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The ESPN BracketBusters event has been a great way for mid-major teams to play non-conference games against similar quality mid-major teams while playing on national television. It's been good to the Colonial Athletic Association, but it appears that they'll be pulling out of the event for next year. UNC-Wilmington and CAA basketball writer Brian Mull reports that they won't be playing BracketBusters in 2012-13.
Multiple sources confirm that #CAAhoops will not participate in the ESPN BracketBusters series in 2012-13.
— Brian Mull (@BGMull) April 5, 2012
The CAA has signed a television deal with the NBC Sports Network, and that partnership could have something to do with the move. There's no word on whether or not NBC specifically requested for CAA teams not to participate, but there's no reason for the CAA to bite the hand that feeds them. It's also possible that ESPN chose not to invite them. Though the CAA provides some of the best teams' that play in BracketBusters, the names of the programs are hardly the draw.
