Could a March Madness-style tournament ever work in the UK for academy football sides?
By Nicky Helfgott / @NickyH3lfgott on Twitter
It’s getting late into March which only means one thing is on all basketball fans’ minds: March Madness. For our avid football readers who may not be familiar with March Madness, it is a thrilling college basketball tournament held annually in the United States, where 68 teams from the NCAA Division I (the division with the best college teams) compete in a single-elimination format to determine the national champion. The tournament typically starts in mid-March and culminates in early April, captivating sports enthusiasts with its intense matchups, future stars, unexpected upsets, and Cinderella stories. March Madness has become a cultural phenomenon, attracting millions of viewers and sparking widespread excitement among fans as they fill out brackets, root for their alma maters or favorite teams, and witness the drama unfold on the court. The whole nature of the tournament got me thinking, could this style of tournament ever work in the UK or Europe for academy football teams? Here’s the verdict.
March Madness epitomises the essence of sports drama, offering a platform for teams to showcase their skills in a high-stakes, winner-takes-all environment. Translating this format to academy football teams could inject a similar level of excitement and intensity into youth development football.
Exposure and Excitement: Academy football does not get nearly enough traction. The future Lionel Messi (if there ever is one) could be in any academy in the world right now, but fans, understandably, prefer to watch the completed products in the first team. A March Madness-style tournament for academy football teams could generate much wider interest and excitement, drawing attention from fans, scouts, and media outlets. The idea of a bracket would certainly entice the casual fan into the game and add Twitter buzz, discussions and hype around the tournament.
Talent Development: In the NBA, star talents often go straight from college into the starting five of the team that drafts them. In the Premier League, it is a much more gradual transition (usually) as players lack the big game and high-pressure situation experiences. In the USA, by the time a player reaches the big leagues, they have likely already played in front of crowds as big as the NBA, on prime-time TV with millions of fans watching them. A similar tournament would provide young footballers with invaluable experience in pressure-filled situations, aiding in their growth and development as players and readying them for professional football.
Scouting Opportunities: Scouts from professional clubs could use the tournament as a platform to identify promising talent from various academies, potentially facilitating career opportunities for young players. In 2022, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnarcho benefitted from the exposure granted to them during the FA Youth Cup, the current closest format to March Madness. They got to play at Old Trafford, often in front of fans, and proved their footballing credentials on the big stage. Now, in March 2024, they are two of the first names on Erik ten Hag’s team sheet for Manchester United.
Mainoo and Garnacho’s #MUFC journey has been something special…
— United Peoples TV (@UnitedPeoplesTV) July 23, 2023
In 2022, they lifted the FA Youth Cup, our first in 10 years.
In 2023, both are establishing themselves as stars of our first team. ❤️
Youth. Courage. Success. pic.twitter.com/eKWR8Vqxbi
Community Engagement: Just as fans rally behind their alma maters or favourite teams in March Madness, communities could come together to support their local academy teams, creating a sense of pride and camaraderie. Further exposure in large-scale academy tournaments will lead to more Mainoos and Garnachos and will encourage English clubs to develop homegrown talent, reducing the necessity to splash out on foreign talents and facilitating closer ties with local fans.
Yet there are indeed potential risks and downsides to an academy tournament of this scale. Beyond the slight commercialisation of academy football and ‘Americanisation’ which always worries British fans, there are some logistical challenges.
Fixture Congestion: Academy teams already compete in many tournaments. The PL2, the FA Youth Cup, and the UEFA Youth League are just a few. Introducing another tournament to an already packed football calendar could pose challenges in terms of fixture congestion and player fatigue.
Inequality Among Academies: This is a chief concern. Not all academies have the same level of resources or talent, potentially creating disparities and imbalances in competition. What’s more, the exposure granted to the best players on smaller teams will ensure that they are quickly snapped up by a bigger club. West Ham may never have got a chance to develop their Declan Rice, or Brighton may never have developed Evan Ferguson.
Balancing Development and Competition: What separates young talents in England and the USA is media hype. A top basketball prospect could have a million followers on Instagram by their 14th birthday. In football, it’s very difficult to make a name for yourself until you’re knocking on the door of the first team. And that’s the way that English teams like it. The main goal for academy football is player development, and introducing a highly competitive, broadcasted tournament could shift the focus away from this fundamental aspect and more towards commercialisation, shifting players’ focus.
Still, despite all of this, I think it’s time to introduce something akin to March Madness in the English youth football game. The players need greater exposure to ready themselves for senior football. Also, fans want to watch football as much as possible. Yet there are only so many games that their team can play. The next best alternative is to promote the development of the youth team and create buzz for future generations of players.
Let us know what you think on Twitter (X) at @365Scores and @NickyH3lfgott.
March Madness tips off on Tuesday night, the 19th of March.
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This has effectively been another edition of our Modernising Football series of which you can read more here.
