NCAA Basketball: What if March Madness worked like the FIFA World Cup?

By Dakota Cox | Jul 10, 2018

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 15: A general view of the court with March Madness signage is seen prior to the start of the game between the OklahomaSooners and the Rhode Island Rams in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA – JULY 09: A general view of the Luzhniki Stadium ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup semi-final match between England and Croatia on July 9, 2018 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) /

With the World Cup happening, many fans are watching soccer for the first time in four years. Can NCAA Basketball learn from what it sees?

Let’s be absolutely honest; college basketball is constructed to MAKE A PROFIT. It makes its money by entertaining the viewer. The best way to do this is with March Madness: 63 (67 if you count the first four) games over the course of two calendar months in order to pick a champion. We all can agree that this is not the best way to determine who the best team in basketball is.

There certainly aren’t 68 teams that deserve consideration to be a champion, and playing a single game as opposed to a series with so many teams in contention is just illogical. However, it gives us a story, and it gives the NCAA a paycheck. So, is there any way to enhance the system without taking away the hype?

As I contemplated this, one idea came to mind: the FIFA World Cup. They take 32 nations and compete in a way that guarantees a true champion. Every step of the way, fans can be confident that the best teams advance. Also, a majority of countries put the world on hold while the event takes place. If it’s good enough for them, why can’t we use it?

In this article, I dive into just what March Madness would look like if we followed the FIFA standard.

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