The simple solution: 4 play-in games for the last 8 at-large potential teams. This way you will include the last 4 teams that wouldâve been left out and make them play their way in. The last four at-large teams in also have to earn it. It doesnât make the tournament unwieldy for bracket fun (like 96 teams), and it helps to dampen the complaints of those teams left out. Sure, the 9th team left out will complain, but itâs a little different when complaining about a spot in a play-in game versus a spot in the full tournament bracket. And itâll be teams that the fans will be more interested in watching on t.v. (b-ball fans in Dayton will apparently go watch a game no matter whoâs playing). Put all four games in Dayton for a Tuesday afternoon and evening session.
Seems like a no-brainer to me and would probably make more money than the 65 model. But Iâve yet to hear any of the serious proposals mention this as a possibility. Could it be because they only want more bids for the big six? Nah, that couldnât be itâŚ