March Sadness: The Consequences of Cancelling the Championships

Cancelling the Big Dance is a gut punch to so many. For fringe draft players, March is a time to tip the scales. Just ask Donte DiVincenzo, who’s stunning performance in 2018 catapulted him into the first round. Bleacher Report didn’t even have him listed in their mock draft posted before the tournament began. After the tournament? The Bucks drafted him 17^th overall.

For higher-level players, March is a chance to cement their status as the cream of the crop. Steph Curry was a talented prospect coming into the 2009 Draft, but his explosion in the Tournament sealed the deal that he would be a top-10 pick. March Madness is a showcase, an opportunity for players to show off their talents. With the college season so long and convoluted with different teams and conferences, March proves to be the one time where everyone is focused on the same games, the same players. For some prospects, March Madness makes or breaks their chances at the NBA.

For the NCAA and the Universities, this is amount of revenue lost is huge. The tournament is undoubtedly the NCAA’s largest money maker, and from the TV contracts to the sponsorship revenue to the ticket sales, the amount of money this “nonprofit” loses by cancelling is significant.

This cancellation proves big for NBA teams too. Whether right or wrong, teams do make draft decisions based on the performances during this three-weekend stretch. Seeing how prospects play on the national stage, with the brightest lights shining, is important. With the college season abruptly cut short, NBA scouts are missing a number of key games they usually have for their research. Teams will have to adjust their scouting prospect for the 2020 NBA Draft…whenever that will take place.

And lastly, the group that bore a brunt of the hit, the (non-prospect) players. These players and their coaches have dedicated so much to making it this far to even be considered for the National Championship. Playing in March Madness is a dream come true for most... to have that pulled away so suddenly is just devastating.