NCAA proposal: One exempt tourney per year

[Raider Country]

Updated: April 12, 2006, 7:32 PM ET
NCAA proposal allows one 'exempt' tourney per season
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Management Council has approved a proposal allowing men's and women's college basketball teams to compete in one exempt tournament per season, and another that would move up the start of the season.

Among the modifications announced Wednesday are the elimination of a rule prohibiting teams from competing in regular-season tournaments such as the Maui Invitational more than twice in a four-year period. The council also wants to exempt conference tournaments, which now count one game against the NCAA's regular-season game limit.

Those proposals will be considered by the NCAA's board of directors April 27. If approved, the new rules would take effect next fall.

Teams would have the option to play 27 regular-season games, plus a preseason tournament such as the NIT Season Tip-Off or Maui Invitational. Teams not involved in tournaments could play up to 29 regular-season games.

The regular season also could start as much as one week earlier on the second Friday of November.

Council members also approved a proposal that would require schools to award scholarships on an annual basis rather than term-by-term.

But the council tabled two proposals that deal with medical expenses to look more closely at possible costs and whether such programs would create competitive inequity.

One proposal would limit expenses covered by the school to only those injuries or illnesses that are athletically related. The other would allow schools to buy medical insurance policies that would cover expenses for any athlete's injury or illnesses.

The management council met Monday and Tuesday in Savannah, Ga.

sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2406852

[Fastbreak]

Council nixes 2-in-4 rule
Wednesday, April 12, 2006

So why was there a lingering lawsuit between the NCAA and the organizers of the exempted tournaments?

We're still not sure what all the fuss was about for the last four years now that the NCAA management council decided to get rid of the two-in-four rule that limited teams to two exempted events -- like the NIT or the Maui Invitational -- over a four-year period. The ruling needs to go through the NCAA board of directors later this month but it is expected to pass.


This means the exempted tournaments should be stocked full of high-profile teams and a few mid-major teams every season. Each year, events like those and the Guardians Classic, Coaches vs. Cancer and Great Alaska Shootout, to name a few, should have recognizable names, and schools like Wichita State and George Mason should get shots at the big boys even before March.

The revised rule still precludes a team from playing in the same event more than once in a four-year period.


It's funny because for years the NCAA's legal team was trying to keep this rule in place. Now, it's gone, just like that (pending presidential approval). The NCAA now runs one of these events -- the NIT -- and it is good business for the NCAA to have high-profile fields every year without any limitations.


The management council also bumped up the maximum number of games from 27 to 28, with exempted tournaments counting as one game. So, if a school like Indiana plays in the NIT next season (which it is) then the Hoosiers can play a maximum of 31 regular-season games (27 plus the four in the NIT). If a school is in a three-game exempted tournament (like Maui), the number would likely be capped at 30 regular-season games. The NCAA also did away with making schools count a conference tournament game as part of their regular-season allotment since a few leagues don't invite all of its members (notably the Big East).


The management council did discuss raising the number of regular-season games from 27 to 29 but settled on 28.

sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=katz_andy#20060413

[Fastbreak]

April 28, 2006

NCAA changes rules for basketball schedule
They include increasing the number of games teams can play, switch in start date for season
By Mark Alesia
[e-mail]

The NCAA on Thursday increased the maximum number of games in basketball and instituted a uniform start date to the season.


Beginning in 2006-07, teams will be allowed 27 games, plus the following:
Up to four games in what used to be known as "exempt" tournaments such as the Maui Invitational.
A conference tournament.
The NCAA Tournament or postseason National Invitation Tournament.
In another change, schools will be allowed to participate in "exempt" tournaments every year.
The season will begin on the second Friday in November for all teams.
The measure simplifies the old rules, which had early start dates for certain events and limited teams to two "exempt" tournaments in any four-year period.
The old rules allowed a maximum of 28 games, with a conference tournament counting as one game and an exempt tournament counting as one game.
The exempt events were popular because teams could play up to four games and only have one count against the maximum.
The NCAA successfully fought a court battle upholding the "two-in-four" rule. The lawsuit was brought by promoters of exempt events.
A year ago, recognizing that members wanted to abolish "two-in-four," the NCAA said it couldn't do anything because it might harm the organization in a lawsuit brought by the NIT.
That case ended in the middle of a trial last summer with the NCAA paying a settlement and taking over operation of the NIT.
"Even though it's been quite a road to endure the various court challenges over the basketball season, we have been able to identify a position that reasonably satisfies everyone," NCAA vice president David Berst said.
In other action, the Division I Board of Directors -- all of whom are school presidents -- gave the NCAA increased power to investigate academic fraud in high school transcripts and "diploma mills."
It also voted to allow teams with a 6-6 record to be eligible for bowl games in football.


Call Star reporter Mark Alesia at [phone].

www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060428/SPORTS/604280509

[Raider Country]

Maybe Wright State can bring back the USAir Classic they hosted at the Nutter Center in the early 1990s.

[wsu97]

I just hope we don't use this as an opportunity to schedule more NAIA teams.

[Class of '83]

This might also be a good time to try to renew the Gem City Jam with UD. They can't use their old excuse that they have to play a certain number of home games now that they can schedule more games.

[Raiderman]

It has nothing to do with number of home games. They will not play at the Nutter Center until we get better.

[Big D]

Raiderman,
You are completely wrong. It has everything to do with home games and if you don't believe me go to UDpride and read it from their own fans. They have at least 15-20 threads a year about this topic.

UD finances most of their athletic programs from the revenue of their basketball program. They only schedule 4 home-away nonconference games a year and the rest are bought home games that they don't give a return trip. UD not playing us has nothing to do with our record or RPI. UD has been willing to schedule WSU at UD arena for the last decade, but WSU will only schedule them in a home-away series.

[BBall Fan]

Raiderman,
We're already better than UD. Our RPI for 2005-06 was about 25 points higher than the Flyers. That's significantly better.

[Fastbreak]

Wright State 178
UD 184

web1.ncaa.org/app_data/weeklyrpi/rpi1.html

[Raiderman]

You guys are to quick to argue. I understand that they need a certain number of home games to balance their athletic budget.

Bottom line: WSU wants a home and home series with UD. That will not happen until WSU is consistently a good team. I could care less about one year out of the last 13.

Buy games and home and homes are 2 different parts of the schedule. UD will not give up a buy game to to play WSU. They would be giving up $250,000 maybe more to get paid 10,000-20,000 to play at WSU. Until WSU is good for a period of time they will not play at WSU in a home and home. That has nothing to do with home games. End of story.

[Big D]

Bottom line: WSU wants a home and home series with UD. That will not happen until WSU is consistently a good team. I could care less about one year out of the last 13.

It isn't going to happen even if WSU consistently becomes a good team. They aren't going to give up a home-home series with anyone to play WSU. They save their home-home series for Miami (a rival they have been playing for almost a century), and BCS type programs (UC, Depaul, Vanderbilt, etc).

Buy games and home and homes are 2 different parts of the schedule. UD will not give up a buy game to to play WSU. They would be giving up $250,000 maybe more to get paid 10,000-20,000 to play at WSU.

I don't think you understand scheduling at all. When you schedule someone to a home-home series, you don't pay them anything. The only reimbursement they get is the return game. That is one of the reasons why they won't give up a home game to schedule WSU.

[Raiderman]

Read what I said again. I was talking about buy games in that sentence.

I know home and homes equal out.

We are talking about the exactly the same thing.

We agree if you would decide to not argue.

Actually I don't think they will ever play WSU either unless it's a buy game.

[Class of '83]

Take Big D's advice and go over to UDpride. You just don't seem to get it!

[Raiderman]

I agree with Big D.