You keep talking about how much more it will cost forgetting that tv revenue will rise because of the addition of games. That is all they care about. (Even if it is in the next deal)
Stop pretending there is real reasons behind this. Its money. Its always money.
I do not think increasing the costs for shipping 16 teams (8 each for the Men's & Women's Tournaments) for an extra round are insignificant.
The expansion for the Men's Tournament has created an inventory of 8 more games on Tuesday/ Wednesday with just a 1-day turnaround from the field being set and after a busy Conference Championship weekend wedged in between the Round of 64.
The games will likely not be included on anyone's Bracket pools. 4 of the games are going to be to determine the 16 seeds. Wowza.
8 of the games are going to be largely middling P4 schools fighting for 11, 12 & 13 seeds. Non-exclusive TV windows. Wowza, wowza.
That does not sound like a recipe that this can move the needle for any of the member institutions even marginally considering how many piece that pie needs to be sliced into.
You brought up the 21% fact...that is not a real thing its a bs justification. They used that to expand hockey (which barely qualified) and since then teams have dropped the sport and no change down. Because they know more teams equals more games and more revenue.
I do not disagree at all that it is an after the fact justification. I think the justifications are to get up to 8 more spots at the Dance for P5 teams and 8 more opportunities for Coaches to save their jobs more than anything.
I think there will be a strong chance it will go back to 64 once the P4-5 Conferences break away from the NCAA and create their own thing.
Regarding Hockey, the NCAA Tournament field expanded to 16 in 2003. Per wiki there were 60 teams in that had D1 Hockey.
en.wikipedia.org
This past season there were 63.
en.wikipedia.org
