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  • NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

    http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/160574

    Under the most popular proposal, the tournament would stay as a 16-team field, but the first round would be a best-of-three series played at the venue of the higher seed.

    The eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals would play at one of two super regional sites. The quarterfinals would be one-game shots with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line. The Frozen Four would not change.

    The proposal would have to be approved by the NCAA and could not happen until the 2011-12 season at the earliest. Regional sites already have been scheduled for the upcoming season.
    I like chocolate milk and Kate Beckinsale and Lauren Graham and Brooke Burke and Elisha Cuthbert and Eva Longoria.

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  • #2
    Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

    I like this idea. It would definitely help with attendance issues. I haven't put a whole lot of thought into it, though, so I'm sure someone will point out some downside I haven't considered.
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    • #3
      Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

      I don't see much of a downside, upon first glance. It would add a week to the postseason, but that could be taken care of by using the current bye week between the regionals and the Frozen Four properly.
      FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY: 2012 FROZEN FOUR


      God, that was fun...

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      • #4
        Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

        Originally posted by Federal League View Post
        I like this idea. It would definitely help with attendance issues. I haven't put a whole lot of thought into it, though, so I'm sure someone will point out some downside I haven't considered.
        They would have to push the "super regionals" and the F4 back a week to accommodate the best of 3 1st round.
        So it would extend the season by a week unless they changed something else as well.
        I like chocolate milk and Kate Beckinsale and Lauren Graham and Brooke Burke and Elisha Cuthbert and Eva Longoria.

        Fighting Sioux Hockey

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        • #5
          Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

          the tournament would stay as a 16-team field, but the first round would be a best-of-three series played at the venue of the higher seed.

          The eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals would play at one of two super regional sites. The quarterfinals would be one-game shots with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line. The Frozen Four would not change.
          Iiiiiinteresting.

          So, currently, 16 teams, four each at four regionals, two first-round games, one quarter final-like game, then 4 teams to ... um... that icy thing.... Semis, then THE GAME...

          In the possible future: 16 teams, pre-quarterfinal best-of-three series hosted by high seed. Regional Quarters similar in match-up pattern to current Semis, only not so close to THE GAME. Two teams from each Regional advance to FF.

          I could see the pre-quarterfinal games selling more tickets than the current regional format if hosting schools are allowed to charge their normal season rate. You also get closer fan base, so Joe the Fan is more likely to go. Regionals become less of a money pit because it's only two games: likely only one night of hockey.

          Overall, I like. Financially, I think the NCAA will agree.
          Originally posted by state of hockey
          Tecate tonight. Haha!
          Originally posted by state of hockey
          Ugh. That was a bad idea.
          Ever notice how, after hockey season, baseball games seem INTERMINABLE??

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          • #6
            Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

            the on-campus first rounds used to be pretty fun. i would certainly welcome it. i would hope that they stick to the seeds and not regionalize.
            a legend and an out of work bum look a lot alike, daddy.

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            • #7
              Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

              Oh, scheduling!

              Currently:
              T-2: Regionals
              T-1: bye week
              Lift Off: Frozen Four

              In future, here's my completely unqualified take:

              One could put the Regional in the same weekend as the FF: Regional Thursday, fly Friday, play Saturday and Sunday. Travel would be a pain in the butt, but it could work. Financially? I guess not the best plan: schools won't be happy to shell out a grand for each player's last-minute tickets. UNLESS NCAA reserves x tickets on flight to FF, team to pay upon winning regional. I'm sure this will never happen, but the more I look at it, the more I like it!

              One could put the Regional in the current bye week. However, let's not underestimate the usefulness of a week's planning: travel is easier to book the farther you get from the date it's booked.

              With that argument in mind, you'd want at least week before the Best of Three, a week before the Regionals, and a week before the FF. And now we're into Stanley Cup time, and Greater ESPN can only handle so much hockey at once.

              I predict IF the Association goes for the new format, they'll stick to the current plan of bye weeks, simply pushing the regionals back like Brian said. But I REALLY like the One Weekend plan...
              Originally posted by state of hockey
              Tecate tonight. Haha!
              Originally posted by state of hockey
              Ugh. That was a bad idea.
              Ever notice how, after hockey season, baseball games seem INTERMINABLE??

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              • #8
                Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

                Originally posted by WildKitty View Post
                Overall, I like. Financially, I think the NCAA will agree.
                Looking back at this last tourney, the smallest rinks would have been Bemidji State (2500), Miami (3200) and Cornell (4267). Even if you get the worst-case scenario (since two of those rinks were high-seed in the Midwest), BSU would certainly sell out the two games vs. Michigan (that would be one of the hottest tickets in BSU history) for nearly 5000 fans. That would beat almost any single session besides the West @ Xcel. Plus, it would double with another 6400 (again, worst case scenario) @ the UAH @ Miami games. The combined 8900 for the "Midwest Regional" games would still surpass actual attendance in Ft. Wayne (4133 and 3204 = 7337)
                Current NCAA D-I rinks I've been to:

                AHA:
                B1G: UMich, MSU, UMinn, Notre Dame, OSU, UWisc
                CCHA: BSU, BG, FSU, LSSU, MSU, MTU, NMU
                ECAC:
                HEA: UMass
                NCHC: Miami, UMD, UND, SCSU, WMU
                Independant: ASU


                Inactive: UAH, ASU, BSU, UMD, UND, NMU, Notre Dame

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                • #9
                  Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

                  Single elimination is what differentiates college hockey and what makes the NCAA's special. Don't dilute that.
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                  • #10
                    Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

                    Originally posted by Zudnic View Post
                    Single elimination is what differentiates college hockey and what makes the NCAA's special. Don't dilute that.
                    Yes. All the fun RIT had this past year would turn into a trip to Denver for 2 (maybe 3) games with very few fans able to attend. It would really kill the excitement of the NCAA for the lower seeds and I would guess that would have a negative overall impact on building new programs like ours.

                    Of course ... RIT sweeping DU in two at Denver would be quite a Cinderella story too!!
                    -M

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                    • #11
                      Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

                      Originally posted by WildKitty View Post
                      Oh, scheduling!

                      Currently:
                      T-2: Regionals
                      T-1: bye week
                      Lift Off: Frozen Four

                      In future, here's my completely unqualified take:

                      One could put the Regional in the same weekend as the FF: Regional Thursday, fly Friday, play Saturday and Sunday. Travel would be a pain in the butt, but it could work. Financially? I guess not the best plan: schools won't be happy to shell out a grand for each player's last-minute tickets. UNLESS NCAA reserves x tickets on flight to FF, team to pay upon winning regional. I'm sure this will never happen, but the more I look at it, the more I like it!

                      One could put the Regional in the current bye week. However, let's not underestimate the usefulness of a week's planning: travel is easier to book the farther you get from the date it's booked.

                      With that argument in mind, you'd want at least week before the Best of Three, a week before the Regionals, and a week before the FF. And now we're into Stanley Cup time, and Greater ESPN can only handle so much hockey at once.

                      I predict IF the Association goes for the new format, they'll stick to the current plan of bye weeks, simply pushing the regionals back like Brian said. But I REALLY like the One Weekend plan...

                      Im sorry but this is an awful idea...Playing a regional thursday, flying and then playing the frozen four saturday and sunday....

                      The proposed idea sounds pretty solid. You just don't have the weekend off inbetween the regionals and FF to accomidate for the round of 8 games. Play a single game that weekend and rest won't be an issue. I think this is a pretty smart way to go, not only do they save money on big regional sites that don't fill up. They are guranteed to have full buildings on a campus site.
                      Miamiredhawks08: "Side note: have any of you had to wear a helmet in SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL CAGE?!?!?!?! Are you flipping kidding me?!?!?! Felt like a 30 year old wearing floaties in a wading pool! jeebus!"

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                      • #12
                        Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

                        Originally posted by RITProf View Post
                        Yes. All the fun RIT had this past year would turn into a trip to Denver for 2 (maybe 3) games with very few fans able to attend. It would really kill the excitement of the NCAA for the lower seeds and I would guess that would have a negative overall impact on building new programs like ours.

                        Of course ... RIT sweeping DU in two at Denver would be quite a Cinderella story too!!
                        Think about it from Denver's perspective - you work hard all year, finish your season as one of the country's top teams, win your league and get rewarded by being assigned to a regional 1500 miles away from your campus and play a team from a larger school that is only a short drive down the Thruway and can easily bring 1,000 fans, while you work to scrounge up 35 fans...

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                        • #13
                          Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

                          Originally posted by Puck Swami View Post
                          Think about it from Denver's perspective - you work hard all year, finish your season as one of the country's top teams, win your league and get rewarded by being assigned to a regional 1500 miles away from your campus and play a team from a larger school that is only a short drive down the Thruway and can easily bring 1,000 fans, while you work to scrounge up 35 fans...
                          I wouldn't be surprised if RIT out-attended DU even if it was at DU's rink.

                          JK.
                          Feed The Hungry! Click once a day!

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                          • #14
                            Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

                            I think this is because the NCAA doesn't want to give up on its addiction to $$$. You get a good ticket sales figure from the first round... the second round is put into major cities and only major cities... and then the Frozen Four.

                            Doing this instead of say, lowering prices to human levels. Lets remember that the NCAA controls their tournaments and not the schools. Watch the tickets for a 3 game set be close to 100 dollars. Home fans will pay for it though not be thrilled.
                            BS UML '04, PhD UConn '09

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                            • #15
                              Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

                              My one concern would be if they messed with how much they messed with the brackets to making traveling to another campus easier.

                              Looking at this year, for example:
                              Midwest
                              UAH traveling to Miami instead of to Fort Wayne. Not bad.
                              Michigan traveling to BSU instead of to Fort Wayne. An improvement.

                              East
                              RIT traveling to Denver instead of to Albany.
                              New Hampshire traveling to Cornell instead of to Albany. Not bad.

                              Northeast
                              Alaska traveling to BC instead of to Worcester. Probably an improvement, actually.
                              Yale traveling to North Dakota instead of to Worcester. An improvement for UND to be sure, but not great for Yale by any means.

                              West
                              Vermont traveling to Wisconsin instead of St. Paul. Not bad.
                              Northern Michigan traveling to St. Cloud State instead of to St. Paul. Negligible.

                              Not that it would matter much in the grand scheme of things, but you have to figure RIT and Alaska get switched in that 4 band- RIT to BC and Alaska to Denver don't seem to be bad trips. But we'd have to assume the super-regional sites would have one east and one west. Let's say for 2010, it's St. Paul for the Midwest and West, and Albany for the Northeast and East.

                              In the St. Paul super-regional- you'd have a team that played in Miami, a team that played at Bemidji, a team that played in Wisconsin, and a team that played at St. Cloud the weekend before. Not bad.

                              But in the Albany super-regional- you'd have a team that played in Boston, a team that played in North Dakota, a team that played in Denver, and a team that played in Ithaca the weekend before. Imagine those upsets happen-Yale and RIT have to travel out to North Dakota and Denver for a best of three series, and then come back east to play in Albany the next weekend. Yikes. Who do you switch? You could switch Miami and Denver in the 1 band. But the two western 2 teams besides North Dakota are from Minnesota- doesn't make sense to move them east either.

                              This, of course, will also lead to large(r) arguments in seeding.

                              So lets recap:
                              First moves- to make games closer to home leads to this:
                              ST PAUL SUPERREGIONAL
                              West
                              Vermont traveling to Wisconsin
                              Northern Michigan traveling to St. Cloud State

                              Midwest
                              UAH traveling to Miami
                              Michigan traveling to BSU

                              ALBANY SUPERREGIONAL
                              East
                              Alaska traveling to Denver
                              New Hampshire traveling to Cornell

                              Northeast
                              RIT traveling to BC
                              Yale traveling to North Dakota
                              Second move-make sure home series are closer to their super regional.
                              ST PAUL SUPERREGIONAL
                              West
                              Vermont traveling to Wisconsin
                              Northern Michigan traveling to St. Cloud State

                              Midwest
                              Alaska traveling to Denver
                              Michigan traveling to BSU

                              ALBANY SUPERREGIONAL
                              East
                              UAH traveling to Miami
                              New Hampshire traveling to Cornell

                              Northeast
                              RIT traveling to BC
                              Yale traveling to North Dakota
                              Hmm, seems odd to have Vermont potentially out west for two weekends. UAH was originally going to St. Paul anyway. So let's switch them around.

                              Third move
                              ST PAUL SUPERREGIONAL
                              West
                              UAH traveling to Wisconsin
                              Northern Michigan traveling to St. Cloud State

                              Midwest
                              Alaska traveling to Denver
                              Michigan traveling to BSU

                              ALBANY SUPERREGIONAL
                              East
                              Vermont traveling to Miami
                              New Hampshire traveling to Cornell

                              Northeast
                              RIT traveling to BC
                              Yale traveling to North Dakota
                              There's no way to fix Yale/UND playing in North Dakota one weekend and Albany the next, so that stays put. All in all, six teams got moved- RIT to Northeast, Alaska to Midwest, Vermont to East, UAH to the West, Denver to the Midwest, Miami to East. That's a lot of chaos to sort out, without even looking to see what teams gain an advantage by this (though Wisconsin getting UAH, no offense to the Chargers, comes to mind-to the detriment of the No. 1 seeded Miami team).


                              At the same time, I also really like the idea. I think it would be really fun if sometime down the road, in the first round, Harvard were matched up with a BC or BU, and getting to play in Boston at a campus site rather than Worcester. It's also a great chance to see teams that never get on the schedule-for all the teams, and even to get some big name Western teams out to Eastern barns. I, for one, wouldn't mind getting a chance to broadcast playoff hockey from, say, Michigan, and it would be great to see a WCHA team or CCHA team skate into Lynah for the playoffs- Cornell fans would eat it up. Their first opponent, for karma's sake, will probably be whatever big name team is pushing this the most, but still, it would make for great tv, though tickets sales would get hurt. I think it would be great to see the NCAA playoffs with a better chance for the students to make it out to the games and see the real bands since most of them don't travel, and all of that pomp that makes college hockey great. But I certainly wouldn't want to be a bracketologist, and this is a system that could certainly cause some legitimate gripes as well.

                              So yeah, I'd recommend with reservations. It would be great to see some of the old time east-west rivalries get played out in the playoffs in someone's home barn, but I imagine the NCAA would try to move seeds to keep teams close to one another (sort of defeating the purpose for me, though it makes sense financially and even, gasp, academically) and that could play merry chaos with the fairness anyway.
                              Former Harvard Hockey broadcaster on 95.3 FM and WHRB.org.
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