ESPN airs a 24-hour tipoff marathon every year to get the season kicked off and there are a ton of schools that get featured on the network that wouldn't see themselves on there otherwise. However, the network has decided to discontinue the tradition that started in 2008.
ESPN spokesperson Josh Krulewitz told Sporting News the Marathon "presented some programming challenges and will not be part of our schedule this season." Krulewitz did make sure to mention that the network will still offer over 3,500 games this season on television and on their live streaming services.
The first midnight tipoff featured Memphis and Massachusetts and then the Champions Classic became the headliner in 2011 going on. However, Krulewitz did leave the door open for a potential rehashing of the marathon.
"We will continue to innovate in new ways and may explore the return of the marathon concept in the future," Krulewitz said in an email.
[h/t Sporting News]
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