WHERE, OH WHERE WILL TENNESSEE'S TOURNEY JOURNEY BEGIN?

by Joel Hollingsworth on Mar 11, 2008 8:01 AM EDT in Tennessee Volunteer Basketball

Photo credit: Photo-Mojo

If you, like me, are wanting to travel to the first and second round weekend of the NCAA Tournament to see the Vols play, you have a problem. The phrase "all dressed up and nowhere to go" comes to mind. The bracket isn't set until this Sunday at 6:00, and then you have only a few short days to arrange travel, tickets, and accommodations.

Yeah, I know. So I thought I'd poke around and see what all of the experts were saying about where and when Tennessee would play its first game. I thought I'd find a wide disparity of opinion, but actually, it's practicially unanimous: The Vols will likely open up the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 21 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Now just because almost all of the bracketologists agree does not mean it's set in stone. After all, the "experts" I consulted range from ESPN to Pajama Sam. And yes, I made that up. Shoot, these guys could all be wrong. We won't know for certain until Sunday.

In any event, the following folks all predict that the Vols will be in Birmingham: BracketProject, ESPN, CBS Sportsline, Draft Express, Bracketography, The Bracket Board, BracketDobber, BracketWag, BracketWatch, Feature Presentation, ThermoCaster, MikeOnSports, NY Post, Orlando Sentinel, Warren Nolan.

There are other possibilities, though, and the information is below for quick reference on Sunday.

First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 20 and 22, 2008	First and Second Rounds: Friday and Sunday, March 21 and 23, 2008
Honda Center Anaheim, California Host: Big West Conference Ticket Price: $153 Phone: 714/704-2500 Web site: Honda Center	BJCC Arena Birmingham, Alabama Host: Southeastern Conference Ticket Price: $153 Phone: 800/732-4849 Web site: South Tix
Pepsi Center Denver, Colorado Hosts: Mountain West Conference and CSU Ticket Info: SOLD OUT Ticket Price: $168 Phone: 719/487-2479 Web site: The MWC	Alltel Arena Little Rock, Arkansas Host: University of Arkansas-Little Rock Ticket Info: SOLD OUT Ticket Price: $158 Phone: 501/975-9000 Web site: UAL Trojans
Qwest Center Omaha Omaha, Nebraska Hosts: Creighton University and Missouri Valley Conference Ticket Info: SOLD OUT Ticket Price: $159 Phone: 402/599-6818 Web Site: Qwest Center Omaha	RBC Center Raleigh, North Carolina Host: North Carolina State University Ticket Info: $165 Phone: 919/865-1510 Web site: Go Pack
Verizon Center Washington, D.C. Host: Georgetown University Ticket Info: SOLD OUT Ticket Price: $228 Phone: 202/784-6222 Web site: GU Hoyas	St. Pete Times Forum Tampa, Florida Host: University of South Florida Ticket Info: $198 Phone: 813/301-2500 Web site: SP Times Forum

By the way, did you know you could still get Final Four tickets for face value? The NCAA uses something called First Dibz, described thusly:

A 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four DIBZ secures the right to purchase a FACE- VALUE ticket to both the 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four Semifinal Games April 5th and the National Championship game April 7th.

For example, you can buy 8, 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four DIBZ for your favorite team. If your team makes it to the 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four then your DIBZ give you the right and obligation to pay face value for your tickets and you will be on your way to the 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four.

From the day you buy your DIBZ and up until your team is eliminated or the market is closed you have the ability to sell your DIBZ in the marketplace to other fans of your team. However, if you hold on to your DIBZ and your team does not make it to the 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four there is no refund of the price paid for your DIBZ.

So it appears that the Final Four tickets are "face value," much in the same way that season tickets are: you need an up front payment to secure the right. For Tennessee, the right, or the "dibz" ranges from $79 for upper level seats to $299 for lower level. So there you have it.

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If I understand DIBZ right,

then if you buy a UT DIBZ ticket and UT does not make the Final Four, then you lose the money you spent on the tickets. That makes it a very interesting wager, and the NCAA would stand to make a boatload off of tickets for disappointed teams.

But still, it's the only way I can think of to ensure a team-friendly audience no matter what the matchup is.

by David Hooper on Mar 11, 2008 10:05 AM EDT reply actions

Hmm

The way I read it, you're not buying the tickets, yet anyway, you're buying the right to buy tickets, sort of the same way a donation to the VASF buys you the right to purchase season tickets.

If your team doesn't make it, you simply don't buy the face value tickets and you try to recoup the money you spent on your dibz by selling it to someone whose team did make it.

What's everybody else's interpretation?

Hee, hee, hee haw-haw.

by Jackson the Mule on Mar 11, 2008 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions

On the other hoof

"From the day you buy your DIBZ and up until your team is eliminated or the market is closed you have the ability to sell your DIBZ in the marketplace to other fans of your team. However, if you hold on to your DIBZ and your team does not make it to the 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four there is no refund of the price paid for your DIBZ."

Emphasis theirs, so, forget what I just said. Hey, I was up all night on coyote watch. Sue me.

Hee, hee, hee haw-haw.

by Jackson the Mule on Mar 11, 2008 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Possibilities

There is a scenario where the Vols could land in the East, and that in my opinion, is the best bracket for them.

If a team other than Duke or UNC wins the ACC championship, UT could end up in the east. However, if UNC gets to the ACC championship game and loses, I still believe they will be the 1 seed in the east.

UNC or Duke would have to lose early in the tourney for the Vols to land in the East, but it's a possibility.

My Signature Should be Better Than This

by MoonDogLeft on Mar 11, 2008 12:55 PM EDT reply actions