CBS expanded their NCAA Tournament Selection Show from a one to two-hour format for 2016, and quickly viewers took notice that the program was very dragged out.
The show started at 5:30 PM ET, and did not begin to reveal the tournament field until 5:50 PM with the West Region.
SHOW US THE TOURNAMENT FIELD ALREADY
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) March 13, 2016
After showing us the South Region, they went to an interview with Kansas head coach Bill Self instead of just getting to the other regions:
And then things really got laughable, as Charles Barkley went to a touch screen to make his picks for the West Region (again, this is all before revealing the other three regions of the field). It’s clear Chuck had never played with the touch screen before:
After revealing the West region (in what seemed like an eternity later) it was Seth Davis’ turn at the touch screen. Davis and Ernie Johnson noted the national reaction to Barkley’s attempt with the touch screen:
All totaled, it took well over an excruciating hour for CBS to reveal the tournament field.
1 hour, 17 minutes: Time it took CBS to reveal entire bracket
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 13, 2016
And the reaction from college basketball fans on Twitter, many of whom had already accessed a leaked bracket long before CBS finally got finished with announcing the field, was one of disbelief and frustration:
MIDWEST REGION:
1. the touchscreen
16. charles barkley attempting to operate it— portal quarry (@crimsonquarry) March 13, 2016
Good thing they extended this selection show. Its not dragging at all!! #NCAATournament
— Silvy (@WaddleandSilvy) March 13, 2016
I can't believe CBS is subjecting college basketball fans to this
— Matt Barnes (@Matt_NBC4) March 13, 2016
CBS and Turner have officially conspired to ruin the Selection Show.
— John Clay (@johnclayiv) March 13, 2016
Just put this up for 45 minutes, @CBS. I'd rather stare at this. pic.twitter.com/oMRzdWGoR1
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) March 13, 2016
At this rate the inevitable next step for the Selection Show is taking a break in the middle for a Pitbull performance
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownCFB) March 13, 2016
Advice for CBS: save us all and go back to the one-hour program and just get right to revealing the tournament field next year.
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About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.