I originally thought that 12 teams in a playoff was a good idea. Now, I am not so sure due to the wear and tear on the players.
For a 5-12 seed to win a championship, that means 4 extra games after the regular season and likely conference championship game. For a 1-4, it means three more games after the regular season and conference championship game.
That is a lot of extra games. In 3 years playing on a national contender, you could basically add another year of playing time on the player.
I wonder if the players will put up with it. More games means more chances for injuries. Will the players (on lesser playoff teams) start opting out of playoff games if they do not get bonus money for playing? Will coaches pull starters faster in a playoff game if they get a big lead?
I am not sold on 12 teams. I wonder if the pendulum swung a bit too far the other way from 4 teams. 8 teams may be the sweet spot. Yes, some deserving teams miss the playoffs, but that happens regardless of the number. However, the less wear and tear may be worth it. Your thoughts?
For a 5-12 seed to win a championship, that means 4 extra games after the regular season and likely conference championship game. For a 1-4, it means three more games after the regular season and conference championship game.
That is a lot of extra games. In 3 years playing on a national contender, you could basically add another year of playing time on the player.
I wonder if the players will put up with it. More games means more chances for injuries. Will the players (on lesser playoff teams) start opting out of playoff games if they do not get bonus money for playing? Will coaches pull starters faster in a playoff game if they get a big lead?
I am not sold on 12 teams. I wonder if the pendulum swung a bit too far the other way from 4 teams. 8 teams may be the sweet spot. Yes, some deserving teams miss the playoffs, but that happens regardless of the number. However, the less wear and tear may be worth it. Your thoughts?
