SEC commissioner Greg Sankey open to major March Madness changes - Sports Illustrated
Greg Sankey potentially has eyes on expanding the current 68-team field.
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I agree and it would kill the importance of the regular season games in February and conference tournament play in early March.Idk if I want a 96 team March Madness. It would severely water down the field.
I understand how bananas this is going to sound, but isn’t the field already watered down with teams like St. Peter’s getting in?Idk if I want a 96 team March Madness. It would severely water down the field.
If you don't see the difference -- which is staring at you right in the face -- I don't know what to tell you. It's the Cinderella/David vs. Goliath aspect that makes the current NCAA tournament setup absolutely unique and scintillating.I understand how bananas this is going to sound, but isn’t the field already watered down with teams like St. Peter’s getting in?
I get it, it’s fun they made a run and everything and got hot, but they aren’t even making the tournament if they played in the B1G. So how are they any different from a Minnesota who gets hot and goes on a run?
That’s fine, but doesn’t that make it watered down?If you don't see the difference -- which is staring at you right in the face -- I don't know what to tell you. It's the Cinderella/David vs. Goliath aspect that makes the current NCAA tournament setup absolutely unique and scintillating.
You think anybody would've cared as much if a #15 seeded Minnesota team made the type of run to the Elite 8 that St. Peter's made?
Just as an example. Look at RU’s B1G Tournament run in Sanders’ last year.That’s fine, but doesn’t that make it watered down?
You’re basically saying the only reason there’s interest is because they have no business being there to begin with.
I think that in general, across the board, viewership would be up with a #15 seeded Minnesota.
The discussion isn’t, “wow look at what St Peter’s did!” It’s “what did Murray State vs USF do?”
I get it, everyone likes a Cinderella story, but keep things in perspective. That St Peter’s run was a historic run, so let’s not act like it happens often. And prior to the sweet 16, they brought zero value to the tournament.
This is an excellent way to word it.Viewership in Minnesota would've been higher with #15 seed Minnesota playing UNC. It would not have had the same appeal nationally that St. Peter's did IMO.
St. Peter’s might have been an historic run, but there are Cinderella runs every single year of the tournament (just not by #15 seeds).That’s fine, but doesn’t that make it watered down?
You’re basically saying the only reason there’s interest is because they have no business being there to begin with.
I think that in general, across the board, viewership would be up with a #15 seeded Minnesota.
The discussion isn’t, “wow look at what St Peter’s did!” It’s “what did Murray State vs USF do?”
I get it, everyone likes a Cinderella story, but keep things in perspective. That St Peter’s run was a historic run, so let’s not act like it happens often. And prior to the sweet 16, they brought zero value to the tournament.
Sure, but it’s all perception. You think it’s cool because they won their league and get to take a shot at the big boys. Put Minnesota in a crap conference and see what happens.St. Peter’s might have been an historic run, but there are Cinderella runs every single year of the tournament (just not by #15 seeds).
See Gonzaga (before they became a behemoth), George Mason, VCU, Butler, Wichita State, Loyola-Chicago etc, all recent ones.
This is what makes the NCAA Tournament one of the best sports tournaments in the universe (right up there with the World Cup). Not to mention, the mid-major CONFERENCE tournaments are fantastic BECAUSE of the autobids, so it makes championship week absolutely scintillating.
“Watered down” is expanding the field with a bunch of mediocre teams that didn’t win their conference tournaments. Best analogy there is all of the bowl games between 6-6 teams.
This isn’t the NCAA, this is Greg Stanley making sure his expanded SEC can get a ton of teams in.Good old useless NCAA. If it ain’t broke, try to fix it.
I understand how bananas this is going to sound, but isn’t the field already watered down with teams like St. Peter’s getting in?
I get it, it’s fun they made a run and everything and got hot, but they aren’t even making the tournament if they played in the B1G. So how are they any different from a Minnesota who gets hot and goes on a run?
Strap in because it’s coming. The Big Conferences want all the money for themselves and don’t care what they destroy.The only reason I want the NCAA to remain a thing is bc of March Madness.
MM and the World Cup are the two greatest sporting events in the world by far IMO. I'll be devastated if they ruin it
You're very wrong lol. Pointing to a team that made the elite 8 and knocked off multiple elite programs is proving the exact opposite of what you're claimingTell me I’m wrong though Scangg
I think the point behind St. Peters and the auto bid, is they won their conference and that gave them the opportunity to beat the big boys. Which they did. Just because they are in a small conference doesn't mean they aren't better than some or even a majority of P5 teams. One never knows until the opportunity is presented. And as far as Minnesota vs. St. Peters? Small college St. Peters would outdraw Minny in a heartbeat in the Elite 8. The network promoted the hell out of St. Peters because of the small size of the school and the improbability they would still be playing. Even my wife couldn't wait for St. Peters to come on every night. It was a great story.That’s fine, but doesn’t that make it watered down?
You’re basically saying the only reason there’s interest is because they have no business being there to begin with.
I think that in general, across the board, viewership would be up with a #15 seeded Minnesota.
The discussion isn’t, “wow look at what St Peter’s did!” It’s “what did Murray State vs USF do?”
I get it, everyone likes a Cinderella story, but keep things in perspective. That St Peter’s run was a historic run, so let’s not act like it happens often. And prior to the sweet 16, they brought zero value to the tournament.
What’s the point I’m making?You're very wrong lol. Pointing to a team that made the elite 8 and knocked off multiple elite programs is proving the exact opposite of what you're claiming
And that is why they need to expand the CFP to 16 teams.. or, lets really stretch things.. every 5 years, every 5th season, have the NCAA schedule everyones games to have a real tournament style season chock full of underdog-favorite games that mean something... double elimination tourney.If you don't see the difference -- which is staring at you right in the face -- I don't know what to tell you. It's the Cinderella/David vs. Goliath aspect that makes the current NCAA tournament setup absolutely unique and scintillating.
Trailer Park Boys! My wife and I love that show...
You don't think that if St. Peter’s played in the B1G and: received an equal share of B1G TV revenue so St. Peter’s could pay its coaches better, have a staff as big as other B1G teams and had a recruiting budget the size of other B1G members, that St. Peter’s could not grow its program to the point where it is frequently in the NCAAT via an at-large bid?I get it, it’s fun they made a run and everything and got hot, but they aren’t even making the tournament if they played in the B1G. So how are they any different from a Minnesota who gets hot and goes on a run?
Awful news if this comes true. Would be horrible for the sport. It doesn’t matter if Minnesota is more talented than St Peters or any other auto bid team. It simply is not interesting to follow a sport where even teams that go 4-16 in their conference make the field. It would change everything the tournament stands for. It’s supposed to be the place teams that accomplished something for the season go at the end of it all to compete for a championship. Winning an auto-bid, finishing first in whatever conference you play in - those are accomplishments. Going 13-17 and 4-16 is the kind of year you want to forget and just move on from.
If you don't see the difference -- which is staring at you right in the face -- I don't know what to tell you. It's the Cinderella/David vs. Goliath aspect that makes the current NCAA tournament setup absolutely unique and scintillating.
You think anybody would've cared as much if a #15 seeded Minnesota team made the type of run to the Elite 8 that St. Peter's made?
I understand how bananas this is going to sound, but isn’t the field already watered down with teams like St. Peter’s getting in?
I get it, it’s fun they made a run and everything and got hot, but they aren’t even making the tournament if they played in the B1G. So how are they any different from a Minnesota who gets hot and goes on a run?
The point is, Cinderella runs are NOT an “outlier.” They happen every single year to varying degrees. St. Peter’s just happened to be an extreme version of Cinderella because they’re such a tiny school and were a #15 seed.What’s the point I’m making?
You guys are using an outlier, a historic event, to justify viewership.
I’m not saying it’s not cool they go on those runs and I like the David v Goliath.
I’m just saying you’re crazy for not thinking a large university is going to pull better tv numbers on average.
It’s NEVER been about “the best 68 teams.” It’s about rewarding all conference champions, big and small, and then adding in X number of the next best teams (with X being expanded over the years).The field is already 100% watered down.
Just ask anyone a simple question: Are the best 68 teams in the country invited? The answer is no.
They water down the tournament to let worse teams in.
If they actually invited the 68 best teams, then all "at-large" teams would be seeded after all the AQ teams.
By seeding many "at-large" teams ahead, they committee is admitting they are inviting worse teams.
They are actually making this point (not missing it) - it’s going to be the very thing that kills the sport. 15-16 seeds aren’t supposed to win very often at all. In fact, the simplistic main bracket structure (straight 64 field without byes) only works because the field consists of those auto bid games which are almost (but not quite) the equivalent of a bye. It’s basically an easy way of showcasing the best teams without a material risk of them getting eliminated.The point is, Cinderella runs are NOT an “outlier.” They happen every single year to varying degrees. St. Peter’s just happened to be an extreme version of Cinderella because they’re such a tiny school and were a #15 seed.
That is a hot take. It is also incorrect.Hot Take: NCAA March Madness is the worst designed tournament in all of sports.
What other post season tournament gives a 1st round bye to a lower seeded team (#12 seeds have to play in 1st round while #16 seeds do not).
Thanks for the miniscule correction.That is a hot take. It is also incorrect.
All four No. 16 seeds play in the First Four in Dayton.