Since becoming the head coach for the Kentucky Wildcats, Mark Pope has been outspoken about changes he would like to see. One of those involves the college basketball schedule, and more specifically, adding to the number of games played.
In a recent interview with Kentucky Sports Radio, Pope discussed lengthening the season, saying:
Expand this season, because what’s happening is especially with the revenue share. Now, like the revenue share should change everything in terms of our opportunity to actually go share revenue. Let’s get to, I keep saying forty (games) and everyone’s mad at me. I’m gonna keep pushing forty. But can we get to thirty five?
He explained his thought process in wanting a longer season as well:
Part of the complication is that we make so much revenue off our home games that I’m locked into this 20-game home slate. We have to do that to pay the bills for us and for the athletic department, which is good, but bring on some more flexibility so we play some more games that every school can actually bring in some more revenue, that we can share with these student athletes, that we share with the rest of athletic department.
The college basketball landscape has changed in recent years, and continues to change. Revenue sharing is the latest addition to the equation, and it will be something new for players, coaches, and administrators to navigate.
Adding more games to the schedule isn’t exactly a novel concept. The NCAA Tournament has expanded multiple times, adding more postseason games. College football has followed suit with season expansions and a longer postseason. Could a longer college basketball regular season happen? The world of college sports is constantly evolving, so it’s certainly possible.
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