Just as I got on the WBC for producing an event devoid of much fan attention (something about which players have been critical), I must also point out some of the shortcomings of the lesser March events. The NIT used to be a premier event but now its primary job is to determine the 66th best team in the country. At least the NIT does have some history behind it though, whereas the CBI is a total zero of an event. Not to let teams ranked 150-200 in Division-I feel left out, the CBI is newly invented third-tier tournament. Stanford is one of the schools privileged to have been invited to the CBI ball. As you might imagine, fans are thrilled about it:
At tip-off about 500 people were in the stands at Maples Pavilion, which seats 7,329, and by the end of the first half, the crowd had grown to approximately 900. Official attendance for the game was listed as 1,243.
…
Stanford’s crowd Wednesday might have been its smallest since 1993, although it is impossible to be certain, because Stanford usually reports official attendance of regular-season games at around 7,300 based on tickets sold no matter how many are in the seats.
Apparently teams even pay a fee of $60k to host these games. I think that might explain why only 16 teams are participating — they might have to dig through quite a list to field a draw. At least they’re giving these kids the memories of a lifetime. Isn’t that all that matters anyway?
