they had to make the big dance last year. Basically my premise is I’m fine with NKU not making it last year in exchange for all of the hard work they put in this year. Basically you’re telling the 1 bid conferences that the regular season means absolutely nothing.
March 4, 20188 yr I wouldn’t do anything different. Win when it matters. The whole season should matter. That’s why college football pumps out a significantly better product week after week than college basketball IMO.
March 4, 20188 yr Basically my premise is I’m fine with NKU not making it last year in exchange for all of the hard work they put in this year. Basically you’re telling the 1 bid conferences that the regular season means absolutely nothing. If you don't win when it matters, then it doesn't. What's the point of HS playing district tournaments then? Heck, whats the point of a regional tournament even? Win when it matters.
March 4, 20188 yr The whole season should matter. That’s why college football pumps out a significantly better product week after week than college basketball IMO. Y'all might as well get rid of HS district and regional tournaments too. Just send the best team from each region to Rupp. The whole season does matter. It should be used to prepare you for post season. If you're the best team, don't get upset in your first game.
March 4, 20188 yr The whole season should matter. That’s why college football pumps out a significantly better product week after week than college basketball IMO. College football season regular season better. How college basketball crowns a champ and how it's determined on the court and not by simple opinion is 10 times better.
March 4, 20188 yr Y'all might as well get rid of HS district and regional tournaments too. Just send the best team from each region to Rupp. The whole season does matter. It should be used to prepare you for post season. If you're the best team, don't get upset in your first game. I want to see the best teams in the tournament.
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