Army vs Penn State quarterfinal should have been played in Albany. A simple swap.
I am not arguing that the seedings were wrong. I just think the @NCAALAX bureaucracy should assign the games to the quarterfinal sites that logistically make sense.
The Annapolis bracket was set with the hope that Maryland and Hopkins would each get there and bring a lot of fans. Maybe the Albany bracket was set up a long time ago with @CuseMLax in mind? Upsets happen. Sports are about adjustments.
Here is a breakdown of logical quarterfinal preference sites for teams that made the playoffs:
Annapolis preference
Maryland, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Virginia, Richmond, Delaware
Albany preference
Cornell, Yale, Army, Bryant, Marist
Too far away to warrant a quarterfinal location preference or location neutral
Notre Dame, Utah, Michigan, Penn State, Duke, Princeton
By setting preferences in the future, the “committee” can put the quarterfinal teams in the locations that make most sense for them and their fans regardless of what happens on the field in the first round.
Had this system been in place, Annapolis would get:
Johns Hopkins vs Notre Dame
Albany would get:
Army #GoArmy vs Penn State
Duke vs. Michigan
What about Duke?
I get it. Durham is much closer to Annapolis, and they are the #1 seed. However, if attendance matters, then you are not going to displace Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, and Virginia from games in their backyards.
X factor
Not all teams have equal fan bases. @UVAMensLax, followed by @TerpsMLax, had the highest 2023 home attendance of teams in this tournament. Out of the tournament, is the number 1 fan base, Syracuse.
Summary
It is time for the NCAA tournament bureaucracy to get the quarterfinals right. To make the best tournament, teams should be sent to the quarterfinal destinations that make the most sense. The seedings can stay the same. Everyone who wins goes to Philadelphia anyway. The NCAA was 2 for 4 in getting the right games to the right quarterfinal destinations in 2023. Getting 4 for 4 should be an attainable goal in 2024.
Notes
The Annapolis attendance was more than 13,00 while less than 5,000 attended in Albany. To grow the sport, the location of tournament games makes a difference. Laxlord