5 Questions about the NCAA Tournament

[Mets82]

1) I'd like to know something. What does it take to get a 2nd/3rd round or regional games? The first 2 rounds in 1998 in the East were in Hartford but that was it. Is there certain criteria that goes into picking the regional sites?

2) Obviously, you've noticed in the past 5 or 6 years, that there is a blue and black color scheme on all the courts for the tourney. Why is that? I remember reading something about that but I dont know what it was. I also remember they have to cover logos and banners of the site team, which I dont understand. I think the arenas look pretty dull and dark because they cover up all the banners and such.


3) The Pod System. Now, its changed from what it used to be but what do you think? Has it made a difference as far as attendance goes? I really think its unfair that some teams get to play there games in there own backyard. Duke playing in Greensboro, Kentucky playing in Louisville, but thats just me.

4) What do you guys think that all the games are on 4 different networks? Did you like the old way where they would do whip around coverage? They talk about how YOUR in control but isn't that what DirectTV was for? They make it sound like your in control of what game you watch when if you've had DirectTV, you could watch which ever game you want?

5) One more question. You've noticed the different studio crews for the tourney. Which studio crews do what games? Im getting confused because I've seen a lot of EJ and company. What about Matt Winer and co.? When are they on? I thought Greg Gumbel and co. would do CBS and EJ do TBS but I've seen EJ on CBS as well.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

2) Obviously, you've noticed in the past 5 or 6 years, that there is a blue and black color scheme on all the courts for the tourney. Why is that? I remember reading something about that but I dont know what it was. I also remember they have to cover logos and banners of the site team, which I dont understand. I think the arenas look pretty dull and dark because they cover up all the banners and such.

Consistency...

After March Madness fades, NCAA Tournament floors find new life | NJ.com

 

[Mets82]

Yeah, but does it really matter? I mean who cares if the floors are not the same? Thats what Im talking about. They made all these minor, cosmetic changes for really no reason.

 

[SamCdbs]

1 - The NCAA committee picks the sites for every championship, men's basketball included. There are dozens of standards that are evaluated, from venue size to availability, to airport, to practice sites, to hotels and restaurants near the venue. A place wanting to hold an event has to bid. Esentually it guarentees the NCAA against loss in the bid. And every venue needs a "host" which can be a college or a conference. They do all of the behind the scenes work. You will sometimes notice (the logo is in the corners) a quite small college or conference is the host.

2 - The NCAA is doing this for one reason. The same reason the NFL paints up the field for the Super Bowl. To sell its brand rather than the random logo of the host college. It further covers up ads and banners so it can sell its own ads.

3 - I have no problem with it as long as it is earned. However puting a mediocre team close to home is cynical.

4 - The current system is what DirecTV was. Every game in full. Better.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Yeah, but does it really matter? I mean who cares if the floors are not the same? Thats what Im talking about. They made all these minor, cosmetic changes for really no reason.

Obviously the NCAA does. What's wrong with that??

 

[Hart5150]

Obviously the NCAA does. What's wrong with that??

They made the TD Garden take all the banners down, that's ridiculous.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

They made the TD Garden take all the banners down, that's ridiculous.

I hope they remember where everything goes back...

 

[cosmo_kramer]

They made the TD Garden take all the banners down, that's ridiculous.

The tournament means big money to the host cities, and like the NFL with the Super Bowl, if you want the games you have to play by their rules I guess...

 

[SamCdbs]

Kinda cool how they got a "parkay" floor for Boston.

Its really no big deal. The NCAA is selling the NCAA, not the NHL or NBA or whatever else might be in the banners. Similarly the NCAA is paid to sell Coca-Cola, Vitimin Water, etc, not the whatever deal the arena might have.

 

[Mets82]

Only thing is that I dont get what the big deal is. Was it neccessary to change the courts? I know the NCAA is trying to market the NCAA but when you have 6 million brackets and more filed to espn.com, I really dont think you need to market it. I mean EVERYONE fills out a bracket and they couldnt tell you who most of the teams are. I just think the NCAA Tournament is big enough that you dont have to tinker with anything.

If anything, I would try to get away from having some teams (UNC,Duke playing in Greensboro) play near at home. Not only is it unfair but whats the point? If you argue that people dont go to the games its probably because tickets are high or if we are talking about the day sessions people cant get off work. I mean, for example, lets say the 2nd and 3rd round games are at the Alamodome. Well, if its a day session and theres maybe 7,000 people out of 40,000 or whatever they configure for the games, you cant say that because of the teams. A lot of people cant get off work and you cant expect people to skip work to NCAA Tournament or MLB games because some bosses wont allow it.

 

[SamCdbs]

The NCAA covered up pro logos long before it had the money to buy courts. If you look at games in pro venues in the past there was a lot of tape. With the pinball machine look of current pro courts (and Boston is an exception) the amount of tape needed would be tremendous.

Why? Why did the NFL paint over the "Indianapolis" and "Colts" last February?

 

[JTBenson]

In answer to number 4 - not everyone has DirecTV. I much prefer having every game available on every cable/sat provider.