A format change for 2011?

[alermac]

I don't have any links, but many reporters around here say many coaches, players and directives call for FIBA Americas to change the competition format. The reason, apparently, is the amount of games and the little overall rest, and that would cause many NBA or Euroleague players to skip the Tournament, or at least create controversies with their teams.

Anyway, i like the current format because it guarantees at least one match between all of the Americas' best teams, and qualifying for world tournaments isn't subject to having one good or bad game. I'd hate it if these things change. But i'd also like to add 2 more nations into the ToA, because many NTs seem to be slowly growing and that may give them an impulse.

Thoughts?

[Dtown]

I would like to see more teams at the tournament perhaps 12 or 14 (not sure if there are enough solid teams for 16), but I do like the second round format so I guess you can put me in the undecided group.

[JGX]

Mixed feelings:

Positives of the current format

--Like alermac said, it guarantees at least one match between all of the Americas' best teams, and qualifying for world tournaments isn't subject to having one good or bad game.

--Teams get to play either four or eight games versus three or six as in the other zonal championships.

--Theoretically, two groups instead of four means less luck of the draw, although they were unbalanced this year.

Negatives of the current format

--While all the top teams play each other, there's not much on the line since they are all going to qualify anyway.

--Eight games in nine days may encourage teams to not always give a full effort...Canada pulling Nash after the first quarter against the US in 2003 for example.

--Tournament drags on for a long time with not many teams being eliminated, which can be dull from a fan's standpoint. In the second stage there's a high chance of matchups where one team is already qualified or eliminated against a team that needs a win.

A lot of the negatives are really just due to the fact that with a 24-team WC and wild cards, the top teams are almost guaranteed qualification. Hard to fix this.

I don't know if there's a point in adding more teams, for a fan it's always fun to see new teams but I don't see anyone better than the USVI who consistantly misses the tournament. If you expanded to 12 I guess it would give another South American team a chance. There are some potentially decent teams from the English Caribbean but it's not because of local players.

[Lewis]

I don't know if there's a point in adding more teams, for a fan it's always fun to see new teams but I don't see anyone better than the USVI who consistantly misses the tournament.

Belize
Jamaica
Cuba/Panama
Bahamas
Colombia

[JGX]

Belize
Jamaica
Cuba/Panama
Bahamas
Colombia

exactly

and panama doesn't consistently miss the tournament

[cardenales]

So it means that probably will be back with the old format. Group games then go to QUATERFINALS, SEMIFINALS AND FINALS.

Its this makes everybody happy (Europe and NBA) so its fine with me, because it can guaranteed to have the NBA's players and the players that have contracts in Europe.

[alermac]

So it means that probably will be back with the old format. Group games then go to QUATERFINALS, SEMIFINALS AND FINALS.

I wouldn't like it, having quarterfinals would make qualifying much more random sort of speak...

i guess the second round could have 6 teams instead of 8, that would mean one less match to play.

[JGX]

Crazy idea:

--Two groups of five teams as now.

--Group winners are directly qualified for the WC, and instead of going into the second stage go straight into a championship game for the FIBA-Americas championship that no one cares about. It can be best of three if the teams want more games.

--Second through fourth in each group go into a second stage like the current one to determine the remaining qualifiers.

--Maybe too crazy: since we've cut down on the number of games, ties for the last WC spot could be decided by a playoff instead of a tiebreaker.

Advantages of this setup would be: Direct qualification for the group stage winner means important games from the start. Second stage for the next group of teams ensures that teams aren't eliminated by a single bad performance. Fewer games means the tournament can be more spread out. Not as many meaningless games.

[planaria]

Brazil is high on host this event. I hope so, since there is much time since the last big event in Brazil (masculine).

We just host the feminine events (that nobody looks to want to host anyone).

[guilherme.rcf]

What the hell were Mexico and Panama doing in the second stage?

4 of 5 going through is a joke. Make the 1st groups stage useless. Three teams should qualify from each group.

With 6 teams fighting for 4 spots, the championship would be much more interesting. Would be better for the players and their NBA and european teams. One more day for resting and one less game to play.

[alermac]

JGX, loved your idea. That would mean:

-5 games for the top two teams (7 if it's a three game series)
-7 games for the next six teams.
-4 games for the bottom two teams.

Right now we stand at 10 for the top four, 8 for the next four, 4 for the bottom two.

The only problem comes at Olympic Qualifying. Since there are just 2 spots available, semifinals might be necessary involving both group winners (as the 1 and 2 seeds) and the best two teams of the second round (as the 3 and 4 seeds).

[CanadianKid]

I like the format the way it is. My only nitpick is that in the group stage the bottom two teams should be eliminated, not just the one last place team. Would make the group stage a little more meaningful.

[J-Mart]

IMO Cuba quitting on the tournment is a defeat for us, those who want an expansion on the tournament. I think the system will stay as it is. The only change i would made would be a day rest between 2 game days

[cardenales]

The tournament the way it is right now is fine. But, like I said before with NBA and european leagues complaining because of the tournmanet in the way is set, I will do a change to guarantee nbas and european club players been part of the tournament.

People dont like the old qualification way but if you see the history of the tournament always the same countries get qualified. Puerto Rico, Canada, USA, Argentina and Brasil. Venezuela two times qualified and Panama in 2005.

Result, not many changes at the end.