Ding dong, Bracket Buster is dead

by **LMS** » December 11th, 2012, 9:50 am

ESPN is pulling the plug after this year.

**Sponsor**

by **TheAsianSensation** » December 11th, 2012, 9:52 am

ESPN realizes they have no demand for their product anymore. MVC's been propping the thing up.

by **DoubleJayAlum** » December 11th, 2012, 9:57 am

ESPn throwing a temper tantrum over the CAA's contract with NBC Sports Network, combined with VCU and Butler jumping to the A10, sealed Bracketbusters fate IMO.

by **isumvc1** » December 11th, 2012, 11:34 am

thank GOD! Good riddance!!!

by **Khan4Cats** » December 11th, 2012, 11:57 am

UNI has probably been helped more than hurt with Bracketbuster match-ups and the return games still being quality, but I have no problem letting this thing die given what it has become. I know this was Elgin's brainchild, maybe he can get on the phone with the A-10 and Mountain West and set up some kind of coast to coast challenge, maybe even make it so every team gets a home and road game each year out of it.

by **Aargh** » December 11th, 2012, 12:27 pm

Is this another in Elgin's long history of brilliant leadership?

I believe last year Elgin told all the schools that he had committed them to BB for another 4 years, and there would be no exceptions.

While I am delighted to see BB gone, I'm really skeptical of signing contracts where you lock yourself into a long-term commitment, but the other party can back out any time. It gives the appearance that ESPN went to Elgin and force-fed him a terribly one-sided contract and basically said "take it or leave it" and Elgin sid, "OK, Daddy".

by **getreal4** » December 11th, 2012, 1:10 pm

Elgin has appeared to be clueless & wimpy regarding the BB for the past several years. The MVC will be much further ahead to have conference challenge games with TV for the top 5 games.

Hopefully Elgin is doing a much better job selling the MVC to potential conference realignment candidates.

by **Pinkie** » December 11th, 2012, 1:22 pm

This event died when they expanded from 18 teams.

by **TylerDurden** » December 11th, 2012, 1:41 pm

I suppose the event had run its course in light of realignment and selective participation.

That said, Elgin's idea was a good one that aimed and succeeded at getting good games for the MVC's top teams (and getting more ESPN exposure), which is all the event was intended to do. Once everyone wanted to be included so that they could have a chance to be on ESPN, it became a lesser event, but it was still one that benefited the top MVC clubs, with few exceptions.

The real challenge for the top teams is to replace those games with similar-or-better opponents. Let's all hope that the game isn't replaced with a home buy game with an RPI killer.

by **shoxrox** » December 11th, 2012, 3:17 pm

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/8735873/bracketbusters-final-season-gave-unique-opportunities-smaller-schools-college-basketball