Precision Timing System

[Burtis449]

All season long, both men and women's officials wear the "Precision Timing" device on their belts. [I know, they don't wear "belts"!]
But in both the Final Four and the Championship games this device was not worn in either men's or women's games. Same thing last year.
Does anyone have any idea why these were not used in these "important" games?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Burtis449

All season long, both men and women's officials wear the "Precision Timing" device on their belts. [I know, they don't wear "belts"!]
But in both the Final Four and the Championship games this device was not worn in either men's or women's games. Same thing last year.
Does anyone have any idea why these were not used in these "important" games?

Not just the FF. The entire tournament is done without the system.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Burtis449

Does anyone have any idea why these were not used in these "important" games?

The all important dollar.

[canuckrefguy]

Originally Posted by APG

The all important dollar.

I can certainly see why they won't pay for it. The NCAA Tournament is not at all profitable, and is hanging on by a thread financially. CBS pays a pittance for the TV rights, merchandising sucks, and they're practically giving the tickets away.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by canuckrefguy

Because as we all know, the NCAA Tournament is not at all profitable, and is hanging on by a thread financially. CBS pays a pittance for the TV rights, merchandising sucks, and they're practically giving the tickets away.

Might be that PTS folks know this and are asking for more money than the NCAA is willing to pay.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Adam

Might be that PTS folks know this and are asking for more money than the NCAA is willing to pay.

Unless the PTS company is asking for millions of $$$ I don't see a financial agreement being the hinderance.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Unless the PTS company is asking for millions of $$$ I don't see a financial agreement being the hinderance.

I agree, but there has to be some reason the NCAA isn't using it. If it was $10, they'd use it. If it was $10,000,000, they probably wouldn't. I imagine the point where they're ok is somewhere in the middle, but not yet where the two are meeting.

I can't imagine the technology is that difficult to replicate or match. If patents are an issue, then someone should be able to achieve the same results with different tech. I'm just speculating now, though.

All we really know is the conferences all use it. The NCAA uses it for the NIT. The NCAA does not use it for the big dance. Not sure why, but there has to be some reason; even if we think it's insufficient, someone disagrees.

[rekent]

Originally Posted by Adam

All we really know is the conferences all use it. The NCAA uses it for the NIT. The NCAA does not use it for the big dance. Not sure why, but there has to be some reason; even if we think it's insufficient, someone disagrees.

My only thought from an engineering standpoint would be that the NIT games are held in college or NBA arenas where the system is already in place so it is not so much a cost issue as it is an infrastructure issue.

For the NCAA tournament they are held in some unique places such as Cowboy Stadium, and the Georgia Dome where the system is not already in place. Maybe it is too difficult to get the hardwired aspects of it in place or takes too long?

[JetMetFan]

Here's part of an AP article from March, 2011:

The sport's governing body doesn't have much to say about clock management.

Tournament spokesman David Worlock did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Neither did John Adams, the NCAA's coordinator for men's basketball officiating. Erik Christianson, the NCAA's director of public and media relations, issued a brief statement:

"The committee is satisfied with current game management processes and has chosen not to adopt it for the championship. From time to time it has been reviewed by the committee."

Costabile's system ranges in price from $3,185 to $3,750 each, which sounds like pocket change compared to the tournament's $10.8 billion television deal.

He proposed an even cheaper deal a few years ago, offering to provide free systems for the tournament if the NCAA would pay $1,500 at each site to have a company representative on hand to respond to any questions or problems that might arise. He said the money would have merely covered the cost of travel, hotel rooms and meals.

"I never heard back from them," he said.

[Brad]

I think that part of it is that coaches have more input to their ADs and conferences. They lose a game because of clock issues, so they complain about that ... it works it way up and once you have enough coaches complaining, they make a change and implement PT.

Not sure that such complaints carry the same weight with the NCAA.

Plus, you have different sites every year and there is the issue of experience or inexperience with the PT system. Seems to me that the NCAA is looking at it from the standpoint that they basically haven't had too many timing issues to dictate PT use everywhere —*kind of an "It's good enough" approach.

If you have a tournament one year where 4-5 games are marred by timing issues, expect to see pressure put on them. Until then, probably not.

[APG]

What issues of experience/inexperience? I'd venture a guess that the overwhelming majority of officials in the tournament use PTS pretty regularly...and if they don't, it's not exactly rocket science.

[jeschmit]

Originally Posted by APG

What issues of experience/inexperience? I'd venture a guess that the overwhelming majority of officials in the tournament use PTS pretty regularly...and if they don't, it's not exactly rocket science.

You'd be surprised at how often they don't work too... I'm thinking at such a high profile time of the year (i.e. the NCAA tourney), they wouldn't want one more thing that could potentially go wrong. Less is more... it's not like the officials can't go to the monitor to fix a timing error... oh, wait.