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Thoughts!??

Not sure about this.

I suppose it's conceivable that ESPN could try to work out a non-conference November Duke-Carolina game every year to help gin up interest in college basketball early in the season. But we already have so many early season tournaments, etc.

Plus the last thing you want to do is dilute such a superior product, so to speak. Those late season Duke Carolina matchups are PERFECT appetizers for the NCAA Tournament in every way.
 
The Big Four tourney is mentioned and I grew up watching it. For those of you who did miss it let me tell you it was BIG. Not quite the ACC tourney but for fans of the big four the pre regular season tourney was always looked forward to. In those days Duke/cheater u or any if the big four teams could end up playing four times. Twice during the season, the Big Four and the ACC tourney. Don't know why it was discontinued but if happened today just imagine the ratings. I don't see how Duke and cheater u play more thsn twice in the ACC conference games but both playing in a pre season or holiday tournament I can see or even bring back the Big Four tourney which I just can't see them bringing it back but you talk about ratings.? OFC
 
We met three times last year and that didn't turn out so well. On second thought maybe we should use it as leverage to join a superconference, if that is the way things are headed.
 
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Plus the last thing you want to do is dilute such a superior product, so to speak. Those late season Duke Carolina matchups are PERFECT appetizers for the NCAA Tournament in every way.
I believe it would dilute the best rivalry in all of sports. Two times is perfect.

Meeting in the tournament is great for ratings, alcohol sales, and heartburn pills.
 
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I’m 100% on board for a big four tourney every year but outside of that I don’t want to play extra. My perfect idea for a big 4 tourney is to play it every year at a different venue In the state, regardless of size.. do it for the people, local economies and the tv audience.. I can’t imagine the millions it would bring to local economies. Give us mnt folk a chance to see them without driving so far
 
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The eight-team Dixie Classic was much bigger than the Big Four. The Big Four and four visiting teams. Part of it was the timing. It took place between Christmas and New Year's. It was part of the holiday fabric of the state and it helped that school was out and many people weren't at work.

And in a time before TV covered much college basketball it gave local fans a chance to see such exotic teams as Cincinnati, Utah, Michigan State or Oregon State.

The early '60s point-shaving scandal killed it. State-supported schools UNC and NC State had their non-conference schedules cut back for a time.

But not Duke and not Wake Forest, both private schools not implicated in the scandal. So in the gap between the end of the Dixie Classic and the beginning of the Big Four Duke and Wake Forest played a non-conference game in Greensboro every December. This was in addition to the two ACC games, of course.

So, there is a precedent for this sort of thing. And with the Southern Conference/ACC Tournament thrown in it was possible for Duke to play its Big Four rivals four times in a season. And it did happen.

But my initial response to the possibility of an additional Duke-UNC game is why mess with college basketball's premier rivalry. Leave well enough alone,
 
The Big Four Tournament helped NC State and Wake Forest tremendously. It put them more on an even level with Duke and UNC. The coaches didn't like the early losses
 
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