September: Fox Sports is reportedly working on a 16-team postseason men's basketball tournament that would be limited to Power 6 conferences, and in addition, teams from the three conferences where Fox owns the rights to men's basketball TV coverage (Big
East, Big Ten, Big 12) that are invited to the tournament would be required to decline invitations to the Men's NIT. Also, there would be "ample opportunities for NIL" for the players, presumably in an attempt to prevent too many of them from not playing
so they can get ready for the NBA Draft.

October: the NCAA announces changes to the Men's NIT. Regular season conference champions that don't get into the NCAA tournament are no longer guaranteed spots in the Men's NIT. The only guaranteed spots go to:
(a) the top two teams, based on the NCAA's NET rankings, from each Power 6 conference that are not in the NCAA tournament, and
(b) the "first four out" of the NCAA tournament bracket, as announced by that tournament's committee.
These 12-16 teams will be given 1-4 seeds, guaranteeing each of them a first round home game.

I wouldn't be surprised if the next step is "emergency NCAA legislation" to extend the rule where a team that declines a spot in an NCAA championship tournament cannot participate in any other nonconference postseason event to declining Men's NIT
invitations as well.

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On Monday, October 30, 2023 at 10:58:55 AM UTC-7, The NOTBCS Guy wrote:

I wouldn't be surprised if the next step is "emergency NCAA legislation" to extend the rule where a team that declines a spot in an NCAA championship tournament cannot participate in any other nonconference postseason event to declining Men's NIT

invitations as well.

Gonna have to be. Eventually, you're going to have to either make it worth it for the teams to be in it (which is eventually going to mean restricting the 68 to those P6 conferences, etc. (with the result you've already given, yes!)) or you're going to
have that result that teams might just go ahead and take it if Fox is going to offer them enough money.

Mike

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