Big Ten may not invite all 18 teams to conference tournament starting in 2024-25

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on the one hand, I can see the issues with logistics - more teams mean more games - probably an extra day to the tournament. that adds more expense.

on the other hand, it would be a real "bleep you" to the teams that don't qualify - especially if some of the original B1G teams are left out while the newcomers are included.
 

I like the idea of keeping it at 5 days. 6 days is too many.

I say invite all except the bottom 2. That keeps it a 5-day tournament:

Weakling Wednesday
#9 vs. #16
#10 vs. #15
#11 vs. #14
#12 vs. #13

2nd Round
#5 vs. #12/#13 winner
#6 vs. #11/#14 winner
#7 vs. #10/#15 winner
#8 vs. #9/#16 winner

Quarterfinals
#1 vs. #8/#9/#16 winner
#2 vs. #7/#10/#15 winner
#3 vs. #6/#11/#14 winner
#4 vs. #5/#12/#13 winner

Semis on Saturday, finals Sunday, as usual.
 

Expense factor is BS. The conference is getting paid billions. It can foot the bill for an extra night in a hotel. Major poke in the eye to oppressed players who are the driving force behind the money.
 

Do you think you can get 5 games in in a day? If so, then you can go 18 teams to 13 on day 1, and 13 to 8 on day 2.
 



formerlybis said:
Do you think you can get 5 games in in a day? If so, then you can go 18 teams to 13 on day 1, and 13 to 8 on day 2.
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I don't think they'd ever go to 5 games in 1 day. 1 session of 2 games and 1 session of 3 games? Seems like that would be too awkward. Then you throw in overtime game or two and you're lookiing at an absurdly late evening, even for the most diehards of diehards.
 












SelectionSunday said:
I don't think they'd ever go to 5 games in 1 day. 1 session of 2 games and 1 session of 3 games? Seems like that would be too awkward. Then you throw in overtime game or two and you're lookiing at an absurdly late evening, even for the most diehards of diehards.
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Multiple locations on first day might solve the problem. They are made for TV event’s anyway.
 

Why not 2 venues? Sell 2x the tickets, food etc.

Wed 2 games 15v18 16v17
Thurs 4 games at Williams 11am 2pm 5pm 8pm 4 at Target center noon 3 6 9 big 10/espn whoever gets games
Friday just 1 venue 11 2 5 8pm
Sat 2 games
Sunday final

You need 2 venues 1 day, every city has that. All 18 teams 5 days
 

leib0039 said:
Why not 2 venues? Sell 2x the tickets, food etc.

Wed 2 games 15v18 16v17
Thurs 4 games at Williams 11am 2pm 5pm 8pm 4 at Target center noon 3 6 9 big 10/espn whoever gets games
Friday just 1 venue 11 2 5 8pm
Sat 2 games
Sunday final

You need 2 venues 1 day, every city has that. All 18 teams 5 days
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Brilliant idea! 😂
 

leib0039 said:
Why not 2 venues? Sell 2x the tickets, food etc.

Wed 2 games 15v18 16v17
Thurs 4 games at Williams 11am 2pm 5pm 8pm 4 at Target center noon 3 6 9 big 10/espn whoever gets games
Friday just 1 venue 11 2 5 8pm
Sat 2 games
Sunday final

You need 2 venues 1 day, every city has that. All 18 teams 5 days
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It's already on Peacock. They can carry unlimited games. They just need more announcers. But BTN Karen (Tony's gf) will be rested and ready for the match.
 


There's no reason bottom feeders need to play in the conference tournament.

12 sounds about right.
 

The 2 different venue thing works theoretically, but as someone who volunteered at the BTT for the women last year, I can tell you this would complicate things fairly dramatically for the host city. Not to mention the cost. I realize they do this for the HS tournaments, and I'm not sure how they're able to pull that off, quite frankly, but there are more ancillary events going on around the BTT like media and sponsored parties that probably aren't part of the HS tournaments.

There are other conferences that don't take every school - they tend to be the smaller ones, though. 18 is unwieldy, so I could see having at least two Relegation Rejects not taking part in Weakling Wednesday...
 





College Football was always cool because the entire season was a playoff, every game mattered. They've gotten rid of that.

College Basketball was always cool because every team (minus the Ivy League until recently) still had a chance in March, even if it was slim AF. Now they're getting rid of that.

And to top it all off they want me to watch 400 commercials every game AND write checks so my team can have good players.

Why am I still here?
 

I like Central Gopher's idea of the play in games at the site of the higher seed.
I think all teams need an opportunity. If you finished poorly because one or two exceptional players were out but are now healthy/eligible....the 18 seed could win games....probably not 6 in 7 days but...I like the idea they get a chance to dream.

The format certainly favors the top 4 seeds....and it should. 5 through 8 can maybe sneak into the finals but any lower you are going to run out of gas.
 

In the end, the B1G will do whatever the TV networks tell them to do.

TV talks and the colleges jump. that's just the way it is.

it may be sport to you, but to TV it's programming. and TV wants the programs to run when they want them to run, and on the channels that they choose.

I remember the days when the MN State HS BB tournament was a two-class tournament. A fan could - if they wanted to - watch every game in person. now, with multiple sites, that is no longer an option.

for the B1G tournament, a fan can still - if they want to - watch every game. going to multiple sites would end that - AND it would split the potential TV audience. I just don't see that happening.
 

CentralGopher said:
Play in games for the two lowest seeds prior to the tournament like the NBA. Win and in. Team with the better record gets to host a game at their home court.
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If they do decide not to have 18 teams I gotta believe they will put in some sort of play in process for the bottom teams. Can't see them setting it up where all 18 don't at least have a chance to qualify for the conference tournament in some way other than just regular season record.
 

MNVCGUY said:
If they do decide not to have 18 teams I gotta believe they will put in some sort of play in process for the bottom teams. Can't see them setting it up where all 18 don't at least have a chance to qualify for the conference tournament in some way other than just regular season record.
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They could just leave the last regular season conference game unscheduled and pair the bottom four teams up to play each other for the last two spots.
 
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