National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2000
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The NCAA News
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee will recommend to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet a revised format for opening-round (formerly "play-in") games of the Division I Men's Basketball Championship. If the recommendation is approved, opening-round games would take place in years when more than 30 conferences earn automatic qualification.
The committee formulated the recommendation while meeting in Minneapolis December 12-15. Under the recommendation, the committee would select institutions to participate in opening-round contests during its annual March meeting, based upon the same principles and procedures it uses to select and seed all tournament teams.
For example, if 31 conferences earn automatic qualification, the committee would select two automatic-qualifying representatives (in effect, seeds No. 64 and 65) to participate in the opening-round game.
In 1991, when opening-round games were last contested, conference representatives were selected based on the nonconference rating-percentage index (RPI) from the previous season. The committee opted to select specific institutions in the future, rather than identifying conferences in advance. To be consistent with the committee's policy of reviewing only information from the current year when selecting and seeding teams, the committee determined that selection of opening-round participants also should be based on the current season's results.
With regard to the opening round, the committee also:
Will recommend to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet that the opening round be conducted Tuesday after selection Sunday.
Noted that because of travel considerations for the winning team, the committee will attempt to assign opening-round game winners to Friday first-round sites.
Noted that it would continue to discuss the selection of sites for opening-round games. The host institution for opening-round games would receive an honorarium consistent with hosts of other tournament sessions, except that the NCAA would provide a base guarantee.
Will recommend that all opening-round games be televised and that the basketball committee administer television matters.
Will recommend that the NCAA provide travel and per diem expenses for institutions participating in the opening-round games on the same basis as it does for the rest of the championship.
Will recommend that each conference eligible for automatic qualification receive a distribution of receipts equal to a first-round share. The opening-round game-winner would not receive a second share for its first-round game.
The committee also will recommend to the cabinet that officials' game fees during the entire tournament be increased from $575 per game to $750 per game, which would be more consistent with what other major conferences pay officials during the regular season.
Other highlights
Division I Men's Basketball Committee
December 15-18/Minneapolis
Voted to increase the allotment of tickets and hotel rooms it provides to institutions competing in the Men's Final Four, beginning in 2001.
Reviewed Men's Final Four seat locations for all constituents, but made no changes in the current policies.
Endorsed the recommendations of the Division I Management Council Subcommittee to Review Automatic-Qualification Policies.
Reaffirmed its support of the officiating background-check program.
Approved, in concept, requests from two local organizing committees (LOCs) that will host future Men's and Women's Final Fours to joint-market those events.
Agreed that Final Four LOCs in 2001-07 must offer local-contributor packages first to NCAA corporate partners; if packages remain available after being considered by the corporate partners, LOCs may offer them to other entities. Also noted that the LOCs can offer no benefits to contributors other than game tickets.
Agreed that, beginning in 2008, Final Four hosts must have sufficient funds on hand when they present their bids, and that game tickets cannot be used to raise those funds. Also agreed that the NCAA will retain control of all suites and club seats at Men's Final Four venues, beginning in 2008.
Endorsed the NCAA basketball promotional plan.
Agreed that, to be consistent with the provisions of the NCAA-CBS contract, timeouts in overtimes during the championship will be 60 seconds in length.
Met with representatives from CBS Sports to discuss issues related to television.
Received a status report on plans from the 2001 Final Four from representatives of the Twin Cities Organizing Committee.
Approved a timetable that calls for selection of 2004 and 2005 preliminary-round sites to take place in December 2000. The committee will mail bid information to all Division I members in June 2000.
Agreed to review further the current minimum preliminary-rounds seating capacity of 12,000.
Denied requests to increase the commercialism of the championship.