ACC Proposes 346-Team NCAA Tournament

[XU 23]

https://www.outkick.com/acc-proposing-346-team-ncaa-tournament/

Oh boy. I can’t wait to see an 86 seed upset a 1 seed.

[XU 87]

I just hope Dayton still gets the play-in games.

[xubrew]

Yeah, the selection committee will look at this and almost assuredly unanimously vote against it. Well, there is someone from North Carolina who's on it, but other than him they'll all vote against it because it's quite stupid.

[GoMuskies]

Does Bellarmine count in the 346 yet?

[usfldan]

Isn't this what we already do? If you consider the conference tournaments an extension of the NCAA tournament, what is the difference? If you are Alcorn State or you are Xavier, if you win 9 or 10 straight games starting with the conference tournament (3 or 4 in the conference tourney, 6 in the NCAA) you are the National Champ. The only real difference is the 30-something at large teams that get a do over.
Or are they going to have 160 seed San Diego travel to play 140 seed Winthrop?

[xubrew]

Does Bellarmine count in the 346 yet?

As I understand it, the proposal was for all 357 teams, including the 11 transitional (or otherwise ineligible) schools. So...yes and no??

[xubrew]

Isn't this what we already do? If you consider the conference tournaments an extension of the NCAA tournament, what is the difference? If you are Alcorn State or you are Xavier, if you win 9 or 10 straight games starting with the conference tournament (3 or 4 in the conference tourney, 6 in the NCAA) you are the National Champ. The only real difference is the 30-something at large teams that get a do over.
Or are they going to have 160 seed San Diego travel to play 140 seed Winthrop?

Yes. Yes it is.

The smaller conferences should actually be adamantly against this. As it stand now, the 22 regular one-bid leagues are assured to get at least one team into the Round of 64 (well, all but the two who lose in the First Four). That will not be the case with a 357 team tournament. I don't know how the payouts for such a tournament could work, but I guarantee that the leagues who don't get a single team into the Round of 64 will end up with less than usual.

It also strips away the importance of the conference tournament, which is in many cases the biggest (or only) showcase that the smaller conferences have. Right now it means something. A chance to go in to the Round of 64. An NCAA Tournament with all the teams in it would mean winning it meant nothing.

And lastly, as it is now the First Four is considered to be NCAA Tournament Lite at best. All they're really doing is adding games that are even less intriguing to the masses than the current First Four is. If no one cares about the First Four, then they'll care even less about the Round of 256.

This is a really bad idea.

[surfxu]

My guess is that there are a lot of coaches that would love this idea due to incentive clauses that give them payouts if they make the NCAA tournament. As for athletic departments... I don't know. Probably depends on the expense vs the payout. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the current set up is a team gets money for every game they play in the tournament. Some up front and some is paid out over time with the conference taking a cut and perhaps paid out to other conference teams. If a lower level D1 team plays a couple of games, has to travel and pay for hotels, meals etc, and pay their coach a bonus... but gets paid out next to nothing (relative speaking) for the first game or two then it's going to be a further financial drain on a program that is already dealing with no revenue (no/minimal attendance, no real TV money etc). I would have to think the payout for the round of 256 is going to be significantly less than the round of 64/68 as it stands currently. I guess for the P6 teams (or whatever you want to call them) it justifies a way to get out of playing and paying for guarantee games and just stick to a conference season. Who knows... I don't know what the justification is to include everyone, but money has to be at the bottom of it. It's certainly not that the ACC thinks everyone should have a chance and that they are so nice and inclusive and don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

[GoMuskies]

It's been far too long since Xavier was in the NCAA Tournament. So I'm in favor.

[Xavgrad08]

what happens to the bracketology industry if this is implemented? Across the country think of how many message board arguments take place over a proposed bracket posted in February.

[xeus]

ACC - put your beer down. Let me call you an Uber.

[XU 23]

I just hope Dayton still gets the play-in games.

Those will be exciting.

"Grambling State SHOCKS Howard in stunning 40-39 upset."

[xubrew]

As you would predict, Dan Gavitt has basically said "No, not gonna do that."

Well...that was fun!

[drudy23]

Dumb idea.

[MADXSTER]

My thought is what does the ACC get out of this? What is their angle? They certainly are not entertaining the idea for the common good of all the NCAA teams. My guess is that whatever it is will be shared with other high profile conferences to push the same agenda.

[murray87]

Count me in the dumb idea camp. Only reason I can think it's been proposed was to get more than the normal cash windfall from the tourney so the "little" schools can benefit?

[sirthought]

It's a PR move. They can now tell their players, and players' families, and donors, that they were proactive to try to keep their dream of playing in the NCAA alive. They can tell their boards of governors that they were proactive in trying to keep a revenue stream alive for the whole industry.

Anyone proposing this would know it is a long shot to get approved, much less pull off. But they can say they were the ones to step forward with something, and it wasn't just for their conference.

[Muskie]

Link (https://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2020/09/09/acc-coaches-back-idea-of-all-d-i-teams-in-2021-ncaa-tourney/)

There are 357 Division I programs in the country, with NCAA spokeswoman Meghan Durham saying 346 of those are eligible to play in next year’s tournament.
Virginia coach Tony Bennett said the ACC coaches are “united in strongly pursuing this” in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that led to the cancellation of last year’s NCAA Tournament days before the field of 68 was set to be revealed. Multiple coaches said creating an everybody-gets-in format would be an incentive for schools as they create the safest conditions possible for returning to play.

[xubrew]

Already been shot down.

[Muskie]

Good... the idea sounded awful.

[xu82]

I’d love this....if Dayton was left out!