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[Chris R]

Some business decisions are done because the payment is in more than just dollars. I make these same choices at times in my own businesses. Value-added movement on the chess board sometimes comes in the form of things like reputation, community and regional leverage, greater access to movers and shakers at other seated tables, better relationships, good will, fan appeal, etc, etc. The list is endless.

Sometimes in business, a loss-leader is really a business cow, perhaps not in cash but in other meaningful ways. I dont think UD makes profits hand over fist from the First Four. But I believe they believe that the effort to host it is something they ultimately find a net gain. For fans, many of those "gains" are behind the scenes in smoke-filled rooms and months after the actual event. But its about building a brand and an identity.

Coca Cola probably loses their shirt on Super Bowl ads. Their sales are probably flat whether they buy a $5M 30-second commercial or not. But the value of the brand and competitive nature of their product niche demands they are always making sure when people think of cola, they think Coke instead of Pepsi. Its the cost of doing business.

Given UDs unique dynamic of infrastructure, facilities, personnel, fan support, community culture, and experts with decades of experience to handle such things as a First Four, my guess is UD believes they are better at this task than just about anyone, and can do it far better and with far fewer people and expense -- than other potential hosts that have never done it before and would make every mistake in the book at least twice. Its just too good of a situation to turn down. You can't buy the exposure and promotion for less -- and when you are an institution like Dayton where access to exposure and national pats-on-the-back don't come easily because of location, conference, and other factors, you have to exploit those golden opportunities whenever you can because those chances are few and far between. At Louisville, they have all the tools to host the First Four too. But it would never add the same value to Louisville as it does UD. The scale and context matter b/c the institutions themselves are anything but equal.