NCAA DIVISION I MEN?S BASKETBALL COMMITTEE

REVISIONS TO OPENING ROUND

After a number of discussions with the Division I membership, the NCAA Division I Men?s Basketball Committee discussed the opening-round game and ways to assure the most positive experience for the student-athletes and institutions involved each year.

From the discussions, the following action will be considered by the Division I Board of Directors.

The committee hereby requests that the NCAA Division I Board of Directors add a single unit, beginning with the 2008 game, to be awarded to the winner of the opening-round game. In analyzing the unit adjustment, the committee reviewed the following projection:

Informational Items:

1. The staff and committee will explore ways to work with ESPN to more effectively increase awareness of the game. As such, it might be possible that the game would be used to also offer analysis/comments about the NIT as well as the men?s and women?s championships starting in the coming days.

2. If possible, the committee might announce the two participating teams during the noon Sunday show with CBS. There would be years in which this would be possible; similarly, there might be circumstances which prevent it from time to time.

3. To the extent practicable, assure that the two teams would be chartered to Dayton (or the site of the game should it change at some point) either Sunday evening or Monday morning as appropriate.

The committee strongly believes that the approaches outlined herein would serve the best interests of the student-athletes, the game, the championships and circumstances of the opening-round game.

No action is required by the Executive Committee Finance Committee. The proposed changes will not impact the dollars allocated to Division I distribution.