High school students talented in basketball with competitive scores and profiles often apply for college basketball scholarships. This is a form of in which schools admit applicants based on their athletic abilities. The applicants are expected to perform well on the school team, and at the same time maintain a fair academic standing. These scholarships are quite common in the United States. In other countries, however, such opportunities are rare, if not totally non-existent. They are largely regulated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA sets the guidelines by which the students are expected to perform, on what particular basis they can be admitted as well as the standards by which schools can grant a college sports scholarship.
The season-ending college basketball tournaments are known collectively and popularly as March Madness, as they are played in March. The most popular championships are those of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), as well as various state high school associations. CBS struck a deal with Yahoo! in 2003 for live streaming of the first three rounds under the Yahoo! Platinum service. Then, in 2004, CBS granted access to March Madness On Demand, which showed games that are not available on broadcast television. Enhanced coverage of pre and postgame interviews and press conferences were added in 2005. By 2006, March Madness On Demand was made free, though the coverage of interviews and press conferences were discontinued. The service set a record for simultaneous online streams; and since then, March Madness On Demand has been free to online users.
In addition to this, CBS College Sports Network broadcasts two other games that would otherwise be unavailable nationally: the second games in the morning sessions in the Pacific Time Zone. The games are available via March Madness on Demand as well, and on CBS affiliates in the areas of the featured team/s.
The Internet has proven to be a useful venue for both students in college basketball and coaches involved in college sports scholarship. There are many websites and online forums wherein students and scouts can come together and interact. D1Athletes is an online community wherein high school athletes and coaches alike can share and exchange information they need about college sports scholarships. D1Athletes offers them a place to build an online presence and gain important public exposure.
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