2020 Playoff Format

[tdaussie]

I just read the article on the Inside Lacrosse site about the new playoff format for 2020. I like removing the midweek games after Round 1 and doing Sat/Sun games for Rounds 2/3 and the QF/SF. Should bring bigger crowds to those venues!! Hopefully it will also lead to expanding the playoff rosters!!

What I couldn't figure out is whether they are removing the North/South regions and replacing them with the 5 regions concept for 2020? Can anyone shed some light on this? Much appreciated.

The anticipated pool allocations for the 2020 championship are as follows: Pool A – 27; Pool B – 1; Pool C – 8.

[DeepPocket]

I like the weekend games (if only for my own selfish reasons of availability). However I’m reading there will be back to back tournament games for teams on weekends. That would be rough. This will be a huge advantage for teams with a slow methodical offense as those run-and-gun teams will be gassed on day 2.

The article also highlights that the weekend format means that D3 tournament games will now all be head to head with those for D1 in viewership. So perhaps the D3 exposure and/or fan experience won’t necessarily improve.

Article here. https://www.insidelacrosse.com/amp/new- ... ends/55529


Looks like the regional realignment is already in effect.
The teleconference linked below was from January 2019, and referenced that the committee recommended realignment to the championship committee for approval. Then it says the championship committee endorsed it in September (presumably 2018, since this is written 01/19) and asked the committee to make a formal recommendation. And the the teleconference is, it appears, the committee’s “formal recommendation” as it states the committee is recommending it.

Also noted that it is effective September 1 2019

At the bottom of this you will see the regional allocations.
https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/champi ... Report.pdf

[palaxoff]

Totally against this format. IMHO It is completely unfair to the athletes who spent nearly 5 months earning the right to play. Now they are playing in what could be warm humid days back to back. What other NCAA contact sport does that? The potential injury factor wasn't a consideration just the NCAA being more profitable. Also injuries now have a huge impact, say a slight sprained ankle, a week off is a lot different then trying to play the next day.

[Pinchnpop]

Buckle the chinstraps, tighten the laces! Coaches knew this was coming and should have adjusted schedule's appropriately. Playing back to back games during season to prepare for this. All teams at same level playing field, all have to play Saturday and win to advance to play Sunday.

[wgdsr]

Totally against this format. IMHO It is completely unfair to the athletes who spent nearly 5 months earning the right to play. Now they are playing in what could be warm humid days back to back. What other NCAA contact sport does that? The potential injury factor wasn't a consideration just the NCAA being more profitable. Also injuries now have a huge impact, say a slight sprained ankle, a week off is a lot different then trying to play the next day.

agreed. pretty ridiculous. has this already gone through? for years, i've advocated that playing a ff on sat/monday in division 1 is fine. but playing the next day can definite;y impact things in a way they shouldn't be impacting things.
what is wrong with friday? and what's wrong with, after all these tournament games, having it be wed, sat, then fri/sunday, then fri/sunday on ff weekend? even if the friday games have to be played at another venue in the same city as the champ game?

[smoova]

Totally against this format. IMHO It is completely unfair to the athletes who spent nearly 5 months earning the right to play. Now they are playing in what could be warm humid days back to back. What other NCAA contact sport does that? The potential injury factor wasn't a consideration just the NCAA being more profitable. Also injuries now have a huge impact, say a slight sprained ankle, a week off is a lot different then trying to play the next day.

We're talking about kids who regularly played 6 games in 2 days multiple times during each summer of middle and high school, right?

[Nothinbutthelax]

I like this concept.
ODAC back to back semi and championship game and Mustang classic are fine. Yes, they do have full roster depth but the better teams run 3rd o mid-line, an extra LSM or SSDM and man-down / up specialist all season. Next men up are ready at this point of season. Both winners will have same rest/recovery issues. Conditioning and nutrition is not a foreign concept...
Post season roster expansion would be preferred.

[palaxoff]

We're talking about kids who regularly played 6 games in 2 days multiple times during each summer of middle and high school, right?

So are you saying 1 hour running time Summer Tournament games are the same as playing for National Championship ?

[palaxoff]

So I just read the rationale b y the committee. They are doing this to help the students during the stressful time of final exams. Oh and its also a $53,000 savings for the NCAA. It is so nice to know the NCAA is so concerned for their athletes.

[Pinchnpop]

We're talking about kids who regularly played 6 games in 2 days multiple times during each summer of middle and high school, right?

So are you saying 1 hour running time Summer Tournament games are the same as playing for National Championship ?

I would say no, but we are talking about 20-24yr old men who should be in the top shape playing for a NCAA Championship. They definitely are not 15-18 yr old boys playing a running clock, but I would hope in much more shape and endurance. Everyone is on the same playing field, injuries happen, that's the sport. This cuts traveling for the lower seeds alot. Travel to one location once instead of two different.

[PicLax]

I agree in part with elimination of mid-week games for the stated reasons. But back-to-back is tough. Compromise would be the four “play in” games on Wednesday. Rounds of 32 and 16 on Friday/Sunday. Rounds of 8 and 4 following Friday / Sunday. Final as always on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Minimal impact to the students during the week (miss Friday, but that can easily be absorbed during the week). Might cost a little bit more in hotel expenses, but there is no way the NCAA is hurting for the money. Day of rest between games immensely more beneficial than going back-to-back and would be much conducive to the best lacrosse team advancing than the team best able to survive war of attrition.

[LibertyL]

In addition it takes away a lot of ability to prepare for the next opponent from a coaching standpoint.
It's just too intense on so many levels for players and coaches

[Buzzard05]

They don't even go back to back in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Those teams always have a day of rest between games...not sure why lacrosse is treated differently given the physicality of the game.

[palaxoff]

We're talking about kids who regularly played 6 games in 2 days multiple times during each summer of middle and high school, right?
So are you saying 1 hour running time Summer Tournament games are the same as playing for National Championship ?
I would say no, but we are talking about 20-24yr old men who should be in the top shape playing for a NCAA Championship. They definitely are not 15-18 yr old boys playing a running clock, but I would hope in much more shape and endurance. Everyone is on the same playing field, injuries happen, that's the sport. This cuts traveling for the lower seeds alot. Travel to one location once instead of two different.

I would say it's 18-23 year old finely tuned athletes playing against 18-23 yr old finely tuned athlete in a super highly competitive environment. This is do or die so I am guessing they are leaving it all out of the field. Think the second day matches would be less stellar.

Yes it cost savings but I am guessing the ticket sales will be much larger. Do a 5 and 7 game Friday and finals Sunday. I think the NCAA would be happy with $43,000 instead of $53,000.

[thescottharris]

They don't even go back to back in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Those teams always have a day of rest between games...not sure why lacrosse is treated differently given the physicality of the game.

Games in back to back days (or more days in a row in some sports) is pretty much the standard format across D3 - including basketball - aside from football and previously lacrosse as far as I can remember. Perhaps some other sports as well but I won't profess to be familiar with the sports the ODAC schools don't compete in.

So contrary to your post, lacrosse has been being treated differently, but by getting rest days that none of the other non-football sports were receiving.

[Unknown Participant]

They don't even go back to back in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Those teams always have a day of rest between games...not sure why lacrosse is treated differently given the physicality of the game.

Games in back to back days (or more days in a row in some sports) is pretty much the standard format across D3 - including basketball - aside from football and previously lacrosse as far as I can remember. Perhaps some other sports as well but I won't profess to be familiar with the sports the ODAC schools don't compete in.

So contrary to your post, lacrosse has been being treated differently, but by getting rest days that none of the other non-football sports were receiving.

Yeah, NESCAC hockey, games every Fri and Sat, generally two schools in the same general area, e.g., Wesleyan/Conn College, Bowdoin/Colby.

[Matnum PI]

I think they're using this new format right now for the D3 soccer tourney.

[COGULL]

Not a fan...

I'd be surprised if we don't see an an increase in injuries - My guess is that the NCAA doesn't keep any records on athletes injured (or forced to leave the field), but my guess is that they are not. Keep in mind that those summer tournament games played by middle & high school aged players are typically shorter w/ a running clock. Let's not forget that the college players will also be practicing around these games. I'm aware the practices during tournament times tend to be easier, but let's be honest about when teams are faced with truly competitive upcoming games (probably put in a little more time). All these kids will be coming off around 15 game seasons and in many cases not getting the best nights sleep while they approach and during finals.

Even mild dehydration will limit whatever recovery players can hope for over only 24 hours. I was at a game at Boys Latin in '12 when the temp was in the mid 90's - The officials almost called the game when the median temp reached 113° two feet off the turf. Granted, the teams were playing on June 30th & July 1st, but take a look at the temperatures during the last week of May '19 (79°, 88°, 84°, 91°, 93°, 88° & 84°) - The first week of May reach a high of 86° on 5/2.

I agree with the idea of expanded rosters, but for a completely different reason. If for nothing else, I think it's BS that players have to watch from the sideline during the biggest games after working with their teams all season long. Seems a bit ironic that full rosters face off against one another during the regular season when the weaker programs are at the biggest disadvantage against the better teams, yet when the best teams hit the national tournament the NCAA has decided that those 3rd-line midfielders who in most cases don't play in competitive games anyway need to be sidelined. Although, I agree with expanded rosters based on these playing back-to-back, how can anyone believe that the level of play in these games will match the latter part of regular season should teams be forced to to go deep into their rosters ? With this idea in mind how do you expect teams to put the heir best product on the field when they don't know who they may play and don't have ample time to prepare ?

Lacrosse is a contact sport - It's not as rough on the body as football, but anyone who's played can tell you rarely leave a game without something hurting a little. Although serious injuries are tragic, there's something gut wrenching about the thought of senior who'd have been a lot better off with 3-4 rest, but instead plays hurt and loses in a tight game .

The gut wrenching part has more to do with the fact that "the NCAA has chosen" to move away from a model that helps protect players.
The unsavory part of this is that the NCAA couching this with the idea around the wellbeing of the student-athletes when the truth is that they don't give a damn...

Note to the NCAA - If you're going to fill the breaks in all the live streaming games during the season with commercials pushing messages about "strong character & ethics, etc.", than sell this thing for what it is... A money-grab

[laxrules]

I don't hate the comparison to Hockey. Hockey is physical. One could argue the hydration is different in hockey because it isn't 85 degrees in rink.

I will say that no one complained about the 4 Teams that won the play in games having to play back-to-back on weekdays? I suggest that affects as many teams and those games are played on the weekdays where crucial classes/tests are missed.

Are those teams not as important because they are lower ranked?

[NJlxrdad]

They should add at least 5 kids to the playoff rosters