Some interesting news has come out of the MAAC Council of Presidents' recent spring meeting.
The most interesting item is a schedule change for the league's post-season tournament's 2011 women's championship game.
The women will now play their title event on Monday (March 7, 2011), with the primary benefit being an opportunity to have the game televised nationally by ESPNU, which is available in more than 70 million homes.
This will mark the first time the women's championship game will be aired on national television since 1996. Game time is still to be determined, but it is expected to be an afternoon time slot.
The early rounds of the women's games will be unchanged, with play-in contests on Thursday with the quarterfinals on Friday and semifinal-round games on Saturday of the MAAC tournament weekend. The women will then have Sunday off prior to Monday's championship game.
Also accomplished at the annual league meeting:
- A reaffirmation of the continued development of the MAAC strategic plan, including marketing implementation and use of new media in the ever-evolving environment in college athletics.
- Discussion of conference and NCAA membership and other legislation, the recent NCAA men’s basketball broadcast package announcement and the 68-team bracket, as well as potential conference realignment pertaining to both the MAAC and all Division I conferences.
- A viewing of progress reports on the planning efforts of the MAAC Basketball Championships that will be held at the Arena at Harbor Yard (Bridgeport, Conn.) in 2011 and the MassMutual Center (Springfield, Mass.) for 2012-14. Included in the 2012-14 report was updates on the MAAC partnership with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the MAAC serving as the event sponsor of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament and the MAAC exhibit space in the Hall of Fame.
- Approval of a contract extension of Commissioner Rich Ensor through June 30, 2013. Ensor was named the third commissioner of the MAAC in August of 1998.
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