Checking in on portal / NIL impact to March Madness

[Perd Hapley]

2025 - the entirety of the Sweet 16 was P4 teams. All 4 of the top seeds in the Final Four. Chalk City.

2026 - 14 of 16 teams in the Sweet 16 are P4 teams. Only two that are not….2-seed UConn, who has 6 national titles and is practically a P4 in basketball with their NIL investment (maybe the only school with that distinction). And then there’s 5-seed St. John’s….who have a long history and are coached by a guy with 2 titles and 7 Final Fours….and they were actually favored over 4-seed Kansas. Each region had 3 of the top 4 seeds reach the Sweet 16. 7 of the top 8 seeds are still alive. Chalk City, again.

NCAA Tourney is completely dead at this point, thanks to all this BS. It’s incredible how far reaching these reforms have been at just neutering everything that used to be great about college sports.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

2025 - the entirety of the Sweet 16 was P4 teams. All 4 of the top seeds in the Final Four. Chalk City.

2026 - 14 of 16 teams in the Sweet 16 are P4 teams. Only two that are not….2-seed UConn, who has 6 national titles and is practically a P4 in basketball with their NIL investment (maybe the only school with that distinction). And then there’s 5-seed St. John’s….who have a long history and are coached by a guy with 2 titles and 7 Final Fours….and they were actually favored over 4-seed Kansas. Each region had 3 of the top 4 seeds reach the Sweet 16. 7 of the top 8 seeds are still alive. Chalk City, again.

NCAA Tourney is completely dead at this point, thanks to all this BS. It’s incredible how far reaching these reforms have been at just neutering everything that used to be great about college sports.

UConn and St John’s are both in the Big East which is considered a power conference in basketball. They spend big money on NIL basketball.

 

[onewoof]

I hate it. WTH is going on at Kentucky though

 

[Perd Hapley]

UConn and St John’s are both in the Big East which is considered a power conference in basketball. They spend big money on NIL basketball.

Correct, but with the caveat that the Big East is no longer a power conference at all in basketball. Not anymore. That league is now just UConn, St. John’s, Villanova, and a bag of cats. The 3 teams above are the only ones who even finished over .500 in league play this past season.

St. John’s and UConn are currently investing P4 upper level money into basketball. I’m not sure that Villanova is, but they might be….they’ve been down a bit since Wright retired. And I’m not sure that St. John’s can keep doing it over the long haul. UConn is the only non-P4 program nationally that you can say has the money and staying power of a P4 school in basketball. They are essentially the Notre Dame football of the college basketball world.

In the end, the story is still the same. Money rules all, and the mid-major Cinderella is dead. Never again will you see George Mason or Loyola Chicago in the Final 4. Ever.

17ing Gonzaga is a fantastic example. They’ve built themselves way beyond your typical “mid-major” level, but even they no longer have a path to relevance. They get a 3-seed. They get matched up with an 11-seed in the 2nd round, and they aren’t even the most talented team on the floor.

 

[Perd Hapley]

I hate it. WTH is going on at Kentucky though

Kentucky has been on a slow decline for a very long time. They are still relevant, but they’ve taken a huge hit in this climate, too.

They have Top 20 NIL in basketball, but they can’t outspend Duke, UNC, Kansas, Florida, or UConn, and really can’t even outspend the likes of Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, or half the B1G, either.

 

[BonzoGoesToCollege]

I hate it. WTH is going on at Kentucky though

don't know but I love it.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I hate it. WTH is going on at Kentucky though

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Correct, but with the caveat that the Big East is no longer a power conference at all in basketball. Not anymore. That league is now just UConn, St. John’s, Villanova, and a bag of cats. The 3 teams above are the only ones who even finished over .500 in league play this past season.

St. John’s and UConn are currently investing P4 upper level money into basketball. I’m not sure that Villanova is, but they might be….they’ve been down a bit since Wright retired. And I’m not sure that St. John’s can keep doing it over the long haul. UConn is the only non-P4 program nationally that you can say has the money and staying power of a P4 school in basketball. They are essentially the Notre Dame football of the college basketball world.

In the end, the story is still the same. Money rules all, and the mid-major Cinderella is dead. Never again will you see George Mason or Loyola Chicago in the Final 4. Ever.

17ing Gonzaga is a fantastic example. They’ve built themselves way beyond your typical “mid-major” level, but even they no longer have a path to relevance. They get a 3-seed. They get matched up with an 11-seed in the 2nd round, and they aren’t even the most talented team on the floor.

One season isn't a reflection of the Big East. This was a down year for sure with only three teams, but generally speaking Marquette, Creighton, Providence, and Xavier are more than a bag of cats.

 

[Bulldog45]

NCAA Tourney is completely dead at this point, thanks to all this BS. It’s incredible how far reaching these reforms have been at just neutering everything that used to be great about college sports.

I have been a big fan of the ncaa tournament for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid spring break meant watching from the opening tips Thursday and Friday mornings until the last second ran off the clock after midnight. That said, for the first time ever I have not watched one second of the tournament this year. Interest and ratings may be booming but I am no longer a fan.

 

[17itdawg]

I hate it. WTH is going on at Kentucky though

Supposedly a lack of NIL. I have no idea of the validity of that rumor, but I have heard it from people connected to the UK athletic department. Now with Barnhart retiring maybe things change.

 

[msudawg1200]

One season isn't a reflection of the Big East. This was a down year for sure with only three teams, but generally speaking Marquette, Creighton, Providence, and Xavier are more than a bag of cats.

Georgetown could be added to that list also if they get serious about it again. They have big money.

 

[POTUS]

We aren’t that many years removed from having SDSU, FAU, & Miami all making final four as 4, 5 & 9 seeds. 2023. So it may be too early to make declarations.