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Myron Medcalf, ESPN Staff Writer
A proposal to allow college basketball exhibitions in the summer months has been tabled, according to a release by the NCAA’s men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees on Wednesday.
The Basketball Summer Initiative, a movement to create a bigger offseason spotlight for the sport, has gained momentum in recent years, resulting in a discussion about the possibility of limited competition in the summer, including two exhibitions, scrimmages or “tournament-style” matchups for teams that would be open to the public.
But the oversight committees for men’s and women’s basketball said they would continue to “review” the proposal without voting on it for the 2023-24 legislative session. According to the release, 47% of men’s basketball coaches and 59% of women’s basketball coaches who were polled did not support the summer basketball proposal. Those numbers were even higher among leadership: More than 60% of collegiate administrators polled did not support the summer basketball proposal.
But the majority of college basketball players, on men’s and women’s teams, supported the concept. Nearly 70% of men’s college basketball players and 63% of women’s basketball players who were polled either “somewhat or strongly” supported the measure.
The committees said, however, that the sport has other priorities right now.
The transfer portal, the future of name, image and likeness rights and potential expansion of the NCAA tournament have all warranted significant discussion and investment within the sport this year.
“We appreciate the membership’s time and openness to exploring concepts to continue to grow excitement in women’s basketball, while also enhancing the skill development of our student-athletes,” said Kathy Meehan, senior deputy athletic director at St. John’s (New York) and chair of the women’s basketball Summer Initiative Working Group, in a statement. “We understand the challenges schools are navigating in the current landscape, and those should be prioritized at this time; however, we hope to restart this important dialogue in the near future.”
Sion James, a Tulane basketball player and a member of the men’s basketball oversight committee, said players deserve an opportunity to compete in the summer.
“This concept would enhance the summer experience for Division I basketball players,” said James, per the release. “We would receive another opportunity to gauge our development while experiencing the joy of low-pressure basketball. The game is becoming more unscripted, so the successful players are the ones who improve their feel for the game by playing in live action in addition to their one-on-zero workouts.”