College sports Q&A first edition

The GIST: You ask, we answer! We’re using the summer break to dive deeper into some of college sports’ complex topics and your burning questions. Today we’re starting with…

Q: Why does baseball separate regional host sites from seeded teams, even though they’re usually the same?

A: Unlike softball, where seeded squads are guaranteed regional hosting rights, baseball’s top 16 could be outbid by unseeded schools able to promise the NCAA more revenue. In other words, money talks. However, fans — and their dollars — show out for top teams, so most of the time, seeded squads do host, and this year was no exception.

Go deeper: Baseball’s seeded guarantee? The option to host their Super Regional…if they advance and if they’re the higher seed. Read more on how the men’s tourney shakes out here.

Q: What is redshirting?

A: Redshirting is when an NCAA athlete sits out of competition for a season, often to build their skills or recover from injury, without using up a year of eligibility. This way, they can still attend school with their scholarship and train with their team.

Go deeper: Medical redshirting is permitted even if athletes have competed — as long as the injury happens in the first half of the season and the athlete competed in less than 30% of games. Check out this article for more on the different types of redshirting.