The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

[shepmitchell]

I am sure this has been a topic of discussion before in this forum, however I would like to get some input. Maybe some of you have heard rumors of such an expansion of the current 16 team NCAA bracket. Do you think D-1 hockey could support a larger tournament? In your opinion would it hurt the sport or help the sport? and what number of teams if expanded would you like to see?

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

Not expanding... Period.... If anything, it's going back to 12 teams...

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

This is so dumb I haven't even heard rumors about this. Think about that for a minute.

 

[drshoen]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

I am sure this has been a topic of discussion before in this forum, however I would like to get some input. Maybe some of you have heard rumors of such an expansion of the current 16 team NCAA bracket. Do you think D-1 hockey could support a larger tournament? In your opinion would it hurt the sport or help the sport? and what number of teams if expanded would you like to see?

The NCAA rules don't allow a sport have more than 25% of their teams make the national tournament. Hockey has an exemption, because we currently have 59 (going to 60 next year). Until the sport adds another dozen schools, more or less, the tournament won't get bigger. And adding that many more schools would be unlikely, I think, even if ASU manages to drag a few more Western schools in.

 

[Terrier520]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

Never gonna expand.

I also doubt it will contract. A 16-team setup is optimal for locations (5 total, 2 per team in the playoffs), and games per location (3). Also lets all teams play an even number of games (up to 4).

 

[Riz]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

Never going to happen and it shouldn't for many reasons; One of which that nobody talks about is the nature of the sport. It's even more difficult to predict than the NCAA basketball tournament for a reason. It takes away from what teams did over the course of the regular season to add more teams and one bad bounce and bam, your team is upset. With only one game, it's very difficult to justify any expansion in the NCAA tournament.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

They aim for 25% of the teams making it. It was a stretch to go from 12 to 16; only did it because it was a power of two, i.e. no byes. Call back when college hockey gets to 100 schools.

 

[huskyfan]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

The NCAA rules don't allow a sport have more than 25% of their teams make the national tournament. Hockey has an exemption, because we currently have 59 (going to 60 next year). Until the sport adds another dozen schools, more or less, the tournament won't get bigger. And adding that many more schools would be unlikely, I think, even if ASU manages to drag a few more Western schools in.

They aim for 25% of the teams making it. It was a stretch to go from 12 to 16; only did it because it was a power of two, i.e. no byes. Call back when college hockey gets to 100 schools.

in other words, not in our lifetimes.

 

[CLS]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

They aim for 25% of the teams making it. It was a stretch to go from 12 to 16; only did it because it was a power of two, i.e. no byes. Call back when college hockey gets to 100 schools.

The other reason was to give autobids to the "minor" conferences, so the real effect was to increase from 12 to 14.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

The other reason was to give autobids to the "minor" conferences, so the real effect was to increase from 12 to 14.

At one point in history, conferences received two bids: One for the regular season winner, and one for the playoff winner.

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

I think the only way it changes is if it slides back to 8, and the only way that happens is if they give up on regionals and go back to campus sites.

With a couple tweaks (like banning non-1s from hosting regionals), the current system is actually pretty darn good.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

We're getting close to 64 schools anyway, so why not just stick with 16.

 

[Snively65]

I am sure this has been a topic of discussion before in this forum, however I would like to get some input. Maybe some of you have heard rumors of such an expansion of the current 16 team NCAA bracket. Do you think D-1 hockey could support a larger tournament? In your opinion would it hurt the sport or help the sport? and what number of teams if expanded would you like to see?

This thread was started as a joke, right?

 

[joecct]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

Want to see some really exciting hockey in the conference tournaments where losing truly means you're done? Then get rid of the at large bids.

It would also end 12 team conferences.

 

[Terrier520]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

Want to see some really exciting hockey in the conference tournaments where losing truly means you're done? Then get rid of the at large bids.

It would also end 12 team conferences.

That's a terrible idea. You'd have RIT in the tournament, but not NoDak?

 

[Go-UML]

This thread was started as a joke, right?

I sorta thought the same

 

[goblue78]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

As long as every team makes the conference tournament, then every team is already in a process that culminates in the national championship. For the best teams, the tournament is double elimination in the early rounds. So just call the conference tournaments the elimination round of the national tournament and all 59 (or 60) teams make it. The exception would be a conference which limits its tournament teams.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The Possibility of Expanding The NCAA tourney

As long as every team makes the conference tournament, then every team is already in a process that culminates in the national championship. For the best teams, the tournament is double elimination in the early rounds. So just call the conference tournaments the elimination round of the national tournament and all 59 (or 60) teams make it. The exception would be a conference which limits its tournament teams.

The WCHA says hello.

Plus, why should all teams make the tournament? If they all do, then the regular season means practically nothing.