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Maybe the NCAA Could Name The Final Four Brackets to Drive Ratings

Monday, March 28, 2011 , Posted by Christopher Byrne at 9:34 PM, under ,

There are concerns out and about that the fact that there are no number one or two seeds left in the  upcoming Final Four could lead to lower ratings on CBS.  The Time-Warner networks (TNT, TBS, and TruTV) are out of the picture, so the public relations folks cannot play the Nielsen numbers game to show record ratings.

What happens this weekend on one network will give numbers that matter.  So perhaps the NCAA can step in and give the two sides of the brackets names, kind of like what the Big Ten is attempting with "Legends" and "Leaders."

But what names can the two sides of the brackets be given?

Let's start with the University of Kentucky -University of Connecticut side of the bracket.  This bracket could be the "Philistines", the "Goliaths", "Teams Coached by Men Caught or Accused of Cheating", "Teams Coached by Old Men", "Teams Coached by Men Basketball Fans Dislike", or the "Underachievers."

And the counterbalance over on the Virginia Commonwealth University - Butler University side of the bracket?  Matching up with the names above, this bracket could be the "Israelites", the "Davids", "Teams Coached by Men That Never Cheated or Got Caught Cheating", "Teams Coached by Kids", "Teams Coached by Men Fans Adore", or the "Overachievers."

You see, there needs to be some branding to drive some ratings mojo.  CBS has made the Kentucky - UConn matchup the primetime game to get extra eyeballs.  The Kentucky fans will tune in because it is Kentucky.  Bit one well-deserved knock on Kentucky fans is that they are Kentucky fans, not basketball fans.  If Kentucky is not playing, they could care less. So they will not be watching the VCU-Butler opener. Fans of whatever team loses the opener will not be tuning in because they will be depressed.

In the end though, CBS needs and wants Kentucky to win because it will mean having a blue-blood team in the final, and it is possible true basketball fans and casual watchers would rather see the Wildcats go down to Butler or VCU than they would UConn.

Now if we can just get Marv Albert in on this weekend's party.

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