ESPN Ending Bracketbusters

ESPN’s eleventh year of Bracketbusters will be its last. The news leaked when MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor posted this on Twitter: “MAAC commissioner Rich Ensor broke the news on Twitter this morning: “ESPN to end the BracketBusters event after this season.” ESPN later confirmed.”.ESPN also issued a statement this afternoon:

“BracketBusters has been a unique event for 11 years, producing memorable games and moments while generating national exposure for the participating schools and conferences. Given the evolving college landscape, we felt the event in its present form has run its course. We’ll continue to work with our conference partners to develop new, creative events to further grow the sport. Our goal is to maintain the BracketBusters brand in some fashion in the future.”

Coincidentally the last year of the event will be Longwood’s first. The Lancers will hit the road to play a yet to be determined opponent on February 23. There is no word if the obligatory return game will happen in 2013–13. It has been customary with Bracketbusters for the home team to repay with a visit to the road team the next year.

Many point to the end of Bracketbusters coming with the CAA and other conferences signing deals with other networks like NBC and CBS Sports, rather than ESPN. With ESPN losing the CAA and schools like Butler and VCU to the Atlantic 10, which is not classified as a “mid-major” for the event, they found their product diminished.