The bold, new college basketball flex scheduling model that would bring big nonconference games into February

#1      


Here's how the first-of-its-kind concept would work: For one week in February, a slew of leagues would pause their conference schedules and instead have all their members play two nonconference opponents. The model would have every team involved play one home game and one away game, with the majority of those games happening three days apart — many on Wednesday and Saturday — with the window commencing after Valentine's Day.

The matchups would be decided by an algorithm that would ensure the best teams play the best teams. The games wouldn't be determined until the end of January. Think of it like a mini-Selection Sunday within the regular season. You could even build a television show around it. How fun would that be?

If the important multi-bid leagues (American Athletic Conference, Mountain West, Atlantic 10, West Coast Conference) decide to do this, college hoops could theoretically have late-February nonconference games akin to Gonzaga-Houston, Colorado State-Davidson, Memphis-Saint Mary's or Boise State-Davidson — all teams that comfortably made the 2022 NCAA Tournament. This would provide a late-season scheduling opportunity that would undeniably enhance those conferences' visibility and viability to get more teams into the discussion of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
 
#3      
30 Rock Yes GIF by ADWEEK
 
#6      
Is this really any different than the Mid-Major week idea from ~2010? The power conferences are likely to abstain. The majority of the remaining conferences are single bid conferences, and these games would have no effect. What does that leave? A10, American Athletic, CUSA, MWC, MVC, WCC

Adding an extra non-conference away game is a huge expense for these colleges. For the few teams on the bubble, it may be worth it. For the other 90%+, it is a huge cost with very little upside. Maybe they can restrict this to "teams in competition for a bid" e.g. Teams rated in the top 60 (50?) on Kenpom.

Adding 2 games to just the "top teams" schedule, pretty much requires them to "make up" games within the conference. I supposed they could do something like "Anyone not in the Kenpom top 50 will play someone within a 100mi radius."

The more I think about this, this feels like a hype post for the resurgence of mid-major week.
 
#10      
I really like the idea! I tend to get on the band wagon belied every year that “Illinois and the Big Ten is elite to everyone” mindset and that “the Houston’s of the world just look great because they have a nice record and play in a weak conference” mentality. Only to be surprised in March Madness when these “overrated teams” wipe out the Big Ten early in March Madness. This seems like a great idea all around as it would be a great pulse check to see how you are really matching up with similar similar status teams in other leagues.

In a college basketball world that is rapidly evolving I say bring on this additional change as it sounds like a positive for the sport!
 
#12      
Speaking just as an Illini fan, I might like it if we were scheduled against teams ranked really close to us on Kenpom (or whatever). If we were 10th in Kenpom, I would be up for seeing us host no. 9 on Kenpom, and play at no. 11 on Kenpom. I would be less interested if it turns into an annual "we're in second in the B1G, so we play the second place team in the PAC 10 (12?, 14? whatever) and the second place team in the Big East."
 
#13      
For those that did not read the attached article, the quote below indicates that teams like Illinois would not be included.

"...the pitch has been sent to the 26 leagues outside of the six biggest conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC). The six biggest leagues are not involved for practical reasons: 20-game leagues schedules, rigid TV contracts, and a sense that they wouldn't embrace this outside-the-box concept, as it wouldn't stand to benefit many teams in those leagues the way that it would for all others."
 
#14      

DeonThomas

South Carolina


Here's how the first-of-its-kind concept would work: For one week in February, a slew of leagues would pause their conference schedules and instead have all their members play two nonconference opponents. The model would have every team involved play one home game and one away game, with the majority of those games happening three days apart — many on Wednesday and Saturday — with the window commencing after Valentine's Day.

The matchups would be decided by an algorithm that would ensure the best teams play the best teams. The games wouldn't be determined until the end of January. Think of it like a mini-Selection Sunday within the regular season. You could even build a television show around it. How fun would that be?

If the important multi-bid leagues (American Athletic Conference, Mountain West, Atlantic 10, West Coast Conference) decide to do this, college hoops could theoretically have late-February nonconference games akin to Gonzaga-Houston, Colorado State-Davidson, Memphis-Saint Mary's or Boise State-Davidson — all teams that comfortably made the 2022 NCAA Tournament. This would provide a late-season scheduling opportunity that would undeniably enhance those conferences' visibility and viability to get more teams into the discussion of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
Not really so ground-breaking. Check out the Illini schedule from the 1980's and 1990's.

Backdrop:
We used to have conference "traveling partners". Our partner was Purdue. So Illinois and Purdue would always play the same two teams in a given week. We may travel to MSU and Michigan for our Thursday/Saturday games ---- or we may stay home and play Indiana and Ohio State. The ten teams in the conference were divided into five sets of 2.

The Similarity to This New Proposal:
In weeks where the schedule dictated a match-up between travel partners Illinois and Purdue, we'd have an inherent open date. We always scheduled great D-1 match-ups during those open dates. I can recall: GaTech, UConn, Houston, and Arizona. GaTech, in particular, was an outstanding match-up with two Top 10 teams at the time (Mark Price, et.al.) And we always had a national TV audience on CBS or NBC for those games.

Admittedly, it was just ONE GAME back then. Lou always used the 2nd open date as a break from the grueling Big10 schedule. Plus, we had a 31 game NCAA limit.
 
#15      
For those that did not read the attached article, the quote below indicates that teams like Illinois would not be included.

"...the pitch has been sent to the 26 leagues outside of the six biggest conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC). The six biggest leagues are not involved for practical reasons: 20-game leagues schedules, rigid TV contracts, and a sense that they wouldn't embrace this outside-the-box concept, as it wouldn't stand to benefit many teams in those leagues the way that it would for all others."
That’s clearly like at least half of the people who commented
 
#17      
Its all about bucks, the rest is just conversation. Gordon Geeko

How lucrative will the the various media networks be willing to make this for participating teams?

Eliminating two of the cupcake early season games, and starting the conference season earliers would be a plus for the fans.
Not sure how it would be a plus for coaches and players????
 
#18      

CoalCity

St Paul, MN
For those that did not read the attached article, the quote below indicates that teams like Illinois would not be included.

"...the pitch has been sent to the 26 leagues outside of the six biggest conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC). The six biggest leagues are not involved for practical reasons: 20-game leagues schedules, rigid TV contracts, and a sense that they wouldn't embrace this outside-the-box concept, as it wouldn't stand to benefit many teams in those leagues the way that it would for all others."
Reading is fundamental
 
#20      
Its all about bucks, the rest is just conversation. Gordon Geeko

How lucrative will the the various media networks be willing to make this for participating teams?
+1 This will need to be shopped around. The upper tier games will be worth something, but will they be worth more than what they were before, and do teams like Gonzaga already have too much of that money locked in, to switch to something along these lines?

IMHO, If it leads to some good games, why not do it?