Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Is the Selection Committee ruining college basketball?

By Shaun Gordon

SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 31: Townes (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 31: Townes (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 04: Butler Bulldogs fans celebrate as they storm the floor after the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Hinkle Fieldhouse on January 4, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Butler defeated the No. 1 ranked Wildcats 66-58. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 04: Butler Bulldogs fans celebrate as they storm the floor after the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Hinkle Fieldhouse on January 4, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Butler defeated the No. 1 ranked Wildcats 66-58. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

The Viewership Myth

Most power-conference proponents are fine with this. They point to one thing: viewership.

The theory is that more people want to watch high-quality basketball between two big-name teams. With that theory, more people will tune in to a game between Villanova and Kansas than between Michigan and Loyola-Chicago.

So did the TV data back that up? Yes, but by the smallest of margins. The Wildcats and Jayhawks beat the Wolverines and Ramblers by less than 35,000 viewers, or well less than 1% of total viewership.

People tuned in to watch the Cinderella just as much as they tuned in to watch the Blue Blood programs.

And they tuned in to watch mid-majors even more in the early rounds of the tournament.

In fact, two of the three most-watched games in the first two rounds involved a mid-major team (both UMBC games). Not only that, but five of the top nine most viewed games had at least one team from outside a power conference.

People will tune in to watch the Cinderella teams. It’s David vs. Goliath, and people want to watch David win.

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