NCAA on Verge of 68-team Men's Basketball Tournament, Every Game to Air Live on TV

[MadBadger]

If true, I applaud the NCAA for resisting the urge to ruin the tournament with 96 teams. 68 teams makes the most sense for expansion

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA is on the verge of expanding the men's basketball tournament from 65 to 68 teams beginning next year and has a new, $10.8 billion TV deal that will allow it to show every game live.

The NCAA said Thursday that the Division I Men's Basketball Committee unanimously passed the proposal and it will now be reviewed by the Board of Directors on April 29.

The NCAA also said it reached a new, 14-year agreement with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting System Inc. that is worth more than $10.8 billion. The deal, which runs from 2011 through 2024, will show every game live across four national networks for the first time.

The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee unanimously passed a recommendation to expand the tournament to 68 teams last Wednesday, the NCAA said in its release. The Division I Board of Directors will consider the recommendation at its April 29 meetings.

Beginning in 2011, first- and second-round games will be shown on four networks: CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. CBS and Turner will equally split coverage of the regional semifinals.

CBS will televise the regional finals, the Final Four (including the national title game) through 2015. Starting in 2016, CBS and Turner will split coverage of the regional finals. The Final Four and title game will alternate between CBS and Turner starting in 2016.

"This is an important day for intercollegiate athletics and the 400,000 student-athletes who compete in NCAA sports," NCAA interim president Jim Isch said in a news release. "This agreement will provide on average more than $740 million annually to our conferences and member schools to help student-athletes in 23 sports learn and compete.

"We're excited this agreement continues our long-standing relationship with CBS, a partner company that has captured the unique spirit of the collegiate model of athletics, and brings a new partner in Turner Broadcasting to the championship and NCAA basketball."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5125307

[Redbear]

1. So, does this mean they are adding three at-large spots?

and will have three additional "play-in" games?

[MadBadger]

2. My guess is three additional play in games

[PRETZEL]

3. sorry, just don't like this

so the NCAA is adding a 17th seed, which will play the 16th seed on a Tuesday/Wednesday just to have those winners turn around and play a number 1 seed 2 days later.

Who is going to really care about those tue/wed games?

Is it financially feasable to have to put 3 more (more than likely small schools) under the burden of having to foot the bill for a hundred or so players/coaches/cheerleaders/band/administrative staff?

[madinmaryland]

8. Will not the guaranteed money make it worthwhile for those play-in teams?

At worst it should be a wash for those teams.

[PRETZEL]

9. I don't know for sure,

will adding more teams mean less guaranteed money?

will having to travel half way across the country for a 2-3 day stay cover the expenses.

Honestly, don't really know the answer but if a school has to put up some money over the guarantee it could be a much greater hardship on smaller schools than on bigger ones. Not that that isn't true now, but you would now have 3 more schools being in the same situation.

[madinmaryland]

10. Given the size of the deal, I think one can assume that this will cover at least

the expenses required to get to the game. Now that doesn't ensure that local fans of the team will be able to make the game.

[joeybee12]

4. 68 I can live with...96, no freakin' way...n/t

[era veteran]

5. This will suck, suck, suck, suck....

And suck some more. Why don't they let everybody play? Every one gets a trophy. Let in the NAIA champs, Div 2 , and the Husky womens team. Let the Knicks in the play in game. Money will ruin the tournament.

[fishwax]

6. 68 I'm okay with

I actually like the play-in game, and have watched it most of the years since they added it. It's fun to see Arkansas Pine Bluff, for instance, react to a win. Still, I doubt having four play-in games instead of one will affect my enthusiasm for the tournament one way or another.

96 teams, I think, would be a big mistake.

Live coverage of ALL games across several different channels? About fucking time.

[LisaM]

7. I like the play-in game, too. I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I think it's fun - kind of like watching a warm up act for a concert. Some of them go on to great things!

[BlooInBloo]

11. Thank gawd they didn't expand it to a hundred thousand brazillion teams.

[underpants]

12. 64 +1 is fine. I am glad that CBS will release its grip on the control of the games

the tournie is fine the way it is other than not being on TV

The CBS website (and the Masters) was great.