The best I can guess is programs make good money in these four-team tournaments because they can sell to four fan bases. But given that TV so outweighs ticket sales now — and NU is selling its own tickets for so much more than it used to — wouldn’t you rather have a good opponent come to W-R and also set up a good away test in the other year? I suppose you can argue playing in an NBA arena is prep for March but … to compare the two environments is silly.
That NIL comment was specifically w/r/t basketball, and is definitely not the case for football. For basketball... I wouldn't be surprised if it was somewhat based on projections of NIL spend from last offseasons before the explosion this offseason, but it even still could be true as it's really like 15-20 teams nationally that have pushed into massive numbers.
Also, the resources we DO have are not used for high schoolers, so...
Have to care somewhat at least as we have to compete against the teams that will have that kind of payroll (OSU, MICH, PSU, OR, and who knows who else. And this is not the end because there are other programs that will come up with $20-30 mill. Already we where having to play with one arm tied behind our back and now it is two
That was likely part of the agreement with ASU. The game in Arizona was NOT in Tempe. It was held in Phoenix at the Footprint Center. KenPom lists such games as "semi-away."
Don't we have a game with Arizona State at home this year or perhaps at the United Center as part of a doubleheader as a payback from going there two years ago?
Good memory! I can't speak to the veracity of the WIldcatNation post, but ASU definitely owes us a game in Chicago. Someone else suggested it could be part of a double-headers with IU/Marquette on 11/9 at the United Center. That's not mid-December, but it would make sense for NU/ASU to be part of a double-header.
