Judging from the number of bids to host preliminary rounds of the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, the membership appears to be enthusiastic about a format change that expands the current eight-site, eight-team model to a four-team, 16-site system in 2009.
Since the change was announced in September that the tournament’s first and second rounds would be at 16 predetermined sites instead of eight, Sue Donohoe’s phone has been busy. “We are indeed getting a strong response,” said the NCAA vice president for Division I women’s basketball.
The Division I Women’s Basketball Committee recommended the change to increase preliminary-round attendance and enhance the student-athlete experience.
The eight sites that already had been determined for 2009 and 2010 remain unchanged, but the new format gave a green light for other sites that had waited patiently to make their pitch. For them, the announcement meant the future became now.
“Everybody has retained their right to host so far,” Donohoe said. “But we’ve already started receiving bids from others interested in becoming host sites.”
Donohoe said the committee is looking for “hotbeds” for the women’s game through the new hosting opportunities.
The Women’s Final Four already is a hotbed, having sold out each session since 1993. Now the committee wants to spread that excitement through the preliminary rounds as well.
Average attendance last five years
Sites already determined for 2009 and 2010 tournaments 2009 (March 21 & 23 and 22 & 24)