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sports Diamars 1 maart 2022

After scathing report, NCAA makes changes for March Madness

(AP) - Nearly a year ago, major effort to make the two
Oregon forward Sedona tournaments more equitable,
Prince took to Twitter to on and off the court. While
expose some of the more the organization wouldn’t
glaring inequities between give an exact dollar amount,
the men’s and women’s it did say it has spent millions
NCAA Tournaments — an more on the women’s tour-
unwelcome viral moment nament this year, with the Fi-
for the organization and nal Four set for Minneapolis.
one that it is still respond- The men’s Final Four is in
ing to. New Orleans.
The NCAA has made major “The zero-based budget-
changes to its women’s bas- ing exercise mentioned in
ketball tournament. Many the gender-equity report has
of the changes have been been very detailed and time-
relatively easy to do, such as consuming in a good way,”
expanding the tournament said Dan Gavitt, the NCAA
to 68 teams and using the senior vice president of bas-
phrase “March Madness” — ketball. “We’ve taken every
once limited to the men’s budget line for men’s and
tourney — in branding. women’s basketball cham-
“This year there will be nu- pionships and compared
merous and notable en- and contrasted them. Where
hancements to the champi- there have been discrepan-
onship,” said Lynn Holzman, cies, we’ve had significant at both tournaments. Still, the NCAA said it would ning in 2025.
the NCAA vice president of discussions about the equity ensure both tournaments Currently, the women’s
women’s basketball. “What stand point. In many cases, The NCAA has plans for will have equitable hotels and tournament is bundled with
those have translated to is an they’ve been adjusted to the changes next year. They hope food this year. other championships when it
enhanced women’s basket- tune of millions of dollars.” to move the selection show comes to TV rights, and many
ball student-athlete experi- back to its Monday night slot Earlier this year, the NCAA wonder how much money it
ence and fan experience.” Starting in the regional after shifting it to Sunday this announced it would not could fetch if it stood alone
rounds, which are played year, where there is the po- combine the two Final Fours, in negotiations. The current
“Making those changes is at neutral sites after earlier tential for it to get dwarfed by a recommendation from the contract with ESPN is not up
incredible and I hope it con- rounds are hosted by higher the men’s show. The NCAA Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP until 2024.
tinues to be that way, and not seeds, there will be “March also hopes to have a neutral report. There are other possi-
just from a massive scandal, Madness” logos on the courts site for its opening round bilities, including potentially Giving women’s teams reve-
and a player exposing them instead of “Women’s Basket- play-in games, similar to the moving one of the two to a nue for winning games in the
on a national stage,” she ball.” The Final Four logos men’s event in Dayton, Ohio. different weekend. tournament — which would
told The Associated Press. will be gender specific, too. be similar to the men’s tour-
“Things shouldn’t be fixed Three things that were Looming for the women’s ney — is a topic that has not
that way. ” Other changes include; brought to light last year by tourney is a full discussion — been explored.
Gifts for each team will be Prince’s video and other so- or new deal — for TV rights,
There is still a lot of work the same. In previous years, cial media posts were dispari- the lifeblood for hundreds of “If you get more money when
to do, such as TV rights and while they were comparable ties in the lodging, food and schools. On the men’s side, your men win than when
revenue disbursement, just in value, they were packaged weight rooms. CBS and Turner’s original your women are winning,
two of the issues outlined in and presented differently, fan contract with the NCAA was then you have to care more
a blistering report released events at the Women’s Final Organizers said most of those for 14 years at $10.8 billion about the men winning,”
last summer that looked into Four have been expanded to discrepancies occurred most- ($770 million per year). They said North Carolina coach
the inequities. The differenc- be more similar to the men, ly because of the set-up of the signed an eight-year exten- Courtney Banghart, the vice
es between the two tourna- including having an open tournaments, with both host- sion in 2016 that gives them president of the Women’s
ments were stark. practice the day before the ing every team in single cities the rights through 2032, and Basketball Coaching Associa-
championship game and of- amid the pandemic instead the per-year average will tion. “It’s just financial optics
The NCAA said it has made a ficials are being paid the same of at sites across the nation. jump to $1.1 billion begin- things. Right?”

Augusta on his mind: Straka rallies to win the Honda Classic

(AP) — Sepp Straka is go- pulling off a huge come- Straka, down by five shots en- lowed by a 64 on Friday, 69 holes left in the tournament
ing back to Georgia in a back to win the Honda tering the final round, tapped on Saturday and then then 66 — simply fell apart Sunday,
few weeks. He’s headed Classic. in for birdie in the rain on the on Sunday. He was 4 under his round of 74 leaving him 7
to his first Masters, after final hole and ended up beat- in his final 10 holes, 3 under under for the week and three
ing Shane Lowry by one shot over the final five, finishing shots behind Straka.
to become the first Austrian with a flourish while most
winner in PGA Tour histo- others sputtered. “Just a poor round,” Berger
ry. He shot a 4-under 66 on said. “It can happen at any
Sunday to finish at 10 under “It’s hard to win out here,” time. I’m not going to dwell
and earn $1.44 million. Lowry said. “It’s just hard. on it too much. Just didn’t
End of story. There is no hit quality shots at the right
“The words aren’t really point saying any different.” time. Probably would’ve had
coming to me right now,” a chance to win if I made a
Straka said. “It’s just crazy. Lowry shot his third con- few more putts. I don’t think
I really don’t know what to secutive round of 67, finish- I made a single putt today.”
think.” ing the week 9 under. First-
round leader Kurt Kitayama He didn’t. Berger made two
He sure knew how to play. (68) was alone in third at 8 birdies Sunday — both chip-
under, and Daniel Berger — ins, one from the sand, one
A first-round 71 was fol- who led by six shots with 19 from a grassy slope.