The Unofficial Furman Football Page

In 2017, each conference with a team in the NCAA tournament got at least 1.7 million. NCAA recommends conferences split that money among member schools. I have no idea how SoCon does it. If you win more than one game, the numbers go up and up.

In the NIT, they pay each team some of the expenses for travel etc, per diem for players and host teams get to keep some money--but how much you ultimately get is not related to how many games you win. All the teams split whatever money is left over at the end, with hope each team makes some money--but not a lot I don't think. Higher seeded team gets home game---BUT from what I read, a team can decline to host a game. That worries me....just like something we would do!

If we wouldn't pay whatever to host a game in the NIT, I don't really know what we're doing as a department. That's ESPN, ESPN2 level exposure for your university and facilities for as long as you're in the field and the higher seed. Every indication right now is that we would definitely be a top 2-3 seed and could potentially host multiple games.

We are going to the Big Dance.

Just asking...
Would it be better for our program to be 1 or 2 and out in the NCAA and potentially travel far beyond the resources of our fans, or be in the NIT and perhaps host multiple games?
Remember, I'm just asking. I don't know anything about the money.

NCAA by far. You will be on office brackets across the country and national exposure. With that said the NIT is a good second option.

I keep fearing I will wake up and all this is a dream. Obviously the NCAA is preferable but do you think any NCAA committee would give Furman an at large? Really? Look what happened on the football side this year. Moneywise, the first four play in is a good deal because you play a beatable team, then advance and are paid 2 shares, I think?? Furman could make a deep NIT run which would help with recruiting etc. but doesn't the NIT get stacked with large schools with bad records? What a wonderful unexpected year!

apaladin wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2019 11:26 am

NCAA by far. You will be on office brackets across the country and national exposure. With that said the NIT is a good second option.

Agree with this. Although the discussion I think about in my head sometimes is would I rather be one and done in NCAAs or make a run to NYC for the NIT. I think with the drought we've had I would choose NCAAs, but in future years the run to the NIT semis or finals could be really beneficial.

I want to win SoCon tourney 100%
With that said, as a consolation the NIT might be our best chance to host a power conference team at Timmons again

Flagman wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2019 11:20 am

Just asking...
Would it be better for our program to be 1 or 2 and out in the NCAA and potentially travel far beyond the resources of our fans, or be in the NIT and perhaps host multiple games?
Remember, I'm just asking. I don't know anything about the money.

I think i have answered the money question above. Financially,, Furman and the soCon do better if we go to the Big dance.

Setting aside the money, i agree NCAA bid beats a run in the NIT. Exposure is better even if we are "one and done." Even having a couple of home games in NIT is not as good for us as an at large bid. Also good for soCon snice we would then be a two bid conference for 1st time.

As someone who remembers the "good old days" when the NIT was the big tournament in college basketball very fondly, I can say unequivocally that those days are long gone. Aside from BB junkies, the only time the NIT now gets any real attention is when their final 4 goes to Madison Square Garden - and even then it is a fraction of NCAA exposure. For many reasons, FU is much better off in the Big Dance - even if its a one and done situation. In order to get there, we need to win the SoCon tournament IMO. I think Wofford is in regardless of what they do in Ashville. So it is very possible for the league to have 2 teams in the NCAAs.

Even if we were to win the NIT, we still would be hungry (starving) for SoCon tourney championship and NCAA tourney participation and wins. Just do it. Win the SoCon.