Come 1998, March Madness just might get a little crazier.
According to a report in yesterday's editions of The Ann Arbor News, the Big Ten is set to conduct an end-of-season men's basketball tournament as soon as March 1998.
A committee has been appointed by Big Ten presidents and chancellors to study the feasibility of such a tournament, according to associate Big Ten commissioner Mark Rudner.
Although the News reported that the committee is expected to recommend instituting a tournament, Rudner said the group's report is still "under construction" and will not be presented to university presidents and chancellors until December.
"We're focusing on the academic, financial and competitive impact of a tournament," Rudner said.
Although many of the conference's coaches have opposed such a move in the past, that situation has apparently changed.
"It has gone from almost a unanimous 'no' to now giving (Big Ten commissioner) Jim Delany the go-ahead to look into it," Michigan head coach Steve Fisher told the News yesterday.
That opinion was echoed by Rudner.
"It's not unanimous, but there is more support (among coaches) than in the past," he said.
Rudner said the idea of a Big Ten tournament is not a new one, by any stretch.
"The issue comes up pretty regularly (at various meetings)," Rudner said.
There are several possible stumbling blocks to organizing such a tournament. The academic impact upon the athletes involved is one such concern, while scheduling may also be a factor.
Some sort of special format would have to be implemented in order to allow all 11 conference teams to participate in the tourney.
Also an issue is the potential financial bonanza a tournament could bring to the Big Ten.
Rudner refused to speculate on the monetary possibilities inherent in a post-season tournament, adding that such an issue is up to the heads of the 11 universities.