The round of 16 in Class 4A and 5A playoff hoops is usually an annual tradition where families can go to a venue -- usually the E-Center or Weber State -- stay all day and watch 16 first-round games in two days.

That isn't the case this season. And there doesn't seem to be a coach in the state who agrees with the new format.

"It's ridiculous," Bingham coach Mark Dubach said. "I've been doing this for 20 years and I can't ever remember the tournament being like this. The saddest thing about this is for the teams that don't make the quarterfinals, it's like they didn't even make the state tournament."

This is what will happen this season. The round of 16 games, to be played tonight, will take place at the home site of the higher seed. The quarterfinals for each class will be at Weber State, starting Wednesday with Class 5A, as well as the semifinals before culminating with Saturday's title double-header.

The games that will be at Weber State aren't the issue. But the tournament's is contained in the first round, coaches say, in a neutral venue. And this lowers the opportunity for first-round upsets, like last season when fifth-seeded Weber knocked off top-seeded Alta.

No one is sure what prompted the format change.

Jordan coach Rob Geertson was the man behind the Class 5A tournament expanding this season to include play-in games, but Geertson said he had nothing to do with the format, and he was unsure how it happened.

"I'm not in favor of this at all," Geertson said.

What's for sure is the fact the tournament will undeniably lose some of its luster.

"I can't find a good thing to say about it," Davis coach Jay Welk said. "This never should've happened in the first place. It's not fair to the teams that have to go on the road. It's not fair to the coaches who can't scout for a quarterfinal opponent. It's not fair to the fans, and it's not good for the media because they can't cover every game and give the state tournament the exposure it deserves."

tjones@sltrib.com