Today I had a conversation with Dennis Poppe Director of Championships at
the NCAA. He was unaware of the blackout issues that arose over the weekend.
It was the NCAA decision to enforce the 200 mile rule.  It should not have
extended beyond 200 miles.  He has asked me to write up my concerns over the
current policys in place. If anyone has any comments with what happened with
the blackouts, please email them to me and I will try to encorperate them
into the response that he has asked me to send back to him. He did seem
surpised to hear of the nation wide blackout policy and felt that the hockey
committee needed to hear from a groups like ours to improve the product in
the future.
 
One additional note, I asked him about a 16 team tourney.  He said that it
is a serious issue that he is well aware of.  He believes for the success of
the sport a rounded event is much better, be it 8 or 16 teams.  He wants to
do away with the buy.  It is his hope that with the split of powers in the
NCAA at this time it may happen, and that if it was his choice, or a money
issue, he would do it in a minute.
 
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