Remember when the changes were going to ruin the game?

[silentsaregolden2.0]

I was guilty of it as well. A lot of us thought the NBA-ization of college basketball would be the end of the great game. It hasn't. Neither has the transfer portal, or NIL. These games in the Maui Invitational, as well as others, are showing how exciting the gaem still is and will continue to be.

 

[NociHTTP]

I was guilty of it as well. A lot of us thought the NBA-ization of college basketball would be the end of the great game. It hasn't. Neither has the transfer portal, or NIL. These games in the Maui Invitational, as well as others, are showing how exciting the gaem still is and will continue to be.

No. We thought that Cal's NBA-ization of the UK program would be the end of great things here, and it was until he wasn't able to do that anymore. NIL is becoming a problem, at least in football. Mark my words, we're going to see issues with it in the college basketball landscape. Why do you think certain coaches suddenly retired?

 

[know1]

I do think interest in the game is not very high right now. Just because the games are good doesn't mean as many people are watching. For the most part, the vast majority of people only care about the NCAA tournament.

 

[BlueBomb]

A strong argument can be made that all the changes DID ruin the game. At least the game we grew up with.

But now there's a NEW game, and I haven't decided how I feel about it yet.

 

[chroix]

A strong argument can be made that all the changes DID ruin the game. At least the game we grew up with.

But now there's a NEW game, and I haven't decided how I feel about it yet.

Yep. This is right. Didn’t ruin it. Changed it fundamentally and the end results are still not known. Let’s see how they sort the NIL stuff going forward.

 

[drew_ukfan]

I do think interest in the game is not very high right now. Just because the games are good doesn't mean as many people are watching. For the most part, the vast majority of people only care about the NCAA tournament.

I used to consume so much college basketball but I’m kind of all about the big games or the tournament now. I haven’t watched a UK game since Duke, just the highlights.

Let’s say out of every 10 people I used to know would watch tons of basketball, 8 are now watching way less

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

I used to consume so much college basketball but I’m kind of all about the big games or the tournament now. I haven’t watched a UK game since Duke, just the highlights.

Let’s say out of every 10 people I used to know would watch tons of basketball, 8 are now watching way less

It's definitely changed the game, and I watch waaaay less other games, but I will never miss a UK game if I can help it.

 

[WeWant9]

I do think interest in the game is not very high right now. Just because the games are good doesn't mean as many people are watching. For the most part, the vast majority of people only care about the NCAA tournament.

For a lot of people ncaa bball starts and ends with filling out a bracket.

The new changes allowed Pope to start out with a bang. If there was no transfer rule or nil, it would’ve been an uphill climb for any new coach.

 

[howitis]

coaches making 9 million a year while players get kicked outta college ball for getting a free meal a Wendys is thankfully over. you can't have 24k arenas, with coaches making 9 mil a year, and 500 million dollar tv deals then give the actual players in the game nothing. If you want to pretend its for Amateurism stop putting the games on tv and make the coaches professors on a professor lvl salary. if you want to have every part of the game ran like a pro league then don't balk at paying the players.

 

[know1]

I used to consume so much college basketball but I’m kind of all about the big games or the tournament now. I haven’t watched a UK game since Duke, just the highlights.

Let’s say out of every 10 people I used to know would watch tons of basketball, 8 are now watching way less

Same for me. Nobody really cares much about college basketball. At least I don't know anyone who does. More people are interested again in UK, but way less than used to be. I almost never watch a game that isn't UK and I missed a bunch of them the last few years. I've watched them all this year, but part of only one other game.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I used to consume so much college basketball but I’m kind of all about the big games or the tournament now. I haven’t watched a UK game since Duke, just the highlights.

Let’s say out of every 10 people I used to know would watch tons of basketball, 8 are now watching way less

Same here, minus not watching UK part.

I just can't get into it anymore n regular season. I may watch last 2 minutes of a close game on my phone for two high ranked teams but that's about it.

Nothing like March madness though.

 

[IbnSaran]

The interest in basketball has waned in Kentucky because we have sucked for so many years now. Even when we got some good wins in the season we flamed out in the tournaments. When we win a few more big games this season or we make a deep run in the tourneys BBN will be back in force.

For the last few years I have recorded every game and only watched if we won. Now I am not only watching our games live I am watching other good teams play--just like I did in the 90s and also in the first few years of the Cal era. It is fun to be a fan when your team is good.

I know this is probably me projecting my fantasies onto real life but I hope Pope has moneyballed the game this year. I hope he has used data analytics to create this collection of players and made a championship level team like Billy Beane did in baseball.

 

[anonymous_2011]

It's a catch 22. I love our team but I hate the Transfer portal rules.

 

[gbl97]

Buying players and yearly free agency (transfers) ruin the off-season, but on the court it's fine.

 

[B.B.H.]

I used to consume so much college basketball but I’m kind of all about the big games or the tournament now. I haven’t watched a UK game since Duke, just the highlights.

Let’s say out of every 10 people I used to know would watch tons of basketball, 8 are now watching way less

Not fan behavior. Come on, Drew!

 

[drew_ukfan]

Not fan behavior. Come on, Drew!

I know but I can’t get into Cupcake U or Popcorn St. I will be watching tonight tho

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

No. We thought that Cal's NBA-ization of the UK program would be the end of great things here, and it was until he wasn't able to do that anymore. NIL is becoming a problem, at least in football. Mark my words, we're going to see issues with it in the college basketball landscape. Why do you think certain coaches suddenly retired?

Doesn't matter. The 'amateur' ruse was never going to stand the test of time. And that lie, held on to as long as possible by those clinging desperately to power and money, ran out of runway. So what if you don't like the prospects for the future of college sports. That inevitable future is here.

 

[megablue]

It's definitely changed the game, and I watch waaaay less other games, but I will never miss a UK game if I can help it.

I'm much like you, I watch very little college football and basketball, other than KY games. It has been a gradual thing, but the NIL and portal seem to be making the overall collegiate sports less interesting to me. If the players are not committed, why should I be.
It has gotten to be simply about how much talent a program can buy. For me, that has really tarnished collegiate sports.

It will be interesting to see what kind of player continuity we have in the off-season for both football and basketball at UK. Granted, if a player doesn't want to be here, do you really want him, but if the vast majority are here strictly because of the money ... it is not real.

 

[NociHTTP]

Doesn't matter. The 'amateur' ruse was never going to stand the test of time. And that lie, held on to as long as possible by those clinging desperately to power and money, ran out of runway. So what if you don't like the prospects for the future of college sports. That inevitable future is here.

It does matter, in terms of Cal thinking he was going to use UK for his own agenda. Pope is showing the entire country that Calipari was a joke of a coach, and the way Pope built this team was the right way. Again, we're going to have issues with NIL in the college basketball landscape, whether you like it or not.