No disrespect to Jimmy Stewart, but the new “Greatest Show” is March Madness. The number of people caught up in the process to name the best intercollegiate basketball team is second to none. The number of people that are involved in this show is staggering.

There is the obvious. It begins with the conference tournaments. How I know the importance those tournaments have is that four conferences have taken their tourneys to Las Vegas, the biggest show city of them all. I have been told that they bring $265 million to town for that week and the Final Four weekend. I say this knowing I don’t even like the conference tournaments, a view shared by most of the college coaches.

Then, there is “Seeding Sunday” where it is announced who is in and who is out and who is playing whom in the first round games. I don’t have the stats on the number of TV viewers for this event, but it has to be the biggest for that Sunday afternoon.

68 teams are in and millions of people start filling out their brackets. It is such a big deal that business tycoon Warren Buffett has put up a one million dollar prize for anyone putting together a perfect bracket, i.e., picking all the winners.

Now, things really heat up with all the first round games played in predetermined regions around the country. The host schools know well in advance when they will host, so most arenas are sold out with blocks of tickets ready to go to the participating teams. They make them available to friends, family and fans who wish to travel to the games.

March Madness is so big that the games are broadcast on four TV channels. I am sure the sports bars across the country are loving it. More involvement. Office pools are huge. People that have never been inside an arena are even into the games!

The 68 teams are reduced to 16 in a weekend. The following week that number will be sliced to eight and then to the Final Four. Final Fours are played in football stadiums. The worst thing to happen to a basketball game ever. We are definitely into that “bigger is better” mindset at this point.

I attended my first Final Four in Portland, Oregon. It was held in the Coliseum, an area that has a capacity of 13,000+. UCLA, led by Gail Goodrich (42 pts.), whipped Michigan and Cazzie Russell in the Finals. Senator Bill Bradley, of Princeton, put 63 points on the board in the game for 3rd. (They stopped playing that game long ago). My most favorite game ever was the University of Houston vs. University of Louisville in the semi-final in the University of New Mexico’s famed “Pit.” The first six baskets were slam-dunks off the fast break.
I am off now to watch Saturday’s games. While you’re in between games, take a look at the Coaching Bookstore … you might just find some more interesting sports stories and coaching advice if you do.