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NCAA, College League, USA Basketball: Final Four National Championship-San Diego State vs UCONN Apr 3, 2023 Houston, TX, USA Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan 32 celebrates with guard Hassan Diarra 5 after their win against the San Diego State Aztecs in the national championship game of the 2023 NCAA Tournament at NRG Stadium. Houston NRG Stadium TX USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBobxDonnanx 20230403_jcd_sd2_0140

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NCAA, College League, USA Basketball: Final Four National Championship-San Diego State vs UCONN Apr 3, 2023 Houston, TX, USA Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan 32 celebrates with guard Hassan Diarra 5 after their win against the San Diego State Aztecs in the national championship game of the 2023 NCAA Tournament at NRG Stadium. Houston NRG Stadium TX USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBobxDonnanx 20230403_jcd_sd2_0140
With veterans voicing anguish over the changing landscape of college basketball, the ongoing NCAA season is witnessing a jaded coverage. The slump is being attributed to the overhyping of NIL deals making rookies millionaire in their teen years. The branding of basketball players is creating an attention and audience deficit on the ground. While many appear clueless of the crisis management, a seasoned analyst has suggested a possible way out of the situation.
College basketball is one of the most crucial stages for a player to showcase and develop skills to reach the big leagues. Over the years, college basketball has grown tremendously. From players being noticed by the world to controversial NIL deals, the game is no longer the same. But now, the main challenge remains the audience attention on the court action, especially in the beginning of the game.
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Wisdom for the season openers
Jeff Goodman lately addressed the same concern during his appearance on The Field of 68: After Dark. The seasoned analyst sat down with Robbie Hummel and shared his wisdom on these challenges faced by the NCAA.
Goodman said,
“Get whether it’s 8, 16, whatever it is. There’s enough network space for that first week. Now again, Monday night you’re not having an ESPN because of Monday night football…., start at Tuesday with a doubleheader on ESPN. Then on Wednesday you got NBA on ESPN, put it on Turner, put two games on Turner, Thursday put two games on FS1 if you want, Friday we already have a Duke, Arizona on the Deuce.”“So you can figure it out is what I’m saying, you get eight games between Tuesday and Friday, 16 teams and you maybe put some NIL deal attached to it, so the coaches have a little bit more incentive,” he further added.
Goodman’s strategic insights provide a roadmap for the NCAA to overcome the challenges it faces during the crucial opening week of the season. By optimizing network spaces and incorporating high-profile matchups, the NCAA can not only capture the audience’s attention but also ensure a strong start to the entire season.
Notably, he also slammed the first week of college basketball.
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Jeff Goodman has a unique perspective
The excitement for the 2023-24 NCAA men’s basketball season was seen in the air, but the first week of the season has left the fans disappointed. Most of the matches were between strong and weak teams, with an average 39 winning points. Amongst the disappointed fans was Jeff Goodman.

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Oct 13, 2023; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham (0) dunks the ball during Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
According to him, there aren’t enough high-profile matchups in the first week of the season which results in the downfall of the viewership.
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As the dust settles from a week dominated by lopsided matchups, Goodman’s disappointment echoes the sentiments of many fans.
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