ACC Men's tourney Sat evening championship

[-jk]

The ACC (http://theacc.co/MBB051314) is moving the men's tourney to a Saturday championship game!

"The Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament will move to a Tuesday through Saturday format beginning with the 62nd annual event in 2015.

"The new tournament schedule, mutually agreed upon by the ACC and ESPN, will feature Friday semifinal games at 7 and 9 p.m. ET, followed by the championship game on Saturday evening at 8:30 p.m. All 14 tournament games will continue to be televised nationally by ESPN and the ACC Network."

A little more rest before the NCAAs, I guess.

-jk

[ChillinDuke]

The ACC (http://theacc.co/MBB051314) is moving the men's tourney to a Saturday championship game!

"The Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament will move to a Tuesday through Saturday format beginning with the 62nd annual event in 2015.

"The new tournament schedule, mutually agreed upon by the ACC and ESPN, will feature Friday semifinal games at 7 and 9 p.m. ET, followed by the championship game on Saturday evening at 8:30 p.m. All 14 tournament games will continue to be televised nationally by ESPN and the ACC Network."

A little more rest before the NCAAs, I guess.

-jk

Aw, shucks.

Always liked the Sunday finish into the Selection show a few hours later.

I guess it's not a major change, but still a change. In situations like this, does the conference get paid to change?

- Chillin

[CameronBornAndBred]

Duke has rarely been in position to have to play on Thursdays, but now we are going to, like it or not. If we get the early games, that doubly sucks; it means that we'll have to either take off work or avoid the news so we can watch at home later on our DVRs....for two days! Bleah.

Edit...missed the part about Friday being at night only, so that is a plus. Still, I don't like it, it is easier to take work off Friday for a long weekend of basketball then to take Thursday off to just see one game.

[BigWayne]

I am sure this is because they negotiated a bigger TV payout for the Sat. night time slot. That being said,
having the champion settled Sat. night will make the seeding/selection committee's job easier in regards to the ACC.
Wonder what conference will take the Sunday afternoon slot now and be subject to last minute contingency plans
of the committee?

[Tappan Zee Devil]

The ACC (http://theacc.co/MBB051314) is moving the men's tourney to a Saturday championship game!

"The Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament will move to a Tuesday through Saturday format beginning with the 62nd annual event in 2015.

"The new tournament schedule, mutually agreed upon by the ACC and ESPN, will feature Friday semifinal games at 7 and 9 p.m. ET, followed by the championship game on Saturday evening at 8:30 p.m. All 14 tournament games will continue to be televised nationally by ESPN and the ACC Network."

A little more rest before the NCAAs, I guess.

-jk

I think that a positive is that it may allow the ACC finals to be digested by the seeding committee before final seedings.

[Billy Dat]

That's the traditional Big East Title Game slot...more dirt on the grave.

[Faustus]

It's also when the ACC championship used to be played years back, which I always thought was more dramatic and fun. It's actually the old ACC tradition. If I'm remembering correctly, the first time it was moved to Sunday afternoon was for ABC to have a Sunday sports item, and Duke with Jim Spanarkel and Gene Banks and etc. beat Wake in it, and the rest is history.

But I like it on Saturday nite, esp. with the new 48 team ACC where the first games are played eons before the final anyway. But yeah, this move particularly smells of ESPN trying to replace their BigEast slot with us.

[Olympic Fan]

As a traditionalist, I LOVE this move.

The ACC championship was traditionally played on Saturday night -- from 1954 through 1981 ... with the single exception of 1978, whenh the title game was played on Sunday afternoon as part of The ABC Wide World of Sports.

It only moved to Sunday 1982.

I know the coaches will love this move .. everybody gets a extra day of rest between the end of the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

And it doesn't change the number of weekday afternoon tourney games -- we already have two games Wednesday, two games Thursday and two games Friday. Now we'll just have the double afternoon games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

[roywhite]

As a traditionalist, I LOVE this move.

The ACC championship was traditionally played on Saturday night -- from 1954 through 1981 ... with the single exception of 1978, whenh the title game was played on Sunday afternoon as part of The ABC Wide World of Sports.

It only moved to Sunday 1982.

I know the coaches will love this move .. everybody gets a extra day of rest between the end of the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

And it doesn't change the number of weekday afternoon tourney games -- we already have two games Wednesday, two games Thursday and two games Friday. Now we'll just have the double afternoon games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Agreed; pleased to see it.

Another benefit -- offers a little more rest to the 2nd and 3rd seeds who advance to the championship. Instead of starting out Friday evening at 7:00 or 9:30 and then playing at 4:00 PM Saturday, and 1:00 PM Sunday, it will be spread across 3 full days.

[Tom B.]

It's also when the ACC championship used to be played years back, which I always thought was more dramatic and fun. It's actually the old ACC tradition. If I'm remembering correctly, the first time it was moved to Sunday afternoon was for ABC to have a Sunday sports item, and Duke with Jim Spanarkel and Gene Banks and etc. beat Wake in it, and the rest is history.



No, the 1978 championship game was played on a Saturday. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds were actually played on Wednesday and Thursday -- then the two finalists (Duke and Wake) got a day off before playing in the championship game.

The next year, the ACC went back to the Thursday-Friday-Saturday format and stuck with it through 1981. Included in that stretch was the 1980 tournament, which was the last time any ACC Tournament games were played in February (something that's only happened in one other year -- 1963).

In 1982, the conference went to the Friday-Saturday-Sunday format, and some version of it has been in place ever since. Expansion added a day -- then two days -- at the beginning of the tournament, and there was the experimental format used from 1998 to 2000 that put two games on Thursday, with the #1 seed playing the #9 seed (and the winner getting a bye into the semifinals) and the #7 seed playing the #8 seed (with the winner playing the #2 seed in the quarterfinals). The #1 seed for all three of those years was Duke.

[Tripping William]

But yeah, this move particularly smells of ESPN trying to replace their BigEast slot with us.

Is ESPN also providing equally compelling TV alternatives for NC kids to watch at school on that Friday afternoon? ;)

[brevity]

I think that a positive is that it may allow the ACC finals to be digested by the seeding committee before final seedings.

Ugh. So now we have to discuss the NCAA Selection Committee's diet?

Fine, here you go: coffee, bagels with extra cream cheese, bourbon, caviar, champagne, steak, Red Bull, and the best crab legs imported from Tallahassee.

[hurleyfor3]

So much for flying in Thursday afternoon, out Sunday afternoon and taking only one vacation day. People with jobs can't really "go to the tournament" anymore, as in spend several days doing that and nothing else, so why not just have it Brooklyn all the time.

I think I've quit caring about sports. The good things in life never last, do they.

[BigWayne]

As a traditionalist, I LOVE this move.

The ACC championship was traditionally played on Saturday night -- from 1954 through 1981 ... with the single exception of 1978, whenh the title game was played on Sunday afternoon as part of The ABC Wide World of Sports.

It only moved to Sunday 1982.

I know the coaches will love this move .. everybody gets a extra day of rest between the end of the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

And it doesn't change the number of weekday afternoon tourney games -- we already have two games Wednesday, two games Thursday and two games Friday. Now we'll just have the double afternoon games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

In the 1977–78 season, C.D. Chesley (who controlled the ACC rights at the time) wanted NBC to televise some ACC games as part of its national package as it had the previous few years. However, NBC wanted to feature intersectional games. This action greatly upset Chesley, who wound up selling the rights to the ACC Tournament final to ABC. ABC would televise the 1978 ACC Tournament final as part of Wide World of Sports. The game, called by Jim Lampley and Bill Russell, marked the first time Duke was ever on national television.

WWS was usually on Saturdays.

[Newton_14]

I am actually on the side of liking this. It goes back to the way it was when I was a kid, though back then the Friday games were in the afternoon. I heard K pushing for this in one of his last interviews of this season, and Ol Roy and Gottfried were just on WRAL News stating how much they like the move. I do think it helps the NCAA Tourney teams, especially the two teams that reach the final. Now Sunday can be a day of rest and relaxation, and they can gather as a team to eat and watch the Selection Show after a day of leisure vs a couple of hours removed from laying it all on the line on the court.

Now they can rest on SUnday and hit the ground running at the Monday practice to prepare for the NCAA's. It will hurt attendance for the quarterfinals games, as well as force those that wish to attend at least the quarters/semi's/finals to take an extra day of work off, so I understand the position of those that oppose the move. I do feel it is best for the players though.

[hurleyfor3]

It will hurt attendance for the quarterfinals games

That ship has sailed. And not with the Pilot.

[nocilla]

I just don't like all the games being moved to late at night. 7:00 pm games are fine but it seems more and more games each year get pushed to 9:00 pm. My kids usually go to bed at 9 and I'm not far behind them. The last couple of years my kids have really gotten into the ACC tournament. They would watch some of the Thursday and Friday games, then we all watched the Saturday afternoon games as a family leading into the Sunday Championship. Now there will only be one game for them to watch on Friday as they won't be able to stay awake for the late game. Then they will fall asleep by halftime of the Saturday Championship. The NCAA games are just as bad. Once they get to the Sweet 16 they always seem to put the east coast teams in the later time slot. I understand because the east coast fans would watch their team at 7 and then go to bed, but if their team plays at 9 then they may watch both games. But it makes it hard for the casual fans.

Sorry, just needed to vent a little. I do think it suits the teams better with rest days. And the kids probably prefer playing at night.

[wsb3]

No, the 1978 championship game was played on a Saturday. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds were actually played on Wednesday and Thursday -- then the two finalists (Duke and Wake) got a day off before playing in the championship game.

Tom, I was reading prior posts and though it has been a long time I did not remember that game being on a Sunday. I thought it was Saturday afternoon. I can even remember where I watched it. That was a big deal because Duke had not won the tourney since 66 & suffered through some miserable years.

[UrinalCake]

Definitely helps the teams that play in the NIT (tues and wed following the ACCT, I believe) as well as any team that gets stuck playing in the First Four. I remember State this year played thu, fri, and sat of the ACCT, then a first four game on Tuesday, then a round of 64 game on Thursday. Moving the ACCT up would help just a bit.

On the front end though, it means a team could play their last regular season game on Sunday, then their first ACCT game on Tuesday. Which I guess makes it even less likely that one of the bottom teams could make a run to win it all. But ultimately that's probably not a huge deal.

[BigWayne]

Definitely helps the teams that play in the NIT (tues and wed following the ACCT, I believe) as well as any team that gets stuck playing in the First Four. I remember State this year played thu, fri, and sat of the ACCT, then a first four game on Tuesday, then a round of 64 game on Thursday. Moving the ACCT up would help just a bit.

On the front end though, it means a team could play their last regular season game on Sunday, then their first ACCT game on Tuesday. Which I guess makes it even less likely that one of the bottom teams could make a run to win it all. But ultimately that's probably not a huge deal.

One of the articles I read on this topic stated that because of the change, the last regular season games would all be on Saturday instead of Sunday.

[Henderson]

I do think it helps the NCAA Tourney teams, especially the two teams that reach the final. Now Sunday can be a day of rest and relaxation, and they can gather as a team to eat and watch the Selection Show after a day of leisure vs a couple of hours removed from laying it all on the line on the court.


I think I heard K mention this during this year's tourney. It's a nice ritual for teams to get together, have a meal, and watch the selection show. Plus I have to wonder how much reasoned committee discussion occurs after that Sunday afternoon game and before the brackets are announced. Teams playing on Sunday afternoon have to be kind of penciled in before the games are over. If you're going to ruin my life by making some ill-advised bracket decision, at least sleep on it first.

This also makes for a better basketball weekend. ACC final on Saturday; NCAA selection on Sunday. If Duke's playing in the final, I need more than two hours of decompression to focus on a bracket.

[Kimist]

I can remember when the entire State of North Carolina (and some parts of SC/VA/MD) essentially shut down for the ACC Tourney. Lots of folks were "sick" from work on Thursday and/or Friday. Some people would at least consider renting out their first-born to have a chance to attend any ACC Tourney game.

Of course, there were four games (two afternoon, two evening) on Thursday, two games on Friday, and one game on Saturday.

Overall I think it is a positive to have the finals on Saturday night, for several reasons others have cited. But it is obvious the "basketball gods" are now rearranging the leagues/games/broadcasts not necessarily for the fans but more for the $$$ involved.

Alas.

k

[Cameron]

Aw, shucks.

Always liked the Sunday finish into the Selection show a few hours later.

I guess it's not a major change, but still a change. In situations like this, does the conference get paid to change?

- Chillin

This is how I feel. Disappointing. In fact, my heart dropped an inch or two upon reading this news.

[OldPhiKap]

This is how I feel. Disappointing. In fact, my heart dropped an inch or two upon reading this news.

I am kinda the opposite. You beat Carolina for the ACC championship at 4:30. But by 6:00 it is on to the bracket. No time to savor the win.

[hurleyfor3]

I am kinda the opposite. You beat Carolina for the ACC championship at 4:30. But by 6:00 it is on to the bracket. No time to savor the win.

4:30? Where were you watching from, Prince Edward Island?

Anyway, now we have much more time to speculate on which 14-seed we'll lose to.

[Duke3517]

Probably the ratings aren't good enough. A prime time game is not a bad idea.

[Cameron]

I am kinda the opposite. You beat Carolina for the ACC championship at 4:30. But by 6:00 it is on to the bracket. No time to savor the win.

A valid point. But I guess I just enjoy the Sunday afternoon game more. There's something classic about it, an understated elegance, in comparison to the run-of-the-mill prime-time game, which, after a season's worth of prime-time games, just doesn't feel all that special. I'm aware that the ACC once played its championship game on a Saturday evening, so it's certainly understandable that many here welcome this change back to the original format. All of my memories, however, are of Duke winning on Sunday, so my sentiments are different.

[CameronBornAndBred]

4:30? Where were you watching from, Prince Edward Island?

Anyway, now we have much more time to speculate on which 14-seed we'll lose to.
They have been played later in the day on Sunday in the not so distant past. I remember a few discussions from TV pundits wondering if the committee was actually waiting for the championship to end or if they had already penned the bracket.

[NSDukeFan]

4:30? Where were you watching from, Prince Edward Island?

Anyway, now we have much more time to speculate on which 14-seed we'll lose to.

I'm watching from just south of there. Unfortunately, keeps me from watching the exciting western conference playoff games.

[OldPhiKap]

A valid point. But I guess I just enjoy the Sunday afternoon game more. There's something classic about it, an understated elegance, in comparison to the run-of-the-mill prime-time game, which, after a season's worth of prime-time games, just doesn't feel all that special. I'm aware that the ACC once played its championship game on a Saturday evening, so it's certainly understandable that many here welcome this change back to the original format. All of my memories, however, are of Duke winning on Sunday, so my sentiments are different.

Yeah, but.


Agree with your sentiment. But the real prize is the NCAA. This certainly helps with seeding and rest. I think we have gotten the short straw a few times because, mid-Sunday afternoon, the ACC seeding for the top few teams weighs on the result of a late game.

[Duvall]

Yeah, but.


Agree with your sentiment. But the real prize is the NCAA. This certainly helps with seeding and rest. I think we have gotten the short straw a few times because, mid-Sunday afternoon, the ACC seeding for the top few teams weighs on the result of a late game.

Eh. A Saturday night game seems about as likely to hurt in seeding as well as help, if you assume that the title game is basically the toss-up that it should be. And I doubt an extra 19 hours of rest has much effect on the team's play a week later.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I can remember when the entire State of North Carolina (and some parts of SC/VA/MD) essentially shut down for the ACC Tourney. Lots of folks were "sick" from work on Thursday and/or Friday. Some people would at least consider renting out their first-born to have a chance to attend any ACC Tourney game.

I loved being a kid in school and seeing our teacher wheel in a TV into the classroom so we could watch the games.