It’s that time of year again. Midterms are over, days are lasting longer and Spring Break looms just a few short weeks away. Everything seems to be moving in the right direction, culminating in America’s greatest sporting event. And no, I’m not talking about the WNBA playoffs.
March Madness is finally here. You should probably pause for a minute to let that sentence really sink in. In a world full of NFL lockouts, Charlie Sheen rants and a 3D movie depicting the incredible life story of 17-year-old Justin Bieber, we finally get some sweet relief.
Maybe I’m overhyping the NCAA tournament a bit, but there is still no denying that when judging postseason sporting tournaments, it has no rival. It is the most exciting and fan-friendly event of the year, not to mention that it is the fairest way to declare a true champion.
March Madness’ format is what all other sports aspire to look like. From what I’ve seen, it is the blueprint of how to make a playoff system. The NBA’s postseason is a good example. It lasts longer than the movie “Gettysburg,” stretching on for about two months. That’s a third of the length of its regular season. Clearly, something is wrong there. It used to be shorter, with the first round series only being played in a best-of-five format. But then, like always, greed took over, and a best-of-seven wrecked havoc. They gained more money from advertising and ticket sales but sacrificed fan interest in the games themselves.
But where the NBA slips up, March Madness excels. This is truly the fan’s tournament. For several weeks, college basketball fanatics treasure their bracket as if it’s their first-born child, protecting and defending it with their life. The ability to shape and stand behind your own bracket allows fans to play along, rather than just watch their favorite teams from a distance. We have a personal investment in the tournament, not just for our teams, but for ourselves. Because we all know that this could be the year we assemble that perfect bracket. Like Chicago Cubs fans in April, we go in hoping for the best but expecting the worst. March Madness, more so than any other playoff system, is truly interactive.
Another flaw of many postseasons is the unjustifiable length in between games. In contrast, the beauty of March Madness is the pure volume of games available for viewing at any given point. The opening weekend is a certifiable basketball holiday, touting a total of 48 games being played over four days. As a fan, I wake up, turn on the television at 11 a.m. and start watching basketball. This goes on for some time, only disrupted by occasional food and bathroom breaks. It could be sunny and 70 degrees outside, and I wouldn’t notice. Some days are just made for a couch, a TV and an abundance of cholesterol-loaded snacks. The basketball doesn’t end until around midnight, and by that time you’re so exhausted that all you can do is call it a night, get some shut-eye, and set your alarm for 11 a.m. Repeat for four days, and you have a truly happy (and physically inactive) basketball fan.
Yes, there are a lot of games, but nobody would watch if the games themselves weren’t exciting. No problem there. The tournament’s “lose and go home” format forces every team to leave everything they have on the court every game. It also sets up a formidable “David vs. Goliath” feel, as lower-seeded teams are pitted against clear favorites. The result is incredible games with memorable finishes.
And on Thursday morning, it all starts again. If you need me, I’ll be huddled in front of my tiny television, probably glancing in frustration between several games and my pitiful excuse for a bracket. Soccer fans have the World Cup, film majors have the Oscars and baseball fans have the World Baseball Classic (just kidding). I have March Madness. Let the countdown begin.
