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By Cole Sullivan
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While most of the March attention in college basketball naturally centers on the NCAA Tournament — and rightfully so, as it’s one of the most popular sporting events of the year — there are also a handful of other postseason tournaments that take place.
The second most notable is the NIT, which invites teams that are usually just outside the field for March Madness. The third is the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), which has been held every season since 2007, except for the 2020 COVID-19 year.
However, unexpectedly on Thursday, the CBI’s social media accounts announced that this year's tournament, a 16-team, double-elimination event, will not be held due to "circumstances beyond our control."
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Fans were not happy about the decision, citing a multitude of reasons for the cancellation.
"NO CBI?! This was the best year to have it," one fan said.
Another added, "Because any team you invite is likely to have a significantly different roster next season. Their money is better spent elsewhere rather than paying to showcase your players for the transfer portal."
"Damn. Winning the CBI is what jump-started the Loyola Ramblers before their Final Four run," a fan shared.
One more wrote, "It’s your tournament lol. It is your control."
Another fan commented, "This is literally the best year to have it."
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Many are citing NIL factors as part of the issue, which is a fair assumption considering that once their season concludes, many players will be entering the transfer portal — now a common reality in college athletics.
This is especially true for a tournament like the CBI, which attracts some good teams but falls short of the NIT and NCAA Tournament level. It’s going to be difficult to get those types of teams to have enough of a roster to commit to an extra handful of games in a postseason tournament.
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