#1 Overall Seed Can Choose Which NCAAT Location They Want For First 2 Games

[shadow force]

One twist coming next season: The No. 1 overall seed will be able to choose the location of its first two games of the tournament. So if that team is Duke, or Kentucky, or Kansas, or whichever school gets put atop the 1-68 seed list, that program will get to pick where it plays its first and second-round games.

"Preferences would be communicated by teams in contention for the overall No. 1 seed far in advance of Selection Sunday in a process to be determined," the NCAA said in a statement.

This means a handful of teams will look at all eight first-weekend sites and let the selection committee know which one it prefers. The top-seeded program won't know which team(s) it'll be playing, but it will get dibs on digs, which is a nice little update.

Cities playing host to first and second-round NCAA tournament games next March are Buffalo, Milwaukee, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Greensboro, Indianapolis, Tulsa and Sacramento.

The other teams in the field will continue to be at the mercy of the selection committee. If anything, this adds even more emphasis to overall résumé and could keep importance on league tournaments.

Speaking of that, in an effort to put more meaning on league tournament results throughout the sport, the committee -- per the request of the National Association of Basketball Coaches' newly formed ad hoc committee -- will continue to weigh a regular-season title with just as much meaning as a league postseason championship.

Thoughts on this?

 

[nccardfan]

Yeah before you know it they will allow UK to win a championship in Corrupt Arena or Duke in Cameron. Of course not too many people will see that in Cameron.

The No. 1 seeds don't need that much of an advantage. They are just worried that someday a 16th seed will beat a #1. I cherish that day especially if it's UK that gets beat.

 

[CardFanBudMan]

It may seem like an advantage, but in all reality the #1 will pick to play in the same location the committee was going to assign them. No diff.

 

[shutterbug]

It may seem like an advantage, but in all reality the #1 will pick to play in the same location the committee was going to assign them. No diff.

Agreed

 

[real2it]

Because they don't get to necessarily pick the teams in their region I don't think it's that big of an issue. But with that being said I do think it is an advantage as you can kinda figure who the top 1-4 seeds will be because the committee now tries to let teams play closer to home.

Cities playing host to first and second-round NCAA tournament games next March are Buffalo, Milwaukee, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Greensboro, Indianapolis, Tulsa and Sacramento.

For shits and giggles if UL is the #1 seed and you know that say UK & Mich St are going to be high seeds and most likely playing in the Indianapolis region. Do you really want to play them that soon or try to go out West where you have a Gonzaga, Oregon, UCLA or the likes. I think it affords a school the opportunity to try set itself up with favorable match ups based on geography. Do you sacrifice a huge fan presence for a possible perceived easier path?

Bottom line is you still have to play the games. I think match ups and coaching make the difference come March.

 

[Cue Card]

I like this new wrinkle. It gives teams yet another incentive to bring it each night, and that ALL games matter. Win them all or enough to be awarded the overall #1 seed and you get to choose where you play the first 2 games of the NCAA tourney.

I'm good with that.

 

[Mayoman]

As a number 1 seed.......I would really rather pick where the 3rd and 4th games would be played. That seems to be much more important to me for the fans that will travel to the games.. #1 seed should take care of business and win those first 2 games wherever they are played.....but, that is just me. Thoughts?

 

[cardsfan53]

If your the #1 overall seed you should be able to beat the #16 seed regardless of where the game is played. The only issue will come in when Duke and UNC are both fighting to get to stay at home to play the first weekend. Honestly I don't think it will make much difference.

 

[zipp]

So will this defeat the old rule of a team not being to play at a site that it hosts? Would U of L be able to play at Bailout Arena in a 1st round game? That's a BIG deal...

 

[nccardfan]

Only if the Yum was already selected to be a host that year and then only when we were selected as a No. 1 seed...

 

[zipp]

Well that would be the exact situation since sites are picked at least a year in advance. And that's a game changer esp. the way U of L once looked at the hosting decision, i.e., when we were playing at The Hall...

 

[JohnKBA]

I'm pretty sure that's not correct. Even if you're the #1 overall you can't select your home arena as your 1st and 2nd round site.

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

I'm pretty sure that's not correct. Even if you're the #1 overall you can't select your home arena as your 1st and 2nd round site.

I haven't seen this issue addressed as an exception to the new rule in any of the articles I've read about the rule, so I assume UK can play at Rupp, Louisville can play at the Yum, UCLA can play at Pauley, etc.

I'd love to see it if someone has a link where they discuss this particular issue.

I'm not a big fan of the POD system, and I definitely don't like teams playing on their home floor or in their home city. But if that's the way the world is moving I guess I'll have to get used to it!

 

[JohnKBA]

I'm struggling to find an official statement on it too, Mike's. I haven't been able to find anything that says the new rule supersedes the old one, but I'll keep digging. Obviously the rule has changed in a sense that the #1 overall picks the city, but I can't find anything that says it cancels the "you can't play in an arena you hosted more than 3 games in" rule.

 

[KingOfBBN]

I just want the tournament to be about the S-Curve and ignore geography completely. Geography has ruined the tournament and provides way too many stacked regions and always gives us one pathetic bracket.

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

I just want the tournament to be about the S-Curve and ignore geography completely. Geography has ruined the tournament and provides way too many stacked regions and always gives us one pathetic bracket.

I agree 100%. But I think it's all about money. Getting more fans to travel to close games, buy tickets, merchandise. Also with the decline of the sport overall since the 1980's, it's probably harder to get local fans to show up to neutral site games.

I see the reality but I don't have to like it.

 

[cardsfan53]

I agree 100%. But I think it's all about money. Getting more fans to travel to close games, buy tickets, merchandise. Also with the decline of the sport overall since the 1980's, it's probably harder to get local fans to show up to neutral site games.

I see the reality but I don't have to like it.[/QUOTE

100% all about the money. The NCAA is using these large stadiums to host these games and they have to fill them up.

 

[zipp]

Seeding is increasingly based on geography because of declining college basketball attendance. You ship a team across the country, fewer of its fans attend. And that cuts into NCAA revenue, all of which comes from the tourney.

Look how light the crowd was in Iowa this year for LPT's first round games.

"Elite program", my a$$...