Conferences Can Send Regular Season Champ to NCAA Tournament

[MJAlltheWay24]

Looks like the NCAA says that conferences can elect to send their regular season champion to the NCAA tournament this year, thus not having a conference tournament.

Curious if any of the big conferences will take advantage of this for health and safety purposes.  My first thought is they wouldn't want to because they'd be missing out on TV money, right?

[MJAlltheWay24]

Conferences have until February 26th to choose how they are handling it.

[sportsfan41]

11 minutes ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

Looks like the NCAA says that conferences can elect to send their regular season champion to the NCAA tournament this year, thus not having a conference tournament.

Curious if any of the big conferences will take advantage of this for health and safety purposes.  My first thought is they wouldn't want to because they'd be missing out on TV money, right?

I would think they're missing out on TV money and the chance to potentially get more teams in the NCAA tournament based on how they look during the conference tournament. 

[4 Quarters]

55 minutes ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

Looks like the NCAA says that conferences can elect to send their regular season champion to the NCAA tournament this year, thus not having a conference tournament.

Curious if any of the big conferences will take advantage of this for health and safety purposes.  My first thought is they wouldn't want to because they'd be missing out on TV money, right?

What kind of a deal is this, make it one way or the other.

[bugatti]

I haven't read about this yet, but conferences already reserve the right to determine their representatives to the NCAA tournament, that is not a NCAA decision. My assumption is they have to notify the NCAA how they are selecting that team (regular season champ vs. conference tournament) well in advance. This sounds like a one-year reprieve if they decide not to host a conference tournament out of COVID fear.

[bugatti]

I am curious how TV money works, especially for the small conferences. I can't think the OVC is racking up the dollars showcasing Tennessee Tech vs. Austin Peay.

[bugatti]

5 minutes ago, 4 Quarters said:

What kind of a deal is this, make it one way or the other.

I don't think the NCAA can mandate how conferences select their representatives.

[4 Quarters]

23 minutes ago, bugatti said:

I don't think the NCAA can mandate how conferences select their representatives.

I think you're correct on that, but you can't be changing your choice in mid stream.

[bugatti]

50 minutes ago, 4 Quarters said:

I think you're correct on that, but you can't be changing your choice in mid stream.

"Sure you can.

Sincerely,

Every team currently in first place in their conference."

[nikeman49]

5 hours ago, bugatti said:

I am curious how TV money works, especially for the small conferences. I can't think the OVC is racking up the dollars showcasing Tennessee Tech vs. Austin Peay.

More people may want to watch those games than you think, especially with Ky showing nothing at all, the OVC has Morehead, Belmont, Murray St, EKU and Austin Peay that have quality teams that represent Ky and neighboring states that provide entertainment.

[gchs_uk9]

6 hours ago, bugatti said:

I am curious how TV money works, especially for the small conferences. I can't think the OVC is racking up the dollars showcasing Tennessee Tech vs. Austin Peay.

Those games serve as terrific advertisements for their schools. If you're on OVC club that makes the semifinals and finals, you're basically getting four free hours with your name plastered on the screen. For directional schools that is invaluable.

[The Raven]

I can see the smaller conferences doing this.  But I think the SEC, ACC, Big Ten will still do the tourney.  Too much money involved.   

Especially with the Ivy sitting this year out, one of the power 5 has a chance to have another team possibly play its way into the field.

 

[Tomcats1990]

I’ve heard teams might opt out of their respective tourneys to not risk Covid exposure for the Dance.