Good Question: 'Reply All': March Madness Edition
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Kimberly Wencl wanted to know how they decide where the games will be played?
It's a bid process, and the next two years are already set.
Fifty-three cities applied to the NCAA. Only 25 were selected.
The committee uses a lot of considerations. They pick cities that have had success having the tournament, and some new cities with new venues.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak said he wants to have NCAA games in the city when the new Vikings stadium is built.
Sara Sedivy asked on Twitter: How does the NCAA decide which team play were?
Since 2002, the NCAA has assigned teams to pods. That's why the first couple round games in San Jose feed the Midwest Regional and East Regional.
It's random, but the idea is to protect the top five seeds in each region from being at a home court disadvantage. Better teams get home court.
The goal is to cut down on travel time - for players and fans - so they sell more tickets.
Any team can play in any region. The NCAA also tries to keep teams in the same conference from playing each other too soon.
And Paul Illa wondered: How did the cutting of the net tradition start?
USA Today tracked this down. North Carolina State coach Everett Case didn't realize he was starting a trend in 1947.
When the Wolfpack won their conference title, Case cut down the net as a souvenir. There was no ladder ready, so the players held the coach on their shoulders.
Historians say he got the idea from high school basketball in Indiana, where he was a coach before NC State.
