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  • December 26, 2007 09:53 PM ET

The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's Final Four should be played in a traditional basketball arena.

RUGator (2-5-0) vs A throwdowner named NCshvDavid (1000-292-68)
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The trend in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament toward playing its games (especially from the Sweet Sixteen onward) in larger stadiums has taken away some of the allure of the tournament.


1. You got a ticket? No? Me Neither - so I'll be watching on TV - So don;t care where they play it as CBS normally does a GREAT production job.

2. and If I ever DO get the ticket- and my team is playing so I won;t be selling it on STUBHUB (dot cooooom) Then they could play the game at the Pontiac Silverdome and I'll be there

3. The NCAA is a business- the larger the stadium the more tickets they can sell- if they can make more money - they will.

4. To go all Gene Hackman on you- the rim is still 10' high the court is still (insert speech) so to the PLAYERS they don;t care the coaches don;t care where it is played- as long as they win.


Agreed that CBS does a good production job, although I'd like a little less on the production end and more on the game end. Watch any tournament final from say pre 64 team days and you'll see more game and less slick. Yes it is a business. But part of the business of sports (and in particular basketball, I might add) is build upon on its existing fan base. While this can be a difficult balance (new fans and keeping the old), basketball has done a great job of losing me. As a kid (up to my college days, which coincide with the expansion of the tourney to 64 teams), I was a huge fan. Why is this? I can trace it to a lack of intimacy which has crept into the game. If you ever get the chance to hear David Stern speak about the state of the NBA (like him or not), he'll talk about basketball being a special sport in that the fans can see (maybe more up close than the others) their heroes. Much of that is due to the intimacy created through the basketball arena setting. I have difficulty getting to know these guys because they have become to "separated" from me. As a middle schooler, I "was" Earl Monroe, Dr. J, Clyde Frazier, and Pistol Pete whenever I played with my friends.


" But part of the business of sports (and in particular basketball, I might add) is build upon on its existing fan base"

True - but the NCAA has always worried more about the almighty bucks more than it's fan base (witness the BCS)

and with the college game moreso than any other US sport- and keeper knows more about overseas sports than I

Point being is this- I have 4 kids and guess who they pull for

UNC and LSU - UNC because they know Daddy bleeds Carolina Blue and they all have UNC gear- and LSU because they were born here and momma wears LSU gear ( thankfully they have not found out UNC plays football and LSU plays basketball- yet)

Ask a 5 year old in Texas about footballand I bet he throws you a hookem sign more likely than not ask a kid in Ohio about football and he's more than likely gonna be a buckeye

and so far and so forth.

See that is the deal with the NCAA- they can pu-pu all over their fans and sponsors and yet If LSU makes the BCS game- there is going to be a whole state watching- glued to the screen and tons of people are going to spend as much as it takes to get in to see that game.


You're killing me dawg! Your argument is a strong one, if you're only arguing from the point of view of the NCAA and their business interests. I hear what you're saying about how your children have become fans. Would they be less of a fan of their respective teams if these games were played in smaller arenas? I say no, because the games would still get the coverage regardless of the venue. What would it matter if LSU played for the national championship (in hoops) in the Metrodome or in Rupp Arena? The fans in LA are still going to watch. This is not an argument about which format makes more money. It's about what is better for the fans from a basketball GAME standpoint. I can go to a Ringling Brothers if I want to see a circus.


Would playing in a smaller arena make the games better?

Have you ever left a great game and said- man that was an awesome game but my seats stunk so the game wasn;t that good.

or

Ever left the championship game and said "Man I could barely see the feild - I don;t even care that we won?"

No

Your statement is "The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's Final Four should be played in a traditional basketball arena"

Money is STILL what makes the NCAA go around- and they will never change- the NCAA should play the games where they should make the most money- as does every money making business.

and Like I said If UNC is playing Duke or UCLA or whomever for the National championship- I'll pay as much as I can and watch the game from the 3rd stall in the bathroom with binoculars if I have too.

Just to say I was there and show my ticket stub to every jelous UNC fan who would gladly have changed places with me

Comments (6) Add A Comment

December 26, 2007  10:45 PM ET
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Vote to NCshvDavid. He's right. It's nothing but a business.

December 26, 2007  11:12 PM ET
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I was going to argue that point but I did it nowhere near as well as A Pimp Named Slickback did.

December 26, 2007  11:38 PM ET
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Expanding tournaments take the intimacy out of the tournament... March Madness creeping into April takes away from the intimacy... there is no intimacy when there are 65 teams at the table... A Throwdowner Named NCshvDavid deserves the moniker... "It's like A Tribe Called Quest, you say the whole thang..."

December 27, 2007  12:57 AM ET
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i got tickets.. i care

vote2RUGator

December 27, 2007  12:35 PM ET
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i don't think the ncaa is a business...the colleges are more the business...in the end the colleges reap the apparel $$ a portion of the tournament money...and tuition fees...ncaa is just guidelines on how they can conduct there business...

 
December 27, 2007  01:11 PM ET
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The Final Four has become an EVENT. It is now attended by people that wouldn't know double dribble from double dutch, but it is important to be able to say "I was there." If you're a basketball fan, unless you are also a corporate executive, you don't matter. It's business.

Vote to David

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