How is this more fair to the lower groups? Do you mean it gives the lower groups an advantage? It certainly isn't fair; it's like having a sprinting tournament with one side of the bracket being the Jamaican olympic squad and the other half just kindergartners. Sure, one of the kids is gonna make the finals, but is it fair to the people that spent so much time to train for the event?. A seeded bracket is pretty much perfectly fair. There still is room for an upset, but having #1 and #2 seed go at it first round is kinda silly.