| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
umcp77
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Triangle, Va.
Back to top |
 Posted: 12/06/06 12:29 am ::: Move women's Final Four back a week? |
Reply  |
|
There's a suggestion being floated at the NCAA that the women's Final Four be pushed back to the weekend after the men's Final Four:
| Quote: |
Basketball group considers change in women's event
December 4, 2006
By Greg Johnson
The NCAA News
The women’s basketball community is talking about a proposal that would move the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship back a week, thus moving the Women’s Final Four to the weekend after the men’s. The Division I Women’s Basketball Enhancement Discussion Group, chaired by NCAA President Myles Brand, is considering the idea to give the tournament its own identity without having the event be outside the basketball-season window.
What begins as March Madness could have an Awesome April finish if a concept in women’s basketball gains momentum.
The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Enhancement Discussion Group, chaired by NCAA President Myles Brand, is examining the feasibility of moving the women’s basketball championship back one week to position the event uniquely in the NCAA championship landscape.
Currently, the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship is staged so that each round finishes just after the corresponding men’s round. Similarly, the Women’s Final Four championship game is the day after the men’s. But proponents of a move say it could enhance the women’s championship by giving it a timeframe late enough to be on its own but still clearly within the basketball-season window.
Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice president for Division I women’s basketball and liaison to the discussion group, said members want to solicit ample feedback to fully determine if the initiative will serve as a growth agent for the game.
"We will actively solicit input and feedback from the membership," she said. "Although the discussions are preliminary, we want to make sure conferences know they are occurring."
The feedback is important because of the effect such a move would have on the game’s various stakeholders. Discussion-group members in fact are aware that a shift in the tournament dates would cause a domino effect and raise plenty of questions.
For example, would the proposal change the number of days in the playing season? What would be the new start date of the NCAA tournament? When would the selection show be held? How would the move affect existing and future media contracts? Can enough hotel rooms be obtained to accommodate the proposed date changes? Would other NCAA championships be affected?
"Clearly, many details have to be explored, which is why we’re soliciting input from stakeholders," Donohoe said. "It’s important to find out whether the idea has momentum before doing the legislative groundwork such a change would require."
Conferences and institutions will be surveyed about the proposal in the coming months.
NCAA President Brand appointed the discussion group last year to think creatively and aggressively about the game’s future. With the popularity of women’s college basketball at an all-time high, Brand convened an experienced group to enhance the sport’s success and build on its current momentum.
The discussion group consists of head coaches, athletics directors, conference commissioners, coaches association representatives, television executives and student-athletes. Among the ideas they have deliberated are marketing the game at the grass-roots level, managing the growth of the game and encouraging more institutional support, but the concept of moving the season has generated the most debate.
Women’s Basketball Coaches Association CEO Beth Bass, a member of the discussion group, said while the idea hasn’t been fully vetted within her constituency, it has some merit in her mind.
"A lot of due diligence has to be done," Bass said. "I try never to get out in front of my membership, but my initial feeling is that the idea has some validity. It will be important, though, to hear from our broadcast partner ESPN. They have to see if a new programming model makes sense for them."
Donohoe said ESPN officials have indicated a willingness to consider the concept. The earliest a legislative proposal could be submitted would be for the 2007-08 cycle. An effective date is unclear at this point, given the details that would have to be worked out.
The concept also would directly affect conference tournaments. Some leagues, such as the Southeastern Conference, play their women’s tournaments in separate cities on separate weeks from their men’s tournaments. Usually the SEC tournament is the week before the men compete. If the NCAA tournament is moved back a week and the SEC can’t move its dates, teams in that league could go up to three weeks without playing a game.
The idea of moving the women’s tournament further from the shadow of the men’s is not new, but this is the first time a concerted effort has been made to take a national pulse on the merits.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt, a member of the discussion group, said like many of her colleagues, she is open to the concept but wants to be sure that women’s basketball doesn’t stray too far from its traditional spot on the calendar.
"You don’t want to go head to head with the men’s tournament, but there are a lot of fans who may watch women’s basketball because they’re in that mode at that time of year," Summitt said.
Chris Plonsky, a member of the discussion group and the director of women’s athletics at the University of Texas at Austin, believes a shift in women’s basketball doesn’t have to be radical to be effective.
"What we’re talking about is an intelligent tweak working in conjunction with our media partner ESPN," Plonsky said. "We want to be sure we don’t damage the flow of the championship format that they’ve supplied for women’s basketball. You don’t want to gain a more open weekend where there aren’t too many things going on but lose from the March Madness concept, which is the gold standard in terms of any event."
Some discussion-group members raised concern about holding the Women’s Final Four the same weekend as the Master’s golf tournament, but if the national semifinals are played at night, that would avoid the conflict.
The discussion group is scheduled to meet again in April after the Women’s Final Four. |
I'm a bit ambivalent about the proposal. The plus side would be that if both of a school's basketball teams make their final fours (something I hope someday happens in College Park!), people don't have to choose one or the other. (Any conflicts would be with the "Frozen Four," the men's ice hockey finals.)
One negative, of course, is that most conference women's tournaments are held before their men's versions...a three-week layoff between them probably wouldn't be palatable. (Even the current two-week gap is a bit difficult.)
Your thoughts?
_________________
2007-08 Maryland women's basketball: Proving there is life beyond Tennessee and Connecticut!
|
|
RedEqualsLuck
Joined: 28 May 2005
Posts: 4781
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 8:41 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| since I'm part of the copywright police, any chance you can edit the post so it doesnt include the entire article... 'sides, a snip with a link encourages people to click and shows we're interested.
_________________
When Jefferson wrote: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," he didn't include the word "except."
|
|
pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 66926
Location: Where the action is
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 8:49 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| Quote: |
| Some discussion-group members raised concern about holding the Women’s Final Four the same weekend as the Master’s golf tournament, but if the national semifinals are played at night, that would avoid the conflict. |
In terms of viewers, maybe, but not for media coverage. Besides, if they're holding it on a separate weekend from the men there's no reason to stick with that dumb Sunday-Tuesday schedule.
_________________
I'm a lonely frog
I ain't got a home
|
|
umcp77
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Triangle, Va.
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 10:52 am ::: Would've loved to set up a direct link... |
Reply |
|
Red, I tried, but couldn't establish one. Witness:
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4g3NPUESYGYxqb6kWhCjhgihqYeCDFfj_zcVH1v_QD9gtzQ0IhyR0UAE3AuRw!!/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvUUd3QndNQSEvNElVRS82XzBfMTVL?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/NCAA/NCAA+News/NCAA+News+Online/2006/Division+I/Basketball+group+considers+change+in+women%27s+event+-+12-4-06+NCAA+News
_________________
2007-08 Maryland women's basketball: Proving there is life beyond Tennessee and Connecticut!
|
|
RubberTroll
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 344
Back to top |
|
umcp77
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Triangle, Va.
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 12:33 pm ::: You learn something new every day... |
Reply |
|
| Thanks, rubber.
_________________
2007-08 Maryland women's basketball: Proving there is life beyond Tennessee and Connecticut!
|
|
RedEqualsLuck
Joined: 28 May 2005
Posts: 4781
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 12:36 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I wonder about the difference between two "separate" events vs. the synergy of two parallel events. I don't -- or rarely -- watch the boys, mostly because of time... I think the NCAA study showed that fans of the women's game tended to ALSO be fans of the men's game, but not vice-versa --- so, does that hurt us or help us.
On a selfish note, I like that it often overlapped with the (NYC) Board of Ed break, so I could attend....
_________________
When Jefferson wrote: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," he didn't include the word "except."
|
|
Queenie
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 18031
Location: Queens
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 12:41 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| The draft's already right up the Final Four's butt- can we afford to push it back further, or are they expecting the WNBA to start drafting while players are still, y'know, playing?
_________________
Ardent believer in the separation of church and stadium.
|
|
fancy_daniel
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 4489
Location: Los Angeles
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 1:27 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| pilight wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Some discussion-group members raised concern about holding the Women’s Final Four the same weekend as the Master’s golf tournament, but if the national semifinals are played at night, that would avoid the conflict. |
In terms of viewers, maybe, but not for media coverage. Besides, if they're holding it on a separate weekend from the men there's no reason to stick with that dumb Sunday-Tuesday schedule. |
I do hate that it bleeds into the start of the weekend instead of being a true weekend event which it should be.
It would also give us abreak if we follow the men's game.
|
|
RubberTroll
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 344
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 1:28 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| I wish they could find some way to do it in February. Not my idea, just remember if from some columnist a couple of years ago. It has always been a pretty slow month for sports on tv.
|
|
fancy_daniel
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 4489
Location: Los Angeles
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 1:38 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Queenie wrote: |
| The draft's already right up the Final Four's butt- can we afford to push it back further, or are they expecting the WNBA to start drafting while players are still, y'know, playing? |
That's a good point. I remember that some of the players were practically still sweating from the Final Four and all of a sudden, had to make an appearance at the draft. Unfortunately, the problem is that those players will join those teams that very season. But I'm sure that the WNBA can host them the following weekend.
|
|
tx4OU
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 35
Location: Dallas
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 8:01 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| I remember hearing quite a few Sooners being upset that they had to choose which Final Four to attend when the men were in Atlanta (I believe) and the women were playing in San Antonio. But I think this is a rare occurence where teams from the same school make it.
|
|
pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 66926
Location: Where the action is
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/06 8:15 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| tx4OU wrote: |
| I think this is a rare occurence where teams from the same school make it. |
It's happened in each of the last five seasons:
2006: LSU
2005: Michigan State
2004: UConn
2003: Texas
2002: Oklahoma
_________________
I'm a lonely frog
I ain't got a home
|
|
umcp77
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Triangle, Va.
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/06 1:18 am ::: And the first to do it, I believe, was... |
Reply |
|
| ...Georgia in 1983.
_________________
2007-08 Maryland women's basketball: Proving there is life beyond Tennessee and Connecticut!
|
|
tx4OU
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 35
Location: Dallas
Back to top |
|
CamrnCrz1974
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 18371
Location: Phoenix
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/06 3:14 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Duke in 1999...first school to have both teams make the final game. UConn in 2004 was the first school to win both in the same year.
|
|
jcentor
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 10
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/06 4:20 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I think the women's championship can survive on its own and would have an opportunity to grow exponentially on its own weekend. There are a lot of things to be worked out, but I'm hopeful something good will happen for the game. I had an awesome time in Boston last year and would love to attend both championships each year, and not have to choose. I wrote some more comments about this on the NCAA's blog, as I thought it was important for our demographic to read the discussion.
Josh Centor
NCAA
|
|
hooper1
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 2300
Back to top |
|
Hughsterg
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 76
Location: Near some rivers in Minnesota
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/08/06 6:20 pm ::: Frozen Four |
Reply |
|
The Frozen Four is played on Thursday & Saturday, and the only schools that have possible conflicts are (majors in both MH and WBB):
Minnesota
Wisconsin
BC
Michigan State
Michigan
Ohio State
|
|
Hughsterg
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 76
Location: Near some rivers in Minnesota
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/08/06 6:22 pm ::: more on the Frozen Four |
Reply |
|
| The reason it was moved (it used to be played the same weekend as the Final Four), is the same reason that is being proposed for the Final Four for the women's tournament.
|
|
|
|
