Word: ncaa
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There are a precious few things in this world that people can't complain about. The writing skills of Shakespeare, for example, or a pink sky from an ocean sunset. And of course, the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which tips off on Thursday. Sure, a few fans are irked that their schools got snubbed from the Big Dance. But the tournament itself, with its brackets, buzzer beaters and wall-to-wall ball during the first two days, may be the most delightful sporting event on earth. Even the debate about which teams got shafted is part of the tournament...
...NCAA thinking about tinkering with its beloved, billion-dollar basketball spectacle? The organization is investigating the possibility of expanding the tournament field to as many as 96 teams as early as next year (for you non-bracketheads out there, 65 teams play in the current field). Within basketball circles and among cubicle dwellers who relish filling out their brackets for the ubiquitous office pools, chatter about a broader tournament is dominating the discussion. "Absolutely, it's hot," says Phil Martelli, head basketball coach at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, of the expansion issue. "Very hot." (See a brief history...
...NCAA is considering expansion for a variety of reasons. First, says NCAA senior vice president for basketball and business strategies Greg Shaheen, a broader field would give more athletes a chance to experience the thrills of March Madness. Second, more games gives the organization extra chances to promote its educational mission and the life skills that playing college sports can teach. This is also known as the "whatever" or "give me a break" reason for expanding the tournament...
Despite the priority Shaheen places on those objectives, money is the main driver for a bigger tournament. The NCAA is finishing up the eighth year of an 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS, which broadcasts the tournament. After this season, the NCAA can opt out of the deal and seek new television partners. Knowing that they might not be able to secure a hefty rights fee for a new deal in a shaky economy, the extra games could secure additional revenue for the schools - NCAA members share the tournament revenue whether they play or not, so more games enlarges...
...next for the Harvard men’s team are the NCAA Championships in Columbus Ohio, starting on March 25th through the 27th. The Crimson women’s team only has a few days to rest up before the NCAA Championships at Purdue, from March...