The following items derive from various sources available on www.ncaa.org and have been compiled for ease of viewing.

Academic Reform
Basketball Academic Enhancement
Division I Board of Directors Votes to Pursue Coach Academic Progress Rate (APR)

Basketball Rules
Three-point Line Extended 12 inches for 2008-09 season

Post-Season Play
Bracketology Notes
Men's and Women's Final Four Host Cities Announced
Men's Final Four Seating Capacity Increases
National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Refresher

Financial Information
Basketball Distribution Fund
Women's Basketball Grants

Going Pro
Details on NBA Age Rule

Legislative Issues
Prospective Student-Athlete Timeframe Now Begins in 7^th Grade Basketball
Recruiting at Non-Scholastic Events Banned
Rules on Preseason Scrimmages
Official Start of Basketball Practice (Midnight Madness) Rule Clarified

NCAA Policy
Alcohol Advertising

Tickets
Division I Men's Basketball Championship Games

Women's Basketball Promotions
Pack the House
Pinnacle of Fitness

Youth Basketball
NCAA/NBA Youth Basketball Initiative
Probability of Going Pro


Basketball Academic Enhancement
The Basketball Academic Enhancement Group (BAEG), charged with recommending solutions to men's basketball's low Academic Progress Rate scores met in August to discuss summer-school requirements, issues related to "0-for-2" student-athletes and measures that would address the academic readiness of 2-year transfers.

• The plan for possible summer-school requirements starts with a pre-enrollment summer for all men's basketball student-athletes in their first year. All incoming freshmen and transfer student-athletes set to receive athletically related financial aid would be required to complete three hours of acceptable degree credit at their new institution to be eligible for the fall season.
• In the second summer, student-athletes would be required to complete six hours of acceptable degree credit at the institution they play for to be eligible in the fall term. For subsequent summers, the BAEG is considering an opt-out threshold for those student-athletes who have achieved a yet-to-be determined academic benchmark.
• One additional benefit of the summer-school plan would allow student-athletes greater access to their coaches and includes eight hours of conditioning, weight-training and skill instruction per week, with no more than two hours devoted to skill instruction. Life skills, study skills and career development would also be included as required course-work during the first summer and strongly encouraged in the following academic years.
• Concerns were expressed about the financial demands a summer-school requirement might impose on institutions, but working-group members agreed investing resources in academic success is necessary to accomplish the group's goals of raising basketball APR scores and improving graduation success.
• The BAEG also held preliminary discussions "0-for-2" student-athletes and two-year transfers but did not report out on them.

 Division I Board of Directors Votes to Pursue Coach APR
The Division I Board of Directors voted to pursue the creation of a database for all Division I head coaches and their APRs. The database might include information such as institutions coached at, hire and departure dates, and single-year APRs for each year spent as a head coach. A publicly searchable database could be ready as early as summer 2010 and a password protected database will be made available at a later date.

Three-point Line Extended 12 inches for 2008-9 season
First implemented during the 1986-87 season, the men's three-point line was extended by one foot to its new distance of 20 feet, 9 inches for the 2008-09 season by the Men's Basketball Rules Committee. Research showed in 2006-07 Division I men's teams combined to shoot 35 percent from behind the arc making an average of 6.6 three-pointers on 18.9 attempts per game. Both of the latter figures are all-time highs. The 35 percent figure equates to a 52 percent shooting percentage for two-pointers. Originally implemented to improve the spacing of the game, particularly in the lane, the extended arc means defenses now have to cover more of the court than ever before. Historically, finding the right distance from the basket has been the most vexing problem concerning the placement of the line. Varying distances were experimented with in the early 1980s before the committee eventually settled on 19 feet, 9 inches.

For more information, check out this FAQ on new 3-point line rules

Bracketology Notes
Both the men's and women's tournament have a 10-person selection committee responsible for overseeing all aspects of their respective tournaments. Before it comes to putting the brackets together, the committees must first select and seed the teams. All voting is done by secret ballot and no one on the NCAA staff has a vote. There are specific procedures and policies that must be followed.

For more information, check out Behind the Blue Disk: Filling in the Bracket.

Men's Final Four Host Cities Announced
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee selected five sites to host the Men's Final Four beginning with New Orleans in 2012. The other Final Four host cities are Atlanta (2013), North Texas (Arlington/Dallas/Fort Worth) (2014), Indianapolis (2015) and Houston (2016).

• The selections conclude a process that began last year. Ten cities were deemed finalists in August and visited by members of the men's basketball committee earlier this fall. Representatives of the bid cities then made in-person presentations to the committee in November.
• In selecting a site, the committee takes into account a myriad of components, including the proposed competition site; convention center capabilities; hotel capacity; transportation plans; financial commitment; and the community and host institution's overall commitment to the event.
• New Orleans, Atlanta, Indianapolis and Houston have hosted the Men's Final Four previously. North Texas is hosting for the first time since Dallas hosted the Men's Final Four in 1986.
• Other finalist cities were San Antonio, Detroit, Glendale/Phoenix, Minneapolis and St. Louis.

Read the NCAA News story

Women's Final Four Host Cities Announced
The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee selected five cities to host the Women's Final Four beginning with Denver in 2012. The other Final Four cities are New Orleans (2013), Nashville (2014), Tampa Bay (2015) and Indianapolis (2016).

• The selections culminate a process that began more than a year ago involving 12 potential sites. Eight finalist cities were selected in August and visited by members of the women's basketball committee in September and October. Representatives of the eight then made final presentations to the committee in November.
• In selecting a site, the committee took into account the proposed competition venue; convention center; hotel community; transportation plans; proposed legacy programs; financial commitment; and the community and host institution's overall commitment to the event.
• Indianapolis, New Orleans and Tampa Bay have hosted the Women's Final Four previously. Denver and Nashville are first-time Women's Final Four hosts.
• Other finalist cities included Columbus, Dallas and San Antonio.

Read the NCAA News story

Men's Final Four Seating Capacity Increases
The NCAA Executive Committee has approved funding for seating systems resulting in a new seating configuration for the Men's Final Four. In an effort to create a more student-centered event and enhance the collegiate environment, up to 4,000 additional seats will be added courtside for students from the Final Four teams to cheer on their teams.

• The plan provides each of the four teams with student-body representation on the end lines, thus allowing thousands of students to have courtside views for the national semi-finals and championship games.
• Ford Field in Detroit will be the first facility to use the configuration for the 2009 Final Four. The set-up was tested during the 2008 South Regional in Houston and Midwest Regional in Detroit.
• The NCAA will purchase temporary seating to be transported and installed at all Final Four sites.
• In addition to adding more excitement and youthful energy to the Final Four, the student-friendly configuration could generate about $4 million per year in additional revenue.

 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Refresher
In 2005, the NCAA and the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association (New York University, Fordham University, Manhattan College, Wagner College and St. John's University (New York)) agreed to terms that enabled the NCAA to purchase the rights to and operate the preseason and postseason National Invitation Tournaments (NIT

The MIBA owned the NIT events since the 1940s. Madison Square Garden has been the site of the finals for the postseason NIT since its inception in 1938, and continues to host the preseason and postseason events.

The agreement ended litigation between the two parties. Terms of the agreement transferred the ownership of the tournaments ($40.5 million) and ended the litigation ($16 million). The combined amounts are being paid out over a 10-year period.

ESPN continues to broadcast the tournaments.

At the time of signing, the agreement called for the finals of the tournaments to be held in the New York City area for at least five years.

Read the August 2005 Press Release 

Basketball Distribution Fund
The basketball fund provides for moneys to be distributed to Division I conferences based on their performance in the Division I Men's Basketball Championship over a six-year rolling period (for the period 2003-2008 for the 2008-09 distribution). Independent institutions receive a full unit share based on its tournament participation over the same rolling six-year period. The basketball fund payments are sent to conferences and independent institutions in mid-April each year. If a new member participates in the Division I men's basketball championship in March-April 2009, the units for participating will be included in the basketball distribution sent April 2010.

One unit is awarded to each institution participating in each game, except the championship game. In 2007-08, each basketball unit was approximately $191,000 for a total $143.3 million distribution.

In 2008-09, each basketball unit will be approximately $206,020 for a total $154.7 million distribution.

For the purpose of distributing the basketball fund, a conference is defined as one that comprises at least six member institutions that have been classified in Division I for the eight preceding academic years. If a conference falls below the six-member requirement, the basketball fund moneys are retained by the conference for a one-year period only.

No conference will lose all of its units if it is represented in the tournament by an institution that later is declared ineligible. In this situation, the number of units in the basketball pool would be reduced to one. [By way of example, assume that Conference A is represented in the tournament by only one institution (the automatic qualifier), and that it advances to the Final Four, thereby earning five units. If the institution subsequently is declared ineligible, the number of units will be reduced to one. In an-other scenario, assume that the conference is represented by two teams (one automatic qualifier and an at-large team), and one of the teams subsequently is declared ineligible. Its units will be completely vacated; the units earned by the other team will be unaffected.]

Conferences are urged, but not required, to distribute money from the basketball fund equally among all their member institutions.

NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Grant Program
The NCAA has established a funding program -- to grow women's basketball from the inside out and at a grass roots level. In an effort to raise awareness and enhance attendance, the NCAA has committed annual funding for a three-year program and is in the second year of this initiative. The program may be implemented at the institutional level and/or conference level.

• All grant information and requirements, as well as the grant application, will be available online beginning in early September, 2009. In the online-only process, all applications must be completed by February 1, 2010.
  The grant program was established in 2008 to encourage institutions and conferences to submit marketing proposals designed to expand women's basketball on all levels.
• Grants will be awarded for a one-year period. At the review committee's discretion, a grant may be renewed for an additional year, but the intent of this program is to provide start-up funding for the initiation of a targeted marketing plan to increase and enhance awareness of the women's basketball program, resulting in growth in attendance. It is the intent of the program that the awarded institutions and conferences will sustain the program for future years following the awarded grant program.
• Submissions must include regular season attendance and attendance growth goals, project goals and objectives, and explanation of the grant's management model. Preference will be given to proposals with a demonstrated financial commitment to the marketing initiative.
• National office staff and representatives from the NCAA women's basketball marketing firm, Hawkeye Sports and Entertainment, will make selections.
• Last year, 12 institutions and five conferences received grants totaling $750,000.

NCAA News story

Details on NBA Age Rule
The "one- and- done" rule, as it is commonly referred to, is part of the labor agreement between the NBA and the NBA Players Association. Many falsely believe it is an NCAA regulation.

• The rule, which took effect in 2006-7, mandates draft entrants must be a year out of high school and meet the minimum age requirement of 19 before they are eligible for the NBA draft.
• It is important to note the NCAA had no input into its formulation but supports the rule for a variety of reasons.
• The NCAA believes the rule forces high school basketball players to take their secondary academics more seriously, exposes them to a year of college academics and better coaching, and provides the chance for individuals to better evaluate their draft potential after one year of playing at the collegiate level.
• Former NCAA President Myles Brand is on record stating he believes the media have overstated the impact of the "one-and-done" rule on college basketball because applies to only a select few extraordinarily talented student-athlete basketball players out of the more than 16,000 student-athletes who play college basketball.
• Dr. Brand has even suggested a two-year rule, saying he'd rather student-athletes stay in school three or four years before heading to the NBA, but even so, two years would be better than one.

 Prospective Student-Athlete Timeframe Now Begins in 7^th Grade
The Division I Legislative Council approved a proposal at the 2009 NCAA Convention for men's basketball to specify that for the purposes of applying the NCAA tryout rule and the regulations related to camps and clinics, a prospect is an individual who has started class for the seventh grade. The proposal was supported by both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Division I Men's Basketball Issues Committee. It prevents Division I men's basketball coaches from working at non-scholastic elite camps for seventh and eighth graders and attending nonscholastic basketball camps and events (other than certified summer events) involving seventh or eighth grade participants. The proposal also prevents Division I men's basketball coaches from conducting institutional camps open only to elite level seventh and eighth graders.

Recruiting at Non-Scholastic Events Banned
The Division I membership defeated an override attempt and affirmed legislation at the 2009 NCAA Convention that prevents men's basketball coaches from observing nonscholastic events in April. The rule was adopted last spring in an effort to protect the academic interests of prospects and minimize the nonscholastic influences in the recruiting process.

Rules on Preseason Scrimmages
The first opportunity to conduct a practice scrimmage is the same day as the first opportunity to practice [i.e., 5 p.m. the Friday nearest October 15 (effective August 1, 2008)]. Further, a practice scrimmage may be conducted at any point during the season. The practice scrimmage may not be included on the institution's published season schedule and may not count against either team's won/loss records.

Only athletics department staff members and those individuals necessary to conduct the practice scrimmage may be present during the scrimmage. Further, the institution must ensure the scrimmage is free from public view and media are not in attendance.

Only prospective student-athletes (and those accompanying the prospective student-athletes) who are making official visits to the host institution may attend the practice scrimmage. Prospective student-athletes on unofficial visits may not attend such a practice scrimmage.

An official score and/or statistics for the practice scrimmage may not be kept. However, an institution may keep score and/or statistics for private use. The institution may not post the score and/or statistics in a newspaper, on the participating institutions' Web sites, conferences' Web sites or any other location. In addition, an institution may not provide the score and/or any statistics to any type of media outlet.

All student-athletes participating in the practice scrimmage are subject to the daily and weekly hour limitations. A practice scrimmage is considered to be a contest. Therefore, participation in the practice scrimmage and any associated athletically related activities count as three hours regardless of the actual duration of the scrimmage or associated athletically related activities.

Official Start of Basketball Practice (Midnight Madness) Rule clarified
In October, 2008, the Division I Board of Directors enacted emergency legislation to prevent basketball coaches from using a rule that allows two hours of skill instruction outside of the playing season to conduct public events promoting the basketball program (Midnight Madness).

Several institutions did so at the start of the 2008-09 season, prompting both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and members of the NCAA Basketball Academic Enhancement Group to say using the skill instruction rule in that way is inappropriate since it gives those schools an advantage on publicity and recruiting.

Alcohol Advertising
The NCAA is concerned about alcohol abuse linked to athletics events. As a result, the Association strictly limits alcohol advertising during championship events and works to educate student-athletes and fans about the abuses of alcohol.

As with all NCAA policy, this is one determined not by the NCAA national office staff but by leadership from the membership. The NCAA provides its members with resources to assist in educating student-athletes and creating and maintaining an environment that promotes healthy choices about alcohol.

Championship Policy -

• The NCAA has for years banned sales and venue advertising of all alcohol at its 88 championships. Host sites are required to cover up any ads for alcoholic drinks.
• The NCAA does not control the regular season in any sport, nor does it run the postseason for the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Individual schools and conferences oversee the regular season, including game operations, broadcasting and advertising. The postseason for Division I Football Bowl Subdivision is controlled by the Bowl Championship Series and individual bowl committees.

Advertising Policy -

• The NCAA limits alcohol advertising during telecasts of its championships to no more than 60 seconds per hour during a broadcast, and it prohibits ads for all beverages where the alcoholic content exceeds six percent. Many of the alcohol ads contain language stressing the legal and responsible use of alcohol.
• Pregame and postgame telecasts are not under NCAA control and not subject to NCAA policy.
• In August 2008, the NCAA Executive Committee affirmed the Association's alcohol policy, including for advertising, describing it as very conservative and appropriate. Moreover, there have not been any proposals from the NCAA membership to change the Association's alcohol advertising policy.

Men's Final Four Viewership/Advertising Details -

• According to the Nielson Company, the median age of the 2008 Division I Men's Basketball Championship viewer was 47. Nielsen's viewers percentage for those 21 and older was 88.7 percent for the 2008 tournament.
• For the 2008 Men's Final Four, alcohol advertising comprised less than six percent of the total ad inventory.

 Tickets to Division I Men's Basketball Championship Games
For the 2009 Final Four, each of the four participating institutions will receive an allocation of 3,250 tickets, which includes approximately 2,850 lower-level tickets and 400 mid-level tickets. Additionally, each participating institution will receive approximately 420 tickets on the floor behind the baskets for their students.

Primesport receives a contracted number of tickets from the NCAA for use in the official ticket and hospitality program.  Additional details are available at www.ncaa.com/hospitality or by calling 800/591-9198. 

The NCAA does not provide tickets to StubHub or any other secondary-market seller.

Pack the House
“Pack the House” is a national effort in which conferences and institutions compete to build attendance.
2008-09 Conference Winners

 Pinnacle of Fitness Challenge Program
The Pinnacle of Fitness challenge is an NCAA Division I women’s basketball initiative of healthy living and education that will challenge and improve individuals and their communities.  The 2009 Pinnacle of Fitness challenge is expected to involve 100 middle schools in nine selected cities, with 74,000 middle school students participating.
Read the NCAA News Release on the Pinnacle of Fitness

 NCAA/NBA Youth Basketball Initiative
The NCAA and the NBA joined forces in April 2008 to launch a wide-ranging initiative aimed at enhancing youth basketball programs in the United States.

The initiative will create a platform for teaching youth the value of education and the important lessons of fair play.

While the initiative will operate as a business and is being founded and initially funded by the NCAA and NBA, it was developed with -- and will continue to benefit from -- input from a broad cross-section of parties that have an interest in youth basketball, including USA Basketball, the National Federation of State High Schools, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), coaches' associations at every level, and the leading shoe companies.

This initiative is based in Indianapolis and programming will begin during the 2009-10 basketball season. It is led by Kevin Weiberg, who began his position of Youth Basketball CEO in January 2009.

The initiative will focus on five central objectives:

• Building strong communities The initiative will develop a website and social network that will be the ultimate destination for the youth basketball community. With the lack of a single organization giving structure to youth programs, the on-line destination will be an informational and fun meeting place designed to connect boys and girls, their families, teams, coaches and event organizers to further enhance their experience with basketball.
• Educating athletes The venture will contribute to the social, educational and athletic development of young players through summer basketball camps and planned skills evaluation programs.
• Supporting coaches Working in conjunction with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, NBA Coaches Association and the National Federation of State High Schools, the initiative will develop a coaching education and certification program as well as a code of conduct for coaches
• Developing officials The initiative will develop educational programs for youth basketball officials to increase their knowledge and proficiency of the rules and to certify them at all levels of youth competition.
• Events for youth competition The venture will work with existing sanctioning organizations to establish national standards for future competitions and will also maintain and publish a national calendar of basketball events. In addition, the initiative will include the existing clearinghouse function which determines athletes' eligibility to participate in collegiate basketball.

 Probability of Going Pro
Probability Chart