Ben Howland Thinks CBS Manipulates the Brackets

Does CBS have any say on Selection Sunday? Does the network that televises the NCAA Tournament and puts hundreds of millions of dollars into the schools' pockets expect to be compensated for that investment with TV-friendly matchups?

UCLA coach Ben Howland implied yesterday that he thinks the network does, indeed, manipulate the brackets, and that's why his team's first three games could include the storylines of Howland coaching against his alma mater (Weber State), then against the school where he got his first coaching job (Gonzaga), then against the school he coached before UCLA (Pittsburgh).

"I'm not surprised by it. I don't chuckle, but I'm not surprised by it," Howland said. "CBS is paying a lot of money to telecast the NCAA Tournament, about $700 to $800 million a year over the lifetime of the deal ... so, of course, if good TV is available, it's going to be more commanding to viewership."

I don't know if Howland realizes what a serious charge that is -- if the Selection Committee is basing its decisions on "good TV" rather than on putting the most deserving teams into the brackets where they belong, that calls into question the integrity of the competition. That's why the Selection Committee insists that the idea that they try to set up interesting games is a "myth." Still, with CBS already facing criticism for forcing the Selection Committee to work around its TV schedule, both the network and the NCAA probably wish Howland wouldn't broach that subject.

Hat tip: Larry Brown Sports.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-12-2007 @ 10:30PM

Samuel said...

I dont know about this story, but the problem I have is that the Committee is not consistent. Some years the Conference Tournaments mean nothing, some years it means everything. Some years its all about the RPI, some years it means nothing. Im a Duke fan, but how do you leave Syracuse out? I dont care for Beheim(however you spell it), but they deserved to be in. I felt like they got the #1 seeds correct this year and overall did a good job. I just would like them to be more consistent with what is important.

3-12-2007 @ 10:40PM

Ricky Lindstrom said...

What Howland says may not be true, but if it isn't, you have to admit that the arrangement vis-a-vis his 1st 3 opponents is a helluva coincidence. Personally, I see no reason why cbs, the organization that is actually paying for the whole mess, can't manipulate some of the pairings to its advantage as long as the teams that are in the tournament deserve to be there, and as long as the matchups are not unreasonable.

3-12-2007 @ 10:44PM

Mack said...

For all that to happen Gonzaga has to beat Indiana and there is no guarantee that Pittsburgh or UCLA will advance that far.

3-12-2007 @ 10:45PM

Bill Carlyle said...

Let's face it, basketball, football, or what ever the Big 10 is over rated. They play basketball slowly, and football slower than the rest of the country. Evidently the big journalism schools like Michigan, and Northwestern have an effect. Every year the NCAA puts six to seven teams in. In football they rank them automatically. Then when the smoke clears at the end of the season they are gone, but ready be ranked again the following season at the top. The rest of the country would like an answer why. It is the most over rated conference in all sports. Why?
They will receive favorable brackets, and other conferences are forced to dismiss each other making it impossible for mutiple teams to advance, and attempting to insure a Big Ten in championship contests. Why?

3-12-2007 @ 11:08PM

krossfader said...

Gee, look at the Illini draw. If they make it past round 1, potential match-up with Weber's former crew in Southern Illinois. Round 3 would pit U of I against Bill Self and Kansas. No storylines there either.

The committee's "integrity" is a joke.

3-13-2007 @ 12:14AM

Dennis Driver said...

If we want manipulation for ratings, how about IU vs Texas Tech in Louisville, Chicago or even Columbus. Watching Bobby Knight come back to play IU in his old backyard that would be a ratings bonanza

3-13-2007 @ 12:34AM

Jason S. said...

While interesting, I don't think CBS is hurting for ratings when it comes to the tournament. Aside from the Super Bowl, this is the premier event in sports. CBS doesn't have to manipulate anything to get the ratings.

That being said, it is possible that the members of the selection committee do this on their own. I mean, they're all probably fans of college ball, and it's their duty to set up the brackets. Why wouldn't they throw together some intriguing match-ups?

3-13-2007 @ 1:24AM

adam said...

If this story isn't true, then why is Ohio State's potential second game against the team (Xavier) that Thad Matta coached before he came to Ohio State?

3-13-2007 @ 3:28AM

kdwhite67 said...

Krossfader, you are correct, the committee's integrity is a joke. The mere fact that your U of I got in is a joke, when Drexel was by far better suited for the spot. But Jason S., I agree with you as well. The "fan" in the selection committee members is what truly sets up the games. Not so much the first and second rounds, but the potential matchups in the sweet 16 and on seems highly contrived. I think the computers need to be taken out of both the big dance, and the BCS. Look at the teams at their present strength after the tournaments. As Tom Jackson calls it, the "eyeball test."

3-13-2007 @ 7:34AM

Gary Stapleton said...

Something has to be wrong, so many good teams left out and team like Arkansa, give me a break. Texas tech. They never put the best 64 in, ever. K-State, Syracuse, Air force, Drexsel. what the hell did they play all year for. The touney sucks

3-13-2007 @ 9:11AM

I almost forgot. Ohio State and Xavier come on. Thad and his old team playing agianst each other. The fix is in

3-13-2007 @ 12:09PM

crhaubere said...

It's not only CBS that corrupts the tourney but ESPN doesn't help either. Between the 2 organizations they get who they want in the championship tourney. Doesn't have to be a team that should or shouldn't be there if CBS &ESPN want a team there they will be there. The selection committee is useless the last 10 or 15 yrs.

3-13-2007 @ 1:32PM

docclawson said...

Same thing with Michigan State & Marquette...Izzo was head coach and the other coach Tom, whatever his last name is, are mentor-pupil! Its all about the fun though huh!!

Go State, its party time!!!

3-19-2007 @ 7:40PM

Agmines said...

The ACC proved it is overrated in 2006-07. Duke and Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Maryland, losing against Mid-Majors! The ACC is no longer the best in the nation and they should quit being given accommodations in the Tourney for Coaches and Teams that no longer deserve it. The ACC was given nice locations, nice seeds against lesser competition and still failed to win. They are endanger of losing the longest streak of non-losing seasons at the March Madness Dance, dating to 1987 now being at 6-6. Once again proving they are not the Premier College Basketball of the nation anymore. The ACC being overrated, over seeded, and just over as proven during the season and in the Tourney. ACC Expansion still is not better than SEC in Football. Plus, now SEC Basketball is better than ACC the last two years.

3-23-2007 @ 12:00PM

SEC, BIG EAST, BIG-12, and PAC-10 have been better in Basketball than the Absent Championship Conference (ACC) and Big PreTENd in Basketball and Football since 2000. Time for CBS to show it by cutting down on ACC Games and bring in more games from better conferences.

3-19-2007 @ 7:47PM

agmines said...

SEC, BIG EAST, BIG-12, and PAC-10 have been better in Basketball than the Absent Championship Conference (ACC) and Big PreTENd since 2000. Time for CBS to show it by cutting down on ACC Games and bring in more games from better conferences. In Football SEC Rules as Pac-10, Big-12 and now even Big East has been better the last two years. The ACC has not won a major BCS National Game since 1999?

3-21-2007 @ 8:45AM

Brian Sanders said...

I have been to the tournament as a junkie for 16 years and witnessed countless games like the rest of us and if you don't buy into the conspiracy theory, you're not paying attention. That said, as long as the seeds are appropriately set, I love the additional theater of the match ups. The integrity isn't questions if the seeds are legitimate. Now for my soap box, DUMP THE POD SYSTEM!!!!! I just came from Winston-Salem (and many similar from the aforementioned 16 years) and there's no excuse for a "home game" for anyone including North Carolina. That was 14,000 Tar Heels vs. 800 Spartans....Talk about lack of integrity!