No automatic bid to NIT

[VU75]

The Nit has changed it's format and eliminated the automatic big for regular season conference champs who lose their conference tournaments.  Instead the first 12 teams will be the top two ranked teams from each of the six power conferences the remaining 20 schools will be the  highest ranked remaining teams.

[VULB#62]

Another P6 pressure move.  Sucks!

[vu84v2]

That does suck.

[FWalum]

Complete and utter bull hockey! 

[Chairback]

Interesting move certainly with some high majors declining to participate in the NIT in the past.  Seems like they are grasping for straws to keep it alive.   

It seems like a very risky move to alienate conference champions and focus on high major schools. 

No one pays attention to the NIT now.  Getting rid of the mid majors can backfire.  It seems like the mid major schools value the NIT more than high majors.   

[vu84v2]

So, I guess that there is another postseason tournament coming. I really don't see why these postseason tournaments are interested in teams that finished 12th in the Big Ten, SEC, etc. Its not like their fans are going to say, we finished 13-18 overall and 7-11 in conference...but now I am excited about the team being in the ______  tournament in Las Vegas.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38794849/changes-postseason-nit-made-response-new-tournament

[David81]

So, I guess that there is another postseason tournament coming. I really don't see why these postseason tournaments are interested in teams that finished 12th in the Big Ten, SEC, etc. Its not like their fans are going to say, we finished 13-18 overall and 7-11 in conference...but now I am excited about the team being in the ______  tournament in Las Vegas.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38794849/changes-postseason-nit-made-response-new-tournament

If this unannounced newcomer tourney plans to feature P6 schools (per the ESPN article), and now the NIT restructures itself to featured the same, is yet another new tourney devoted exclusively to mid-majors a viable possibility, competitively on the court and financially in terms of fan interest and TV?

Or could the CBI -- basically a mid-major tourney now anyway -- expressly rebrand and refinance (i.e., no play-to-pay fee) to become a mid-major showcase, with most/all top mid-majors spurned by the NCAA opting in with it?