[Bambi]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

No doubt, but you can look at that two ways. Iowa is good at wrestling because they like it and have been successful at it, and success breeds further success.

I think that also holds true with KU BB, and of course gaining traction with Mizzou football and......um ladies softball?

But really, I think CBS is a bigger factor, or at least as big in College BB as ESPN. I don't think too many events rival "March Madness."

"Despite CBS' contract to carry the tournament until 2013, the NCAA had the option of ending the agreement after the 2010 championship. This led to speculation that ESPN would snag the rights to future tournament games[14] However, on April 22, 2010, the NCAA signed a 14-year agreement with CBS and Turner Broadcasting System worth more than $10.8 billion, allowing CBS to continue airing the entire regional finals through the national championship, with CBS and Turner splitting coverage of earlier rounds in the now 68-team field. After 2015, the regional finals, Final Four and national championship will alternate between CBS and TBS."

CBB is poised to grow even more with the NBA lockout imo.

An $11 billion deal for a single tournament isn't a bad start.