The NCAA Tournament Selection Show is returning to normal. Also: there are minimal changes to the NCAA Tournament broadcast teams, and this season’s Miami-Florida game has officially been moved up to “week zero.”
Selection Show returning to normal this year
Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show will ditch last year’s format of revealing the participating teams alphabetically and return to the traditional bracket-based reveal, The Athletic reported Monday. The alphabetical reveal last season was widely panned.
The Selection Show, which is returning to CBS after airing on TBS last year, will also revert to a one-hour format. [The Athletic 3.11]
No major changes to NCAA Tournament announce teams
CBS and Turner Sports announced this year’s NCAA Tournament broadcast teams on Monday, with few changes from last year. Fox Sports college basketball analyst Jim Jackson, who this year has begun calling Players Only NBA games for TNT, is the only new addition. He will join the broadcast team of Brad Nessler and Steve Lavin.
The only other changes are a shakeup of sideline reporters, with Allie LaForce replacing Lisa Byington on the Brian Anderson/Chris Webber team, Jamie Erdahl replacing LaForce on the Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel team, and Byington dropping down the depth chart to the Andrew Catalon/Steve Lappas team. [Turner Sports PR]
Miami-UF officially moves up a week
This season’s Miami-Florida college football game has officially been moved up a week from August 31 to August 24, or “week zero” of the season. The game will air at 7 PM ET as part of a special kickoff to the sport’s 150th season. [ESPN PR 3/7]
