Back in 1971, Lefty Driesell, the then head coach at the University of Maryland, was the first coach to bring about the idea of Midnight Madness, that is the official kick-off to the college basketball season as practices commence. Back then, festivities weren’t much in play but now, we have seen anything from practices occurring out on the blacktop and on city streets, rappers like Drake and Ludacris performing, to even head coaches dressing up like Jackie Moon and a member of the band KISS. While the majority, if not all, of the coaches leading basketball programs would rather just get to business with the first day of practice, there is also the entertainment value and the spotlight placed on the program that aids in the recruiting process.

In the coming weeks, such programs as Duke, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan State, Kansas, and Arizona will run its own Midnight Madness festivities of some sort. While the luster has been taken off of it all due to the recent rule change that has allowed for practices to begin as early as October 1, many of the top programs nationally have continued to go on with its tradition of bringing in a load of its top recruits, laying out the red carpet for celebrity entertainers, and loading the arena with fans that allows for their first glance at what the upcoming season might behold.

Ask any coach though and it is a headache in itself. Yes, the domino effect on the recruiting front is definitely tangible. However, all they want to do is get to work and implement specific sets and work on certain drills for further polishing and fundamental progressions. We spoke with a number of division-1 coaches on their own very thoughts on the entire matter and it was interesting in reeling in a variety of responses to a number of our questions.

Whether it is Late Night at the Phog at Kansas, the Red-White Scrimmage at Arizona, or Big Blue Madness at Kentucky, all of the events are a bit different in their own way, yet the main point is for the kids to enjoy themselves on the heightened scale, get a quick run in, and most of all, impress the bevy of recruits that might be on campus. Some attempt to host as many visitors as possible, both in the official and unofficial variety, while others lure in just a handful of its priority recruits in which it will allow more one-on-one time with the potential recruit.

“Anytime you can get kids on campus here, you have to do so,” one coach at Big 12 program noted. However, a peer of his at Big 10 program had another school of thought. “If we did it, I would bring in a select few to make it a special feel.”

With signing day on November 11, commitments are received during and very often, immediately following the several hours on campus. Some programs like Arizona just go about things by having a scrimmage in front of a sold out crowd at the McHale Center. Kentucky goes all out, bringing in a rapper, announcing each member of its squad one by one, and then put on dunk contests and a brief but glorified scrimmage. There is no right or wrong way to go about doing things and it is entirely up to the coaching staff at the particular school, but the kids and fans love it, and most of all, the recruits get a chance to see the arena filled up, how the fans treat the players, and if the recruit does plan on signing early, they get the closest shot at getting a feel for what the campus is like on a game day.

“It is about entertainment. Unless I coached at an elite-level program, I don’t think I would attempt such an event. It can end up looking worse for your program from a perception standpoint if your house isn’t packed,” a coach at a top-25 program noted on what could transpire on such a day.

Another coach spoke on what he would have transpire during a Midnight Madness event. “For me, it's a glorified pickup game; I would rather have a real scrimmage in front of fans with a dunk contest and 3-point competition! But the goal is definitely entertainment so you want dunks and easy baskets.”

Regardless of what does occur on this magnified day on campus, it all comes down to whether or not it can help you land any of the prospects on campus. As one coach noted, it could definitely hurt you if the fan support isn’t there. However, entertainment definitely sells with kids, and so does large fan support and admiration from the boosters. While Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, Arizona, and many others attempt to bring in their top recruits to campus in the coming weeks, has Midnight Madness ever aided in securing a commitment out of a particular prospect? “It has not. I think the elite programs can gain traction but for the masses, probably not,” stated an assistant at a Big East school.

A coach at another power conference program agreed with the statement, as well. “I don't think kids will come solely based on what happens that day.  It's exciting but lots of factors play in to getting a commitment.”

In the end, while ESPN is more than willing to step in and broadcast a variety of the top programs’ Midnight Madness festivities, a tradition that has stood throughout the years, even with the ever-changing landscape that is college basketball and the rules that have followed suit, the annual event is more than just bright lights and loud noises, but also a strategic endeavor that is put into action for the primary emphasis in furthering fan support and more importantly, gaining traction with specific recruits that are expected on hand.