Bracket Busters Dying a Slow Death

[Capitol Shock II]

Over the last several years ESPN has really hyped the Bracket Busters event when kicking off the weekend event. I can remember seeing it plastered all over their website hyping the various matchups. Not so today.

The event has deteriorated in to little more than an afterthought it appears and the big match ups are not so big anymore.

I think the concept is a good one but should include teams like Evansville vs. Texas A&M and WSU vs. Florida. Obviously the BCS schools don't have the nads to commit to something like that so I predict that this event will be going the way of the Beta Max.

[SubGod22]

ESPN signed the death warrant for BB when the made the pairings. A number of Valley schools were already unhappy with the event and considering most have nothing to gain from the pairings and basically got pissed off even more, I can guarantee that at least half the schools want out as soon as possible. And if it weren't for Elgin chaining us all to it, many probably wouldn't participate in it next year. I think ESPN also knows this so they no longer give a damn. They know they're losing the premier conference for this event in the near future.

[SpanglerFan316]

As long as Doug heads the MVC, I think we are chained to this event. Maybe we need a new commish?

[GoShockers89]

Maybe we need a new commish?

Why the maybe?

[Zardoz]

Elgin was one of the people that came up with the BB concept, so it's kinda his baby. Maybe at first it wasn't such a bad idea with just a few dozen teams. Now it is worthless with 100+ teams involved.

[RoyalShock]

I've kind of softened on my criticism of Elgin over this event. He basically had to use it for leverage to get a better TV deal from ESPN. I can't fault him too much for that. I'm not sure when he became the commish, but I suspect we're much better off now than whenever he took over.

That said, has he taken the league as far as he can? I don't know.

[wusphlash]

It is an election year and the next guy will obviously be better than the incumbent. Won't he?????

[Aargh]

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Unfortunately, that too often remains true AFTER you get to the other side of the fence.

[ripemupshocks]

I've kind of softened on my criticism of Elgin over this event. He basically had to use it for leverage to get a better TV deal from ESPN. I can't fault him too much for that. I'm not sure when he became the commish, but I suspect we're much better off now than whenever he took over.

That said, has he taken the league as far as he can? I don't know.

If Elgin signed the MVC to a new four year Bracket Buster deal as leverage for more TV time, I think WSU still got screwed. After winning the NIT, if memory serves, WSU still got no games on the flagship channel, and only two on the deuce. I agree that Elgin did some things that really helped/improved the MVC, but I'm not sure what he's done since the great 05-06 season.

[WstateU]

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Unfortunately, that too often remains true AFTER you get to the other side of the fence.

+ Infinity... Attention Coach Marshall

[SpanglerFan316]

Why the maybe?

Just being polite. :-)

[jocoshock]

If Elgin signed the MVC to a new four year Bracket Buster deal as leverage for more TV time, I think WSU still got screwed. After winning the NIT, if memory serves, WSU still got no games on the flagship channel, and only two on the deuce. I agree that Elgin did some things that really helped/improved the MVC, but I'm not sure what he's done since the great 05-06 season.

Like it or not, the BB along, with ESPU and ESPN3 (which the Valley was on the ground floor of also) have provided major publicity for the Valley. Agriculture is better than no culture at all, and BB, ESPN3, and ESPNU are a hell of lot better than no coverage at all...

[SubGod22]

We'd still get coverage. And there are other networks out there we could negotiate with to get TV time.

We need to start locally by getting off of 22 and onto NBC/CBS/ABC/FOX/WB/WhateverOtherStationIsAvailableToAll

We don't need to sell our soul to ESPN for BB.