DETROIT (AP)—The road to the Final Four ends in the Motor City, where a new tradition will begin. The NCAA is putting the basketball court in the middle of a football field.

Even if the defending national champion’s coach gets a chance to be on the sideline in Detroit again, he won’t like the look and feel of the setup. Previous tournaments in football stadiums have had the floor in one end of the field.

“I don’t think it’s a good basketball venue,” Kansas coach Bill Self in an interview with the Associated Press. “It’s no comparison to San Antonio in terms of the crowd being involved. The NCAA, the person supervising the transformation of the home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, a driving force behind the design of the stadium and local officials respectfully disagree.

“If you’re coaching, playing or watching a game here for the first time, the vastness might seem awkward because it’s not something anybody is used to,” Detroit Local Organizing Committee executive director Bill Ryan told the AP on Wednesday. “As time goes on and this becomes the norm, I think people will like it.” If they don’t, it might not matter anyway.

“What we’re doing at this Final Four is what we’re going to be doing in the foreseeable future,” said L.J. Wright, NCAA director of the Division I men’s basketball championship. “Among the things the committee likes about the new setup is, we’re going to have 400-plus students from each of the four schools on the floor behind the baskets.

“Those students can come to both sessions—all three games—for $20 total. Last year in San Antonio, if you bought a seat in the same place it cost $220.” The NCAA can afford to create the cost-effective seats because it plans to have nearly 30,000 more fans per day than attended last year’s Final Four at the Alamodome.

About 72,000 spectators are expected to be at Ford Field on both April 4 for the semifinals and April 6 for the championship game. The current attendance record for a championship matchup is 64,959, set in 1987 when Keith Smart’s jumper lifted Indiana to a title over Syracuse at the Superdome in New Orleans.

When the NCAA’s inaugural tournament ended in 1939, Oregon beat Ohio State at Patten Gymnasium in Evanston, Ill, for the title in front of 5,500 fans. It wasn’t until 1971 that more than 20,000 fans watched a final game.

College basketball’s signature event hasn’t been held in a traditional basketball arena since 1996 in East Rutherford, N.J., and it likely won’t return to a cozy venue again. State-of-the art football stadiums in Indianapolis and Houston will host the next two Final Fours and again in 2015 and 2016.

In those football-first facilities—and Ford Field—the hardwood will be at the 50 instead of toward an end zone with curtains cutting off some sections as was done in previous years.

When Kansas beat Davidson last year on a court 29 inches off the ground, a regional attendance record of 57,563 was set.  “There was nothing about it that I cared for,” he said two months ago after playing at Michigan State. “It was really bland when we were there and I really disliked the raised court. “I don’t like it, but I would give anything to have a chance to experience it again. It will be totally different for the Final Four.”

The NCAA is banking on that.

In addition to the buzz generated by a Final Four and 75,000 fans, an eight-sided videoboard with 65-foot-wide monitors will bring the action closer to those in the upper deck and the lucky ones in the lower level should have improved sight lines. A newly created seating system will flow from away from the court and into the lower level of the stadium as it did last year, but the pitch has been increased by as much as 5 inches.

“We learned a lot from the regional, hearing comments and complaints about sight lines,” said Ford Field’s senior director of facility management Bob Gardner, who is helping to oversee the assembly of the seating system this week. “Last year, the system went over the field wall and into the 12 rows of existing seating in the seating bowl and we had to remove 2,900 seats.

“Now, its going up 23 rows and we’re removing almost 5,000 seats so that nobody will have to see the back of anybody’s head.” Ford Field opened in 2002 as the new home for the Lions—next door to the Tigers’ Comerica Park in the heart of downtown—and Kentucky beat Michigan State a year later before a world-record 78,129 fans. It was transformed into a basketball venue again last year for the NCAA tournament and this season when North Carolina routed Michigan State. On the inside, you can catch a glimpse of the Motor City’s skyline through a 65-foot high glass wall in a unique venue that also incorporates a warehouse built in 1920.

Ford Field looks like a 1.8 million square foot loft apartment with exposed brick, heating and cooling ducts along with plenty of natural light pouring through windows and translucent panels. The Final Four will be the latest in a line of marquee events hosted by the impressive stadium, following a Super Bowl and concerts featuring the Rolling Stones and Eminem. “It’s exciting because it reflects the vision the Ford family had for the venue being about more than 10 Lions games a year,” said Lions president Tom Lewand, who supervised the design and construction of Ford Field. “When we had BasketBowl with Michigan State and Kentucky here, the NCAA was skeptical and before being pleasantly surprised by it.

“Now, we’re fundamentally transforming the way one of the greatest events in sports is played and that’s significant and rewarding for us.”

NCAAB Futures: 2008 – 2009 NCAA Championship

March Madness Future Bets

1. Pittsburgh Panthers +600 - - They just beat Connecticut on the road and their best player, DeJuan Blair, is starting to dominate. By halftime against the Huskies he had over 10 points and 10 rebounds. That was against Hasheem Thabeet who is considered one of the best players in college basketball. This team is rock solid.

2. Oklahoma Sooners +800 - - With Blake Griffin on your team, you always have a shot to win. The Sooners will dominate lesser opponents and no double or triple team can contain Griffin who racked up 40 points and 23 rebounds in his last game. If Griffin stays healthy, they are a legit team to win the whole thing. Oklahoma should gather more steam by pummeling Texas on the road this Saturday.

3. North Carolina Tar Heels +240 - - The hype at the beginning of the season caused their odds to plummet to where they are right now in the sportsbook. I still like NC to win the whole thing because of Tyler Hansbrough, their experience, and Coach Roy Williams, but the odds just don’t justify their chances. They’re going to have to play against some tough squads in the NCAA Tournament.

4. Michigan State Spartans +2000 - - Sure, they tend to lose focus in games…for now. Coach Tom Izzo is just warming his fellas up for a solid NCAA Tournament run. Their odds are fantastic and Izzo has won the tourney before with lesser teams.

5. Villanova Wildcats +3500 - - They are still underrated and will remain so as long as they play in the Big East. ‘Nova has the guard play and nice inside game to get it done. That Big East schedule will prepare them for the Big Dance and they’ve got experience. The Wildcats are a nice long shot play.

6. Louisville Cardinals +2000 - - Like Tom Izzo, Coach Rick Pitino just knows how to get his team ready for the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals are a top team that just needs to remain focused in order to make a solid run in the tourney. They’ve got a shot. Pitino will make sure of it.

7. UCLA Bruins +2000 - - Unless they have to tackle ASU, who has beaten them twice this season, UCLA should be right there in the final two weekends of the tournament. UCLA regularly makes the Final Four. Maybe, it’s time for them to get over the hump and gather in their first championship in a long time.

8. Connecticut Huskies +650 - - The Huskies will struggle now that Pitt has exposed them as a soft team, but there’s no doubting their talent and Coach Jim Calhoun as won two championships already. The Huskies should begin to tighten up some until the start of the tournament by beating up the South Florida Bulls on Saturday.

9. Wake Forest Demon Deacons +1800 - - Wake Forest is going off at higher odds than Duke but from my perspective Wake is the second best team in the ACC after North Carolina, not the Blue Devils. Wake is much more athletic than Duke and has terrific guard play. The Demon Deacons could make a nice long run in the NCAA Tournament. Watch how they beat the Blue Devils this Sunday and then make your wager. (link to Wake vs. Duke game article)

10. Arizona State Sun Devils +4000 - - Don’t laugh. What is the one thing that NCAA Tournament watchers say a team has to have in order to make a run in the Big Dance? Terrific guard play. Well, the Sun Devils have one of the best, if not the best, guard in college basketball in James Harden. This team isn’t a joke.

March Madness Betting - Show Me The Money!

Novice basketball fans wait every March for the tradition, excitement and upsets that make up the Madness of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. Office pools become a big hit, usually won by the workplaces’ biggest geek or female making picks based on team’s uniform colors, but what more serious online basketball betting enthusiasts want is March Madness ATS winners or underdogs owning money line online betting value.

Selection Sunday (March 15) is just a little more than two weeks away, the shoe in game being held on March 17 and with Round 1 tipping of March 19, it’s certainly not too soon to look at which team has made bettor’s the most money, followed by a look at their history in the Big Dance and chance at becoming a money-making Cinderella.

When you think of money-makers, March Madness and online college basketball betting, teams rich in tournament history tradition such as Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA and Duke immediately come to mind. While their annual high seeds make it tempting to have them advancing deep into your bracket, and seemingly worth investing in each time out during the regular season and Big Dance, don’t be fooled because often bigger isn’t always better.

In fact, this season’s most profitable team is the Weber State Wildcats located in Ogden, UT with a student body count of roughly 16,000. The Big Sky-leading Wildcats own an NCAA-best ATS record of 17-5-0, having covered the spread in eight straight games. But be careful investing to heavily in them making it nine consecutive. They have two games remaining with conference foes and hold a three-game lead at 13-1 SU over second-place Montana, who Weber State beat last week to clinch the Big Sky title and secure home court advantage for next month’s league tournament.

At 19-8 SU overall, they’re locked into the tournament as this year’s current most profitable team. With everything wrapped up, the Wildcats’ remaining opponents could become sound selections if you bet on NCAA basketball, as Weber State may rest players and-or work on different schemes in preparation of tournament action. Their next game is at home on Saturday against Sacramento State, starting at 9:00pm EST. But don’t forget when the tournament tips off, they’ll be back to playing at their bankroll building expectations.

The team last competed in March Madness in 2007. The Wildcats have appeared 14 times in the Big Dance, going 6-15 SU. During the span Weber State has produced two of the tournament’s biggest shockers. In 1995, No. 14 seed Weber State upset No. 3 seed Michigan St. And in 1999, the Wildcats faced perennial powerhouse North Carolina in Round 1, as the Tar Heels being one of the favorites to claim the.

North Carolina was making its 25th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and had won every first round game since 1980. Weber State was the heavy underdogs against the Tar Heels, but weren’t intimidated which was solidified by a 76-74 victory.

Don’t expect Weber State to make its way into the Final Four, though they do have potential to wear the slippers as this year’s Cinderella. And, if you bet on college basketball, don’t over look them when the madness rolls around and you’re scrolling through the BetUS March Madness odds. They’ll be the higher seed in the first round, meaning most likely the Wildcats will be getting points as the underdogs.

Below is the next four biggest money-making teams on the year:

2—No. 15 Kansas Jayhawks (16-5-1 ATS) Next game: Sunday 2:00pm EST vs. No. 8 Missouri
3—Auburn Tigers (16-5-0 ATS) Next game: Saturday 6:00pm EST at Mississippi St.
4—Citadel Cadets (15-5-1 ATS) Next game: Saturday 7:00pm EST vs. Wofford
5—Drexel Dragons (18-8-0 ATS) Next game: Saturday 7:00pm EST at William & Mary

Here are the important dates for the 2009 tournament:

NCAA® MARCH MADNESS® 2009

Selection Sunday™ March 15
Round 1 March 19, 20
Round 2 March 21, 22
NCAA Sweet Sixteen™ March 26, 27
Elite Eight® March 28, 29
Final Four® April 4 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

NCAA Basketball National Championship April 6