AdamtheFlyer

It's possible Arizona said no. Maui gets commits from the top schools many years out, my guess is you will see Arizona in Maui in 2017. You'll probably see a great Maui field that year too, with the likes of Kansas, Syracuse, Indiana, Arizona, and Cincy/Temple/Memphis/whoever is left in the Big East.

That looks to be a great event, and it's a lot better for Xavier, Butler, and Portland than most of the others. Frankly, as a coach I would take Maui if given the choice, because it's in Maui. But 5 years out...it may not even happen, let alone look anywhere near what it does today. You can bet the NCAA will closely monitor things. Something that has an open association with a shoe company sends alarm bells into a frenzy.

I think Adidas schools will scream (mostly behind closed doors) about the event, because they can't really have their own. It would be Kansas, UCLA, Indiana, and that's about it. If they can't have theirs, they won't want to see a three day Nike recruiting hand job. I'd give this thing a 50/50 shot at even happening, at best. But it would be a hell of an event to watch.

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Sure, I've been called a xenophobe, but the truth is, I'm not. I honestly just feel that America is the best country and the other countries aren't as good. That used to be called patriotism.

Muddy Waters

Post-season Basketball Tournament Settlement Agreed (Andy Katz, ESPN - August 17, 2020)

New York – After more than two years of litigation, law suits and counter-suits, an out-of-court settlement has been reached by the numerous parties involved in the turf war which was precipitated by the withdrawal of BCS Conferences Inc. schools from the NCAA in January, 2018.

The BCS Basketball Championship Tournament (which replaced the NCAA Tournament in March, 2018) will now be divided into three post-season Tournaments, each of which will crown their own National Champion:

• Nike National Basketball Championship Tournament

• Adidas National Basketball Championship Tournament

• Reebok National Basketball Championship Tournament

Contract negotiations for multi-year television rights for the three Tournaments, each expected to be worth billions of dollars, are due to begin as early as next week. Sources close to the situation have indicated that CBS is likely to strike a deal for the Nike National Basketball Championship Tournament, while executives from ESPN and NBC will soon be meeting with the media rights negotiating teams from the Adidas and Reebok organizations.


The settlement was greeted with unanimous praise by the basketball coaches of the BCS Conferences Inc., which will now be dissolved under the terms of the settlement.

Fran Dunphy, the head coach of Temple - State College, PA (formerly known as Penn State University), summed up the feelings of the BCS Conferences Inc. basketball head coaches:

"This will be a great improvement over the present situation. In the future, there will be three National Champions every year, 24 Elite Eight teams, and 48 Sweet 16 Teams."

"This will inevitably lead to greater stability in coaching employment and higher salaries for BCS Conferences Inc. basketball head coaches, who only make an average of about $ 9,000,000 per year".

This sentiment was echoed by Big East Commissioner Chris Mack, who said: "The head coaches of our 37 member schools are universally in favor of the new post-season basketball tournament arrangements. As a bonus, this settlement will inevitably lead to the next expansion of the Big East Conference".


Under the terms of the settlement, the NCAA Mid-Major Tournament and NCAA Low-Major Tournament will remain unchanged and continue each March under the aegis of the NCAA, as will the NCAA Division II and Division III Men's Basketball Tournaments.

The instability which led to the break-up of the NCAA, and subsequently the break-up of BCS Conferences Inc., began on August 16, 2012 when Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis told ESPN that he has secured commitments from 16 schools to participate in a NIKE Tournament, which began in November 2017.

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paulxu

I would think if Maui commits were a problem, some of the other schools on the list would have run into the same difficulty. Which still leaves me confused about Arizona. The hyperelite status should carry some weight.

As to it coming off, since he's got the commitment of all the AD's, and assumedly Nike will pony up big time ad dollars for ESPN (or whoever), I'd put the chances a lot higher.

Aside from Kentucky, Duke and UNC, any of the other schools could be having a down period by the time 2017 rolls around. I would imagine everyone would still be a Nike school though. Connecticut has the biggest chance to be in a different conference.

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...he went up late, and I was already up there.

MudFlap

I'm sure it's a done deal unless somebody switches to the competition for more money or leaves a conference. Nike isn't going to announce something half-baked. They will meet any objections with huge amounts of cash. That's the way it works now.

clark1a

In 2017, Assumes KY maintains it's JC/Associates degree status, UNC can overcome the death penalty for lack of institutional control, and the tournament can fit within the new 40 game schedule, with a pre-Halloween start. I'm sure those rising 8th & 9th graders have their calendars marked. Heck, at this rate why bother with the ncaa tournament OR maybe the winner gets an automatic bid or a bye to the 6th round?(hey, with a field of 256)

rusty X

By the time this tournament is played, Coach Cal will already have his national championship vacated, and Kentucky will have yet another coach. And, who knows, maybe they will be on probation.

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If you are going to have sex with an animal, make sure it is a horse. That way, if it does not work out, you always have a ride home. So sayeth Willie Nelson.

AdamtheFlyer

"Officially" Nike has nothing to do with it. That won't actually be true, but you know, plausible deniability and all...

Right now it's all the words of the Michigan State AD. I have a friend who's a big Kentucky fan, and he says the word in Lexington is that UK told the MSU AD that they would be interested, not that they committed to playing. It's far from a done deal. It's just a theory right now. Paperwork won't be signed for 2-3 more years, and even then it's not a done deal. Won't be "done" until 2016.

My guess is that it becomes an 8 team event or a two day, 4 game showcase if it ever happens. There are just too many variables. Many of those schools will realize they can schedule one game neutral floor events, Kentucky vs Duke at MSG or something, sell them out, and keep the profits while going to great places like Maui, Puerto Rico, or the Bahamas. I just don't see the elite schools going to Portland to play Portland and the winners of Xavier/Georgetown or Gonzaga/Texas just in the hopes of playing another elite school.

Like I said in my last post, that event would benefit Xavier, Butler, Texas, and Gonzaga far more than Kentucky, UNC, Ohio State and Duke. That's why I don't think it will happen as currently presented. The top schools aren't dumb. They know the event will be much bigger without second tier schools (and Portland), and if you schedule it right, you can still do an exempt vacation event along with this.

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Sure, I've been called a xenophobe, but the truth is, I'm not. I honestly just feel that America is the best country and the other countries aren't as good. That used to be called patriotism.

X-man47

"Officially" Nike has nothing to do with it. That won't actually be true, but you know, plausible deniability and all...

Right now it's all the words of the Michigan State AD. I have a friend who's a big Kentucky fan, and he says the word in Lexington is that UK told the MSU AD that they would be interested, not that they committed to playing. It's far from a done deal. It's just a theory right now. Paperwork won't be signed for 2-3 more years, and even then it's not a done deal. Won't be "done" until 2016.

My guess is that it becomes an 8 team event or a two day, 4 game showcase if it ever happens. There are just too many variables. Many of those schools will realize they can schedule one game neutral floor events, Kentucky vs Duke at MSG or something, sell them out, and keep the profits while going to great places like Maui, Puerto Rico, or the Bahamas. I just don't see the elite schools going to Portland to play Portland and the winners of Xavier/Georgetown or Gonzaga/Texas just in the hopes of playing another elite school.

Like I said in my last post, that event would benefit Xavier, Butler, Texas, and Gonzaga far more than Kentucky, UNC, Ohio State and Duke. That's why I don't think it will happen as currently presented. The top schools aren't dumb. They know the event will be much bigger without second tier schools (and Portland), and if you schedule it right, you can still do an exempt vacation event along with this.

Fixed that for you, Adam.

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Xavier always goes to the NCAA tournament, and almost always makes some noise while there. Projecting anything less than that this season feels like folly.
Eamonn Brennan, ESPN (Summer Shootaround, 2012)

paulxu

That's interesting. If UK has not committed, and only expressed interest, then the MSU AD has gone pretty far out on the ledge to tell ESPN he actually has committments from everyone.

If someone backs out now (absent conference or uniform change) there will be some face egg to spread around. Additionally, if the other tournaments are scheduling as far out as 2016 today, shortly they (Maui, Puerto Rico, etc.) will be coming around to schedule 2017's slate. Do they call UNC and say "are you really going to Portland?"

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...he went up late, and I was already up there.

MudFlap

Yes, I would have a tendency to believe Katz and the other sources over a "friend of a friend" who may or may not have sources @ UK. I have no doubt the field will change up, and who really cares if KY is there or not? Plenty of others would jump at the chance. If Adidas come in with a billion dollars for UK, they won't be there. Same with X. I think the announcement was made now just for scheduling purposes. "Save the date." Teams can commit and then uncommit. Has to be a starting point. Nike certainly has the resources to pull off about anything they want.

xudash

The business side of this deal argues strongly that it will take place, as these schools tie themselves more closely to Nike. Excellent marketing opportunity staged around Knight's birthday. Who in their right mind in the athletic administrations of any of these schools wouldn't commit to this deal?

Just a Dayton fan in denial looking for reasons to hope that it never takes place. It will take place. it will take place without Dayton being a part of it.

xavierhoops

Just AdamTheFlyer.

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Chris Mack in 3 years at Xavier has had twice the NCAA wins (4) of the entire Dayton coaching staff in the modern era of NCAA basketball (2).

Title_BU

Its a little hard to understand questioning a tournament that is already being called the greatest in-season tournament(s) -- (its actually two) -- ever to be pulled together.

And, don't be silly, Nike will pull it off. TV + shoes are driving the CBB bus.

Obviously, there's some long-term benefit being one of Nike's chosen. I'd imagine the easiest to see over the long-term will be things like recruiting and preferential media deals (like this)

xavierhoops

Title, you'll soon come to realize UD fans on here will question anything and everything related to Xavier. Often, with no logical thought. You're right, though. Most reasonable people would not question that this event will take place (perhaps, though, with switches in some teams due to conference realignment). Nor would they question that Nike, ESPN, the participating schools etc would do nothing but put on an elite, and as many are predicting, greatest basketball event of all time.

Just sour grapes.

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Chris Mack in 3 years at Xavier has had twice the NCAA wins (4) of the entire Dayton coaching staff in the modern era of NCAA basketball (2).