Now officially 68 teams - CBS-Turner reach deal to broadcast NCAA tournament.

[Tilpots]

CBS-Turner reach deal to broadcast NCAA tournament

The NCAA unanimously passed a recommendation to the Division I Board of Directors to increase the NCAA tournament to 68 teams late Wednesday, and on Thursday reached a new agreement that will allow CBS and Turner, as partners, to broadcast the event starting next season.

The agreement is for 14 years and $10.8 billion.

“This is an important day for intercollegiate athletics and the 400,000 student-athletes who compete in NCAA sports,” said NCAA interim president Jim Isch. “This agreement will provide on average more than $740 million annually to our conferences and member schools to help student-athletes in 23 sports learn and compete.”

The new agreement calls for opening-round games, first-round games and second-round games to be shown nationally on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. CBS and Turner will split coverage of the regional semifinal games. CBS will handle coverage of the regional finals and the Final Four, including the national championship game, through 2015. Beginning in 2016, coverage of the regional finals will be split by CBS and Turner with the Final Four and the national championship game alternating every year between CBS and TBS.

NCAA senior vice president Greg Shaheen said it remains unclear how a 68-team bracket will look.

He added it should be determined by "mid-summer."

All games will still be available online.

Glad it's not 96 teams. That would've really watered down the greatest tourney played every year. Having 4 networks will be a lot different, especially for those without cable. Luckily, the last line says "All games will still be available online." Phewww!

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I am also glad they aren't going to 96 or 128 teams. I am certainly not the first to say it, but I echo those who are baffled that they want to tweak the tournament that is working perfectly, that everyone loves, and are so resistant to adjust how the football championship is decided, which doesn't work perfectly and which no one seems to like.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I am also glad they didn't increase the number of teams to 96 or even more. What is the point of the tournament if everyone is in it?

 

[iOrlando]

4 opening round games to decide seed 16 in each bracket.


pretty big win for Turner.

 

[MacNut]

The cool thing is that all the games will be live.

 

[jzuena]

It makes sense that all four brackets should have a play-in for the final seed.

 

[GSMiller]

Of course the one network I watch is over run during the winter with basketball games. I was glad last year to hear ESPN taking over the broadcast rights of the SEC from Raycom, but they still aired them on CBS through the SEC Network. At least CBS airs (most of) the games online, for free.

 

[Gregg2]

The cool thing is that all the games will be live.

But I wonder if there will stlll be "bonus coverage" during halftimes, blowouts, etc.

I discovered some "parallel broadcasts" on my local CBS channel.3 (This TV) so I wasn't stuck with whatever game was on the main CBS feed. You get those .X channels through the digital converter box. I don't think that cable or satellite systems have them. My satellite company doesn't.

 

[MacNut]

I think it will depend on who owns producing rights. Will this still be a CBS sports production just split over 4 networks or is Turner sharing in the producing. The live look in would still be in play I would think.

Also what happens to the DirecTV feed. They simulcast all the games, but now with it being spread on 4 networks is there a need for DirecTV.

According to wiki, home market games will be on CBS and the other 3 networks will carry the swing games.

 

[Tilpots]

I think it will depend on who owns producing rights. Will this still be a CBS sports production just split over 4 networks or is Turner sharing in the producing. The live look in would still be in play I would think.

Also what happens to the DirecTV feed. They simulcast all the games, but now with it being spread on 4 networks is there a need for DirecTV.

According to wiki, home market games will be on CBS and the other 3 networks will carry the swing games.

Interesting. At least for next year, I don't think much will change in production or on air talent. CBS is still the top dog for the next few years and already has the infrastructure in place. They'll probably use next year as a testing and exploratory phase.

Then the in the following years, the questions become:

Does the on air talent change?

Do the Director's change?

Will Turner and CBS provide multiple graphics or come up with a brand new universal look?

Will Jim Nance keep his position as THE Man?

It's all really interesting and I'm wondering how it will all shake out. I hope it's a good thing, but it's hard to mess with perfection. I think CBS has done a bang up job with the Tourney and would hate to see it get ruined in a broadcaster's pissing match.

 

[Tilpots]

68-team tournament approved

The NCAA's Board of Directors approved an expanded men's basketball tournament Thursday, passing a proposal that will take the field from 65 teams to 68 next season.

 

[donga]

It makes sense that all four brackets should have a play-in for the final seed.

does that mean we could see a potential 16 over 1 upset? one of them mid majors could get lucky

 

[H00513R]

I was going to forsake the NCAA Tournament if they went to 96 teams. This is at least passable. But if they think this is going to "fix" things they'll be disappointed. All this is just a another addition to their money pot.

 

[Tilpots]

does that mean we could see a potential 16 over 1 upset? one of them mid majors could get lucky

It'll happen one day, but probably not because of this arrangement. The good mid-majors usually get higher than 16 seeds. The 16th seed is usually a small conference champion that didn't finish first in the league.

I was going to forsake the NCAA Tournament if they went to 96 teams. This is at least passable. But if they think this is going to "fix" things they'll be disappointed. All this is just a another addition to their money pot.

What are you suggesting needs to be "fixed?" The tournament, aside from minor seeding issues, is about the most perfect tournament ever created, imho.