Ideal Conference Tournament Location

[UCONN_Husky]

I've been thinking about this a lot the past week...especially with the recent meetings where Tulsa and OKC were singled out. I was initially under the idea that the conference tourney should be in a travel destination, where one of our members is located (Orlando/New Orleans/Dallas came to mind). After really thinking about it, these are my thoughts:

1. In college sports today, perception is reality. The top basketball conferences have a permanent/almost permanent home for each of their tournaments. If we want to "play with the big boys," we have to act the part. I think having a permanent/almost home would be ideal.

2. We need to play the geographical odds to maximize attendance (thus maintaining a good perception). The American is a VERY widespread conference. While we have strong programs in the East, they range from Connecticut to Ohio down to Florida.

In the same way that the ACC can expect a Carolina team to be competing for the ACC championship and a Northeastern team to be competing for the new Big East Championship, I think we can expect a Wichita/Tulsa/SMU/Houston/Memphis to regularly be competing for an American Championship. While I love me some East Coast basketball, the Eastern schools are simply too far flung to assure a successful geographically hosting situation.

For the good of the conference (and perception within the college basketball world), I too have come to the conclusion that a more Western-based conference tournament home is what's best for the American, with somewhere in Oklahoma making the most sense.

Thoughts? Ideas? :)

[Good News]

I've been thinking about this a lot the past week...especially with the recent meetings where Tulsa and OKC were singled out. I was initially under the idea that the conference tourney should be in a travel destination, where one of our members is located (Orlando/New Orleans/Dallas came to mind). After really thinking about it, these are my thoughts:

1. In college sports today, perception is reality. The top basketball conferences have a permanent/almost permanent home for each of their tournaments. If we want to "play with the big boys," we have to act the part. I think having a permanent/almost home would be ideal.

2. We need to play the geographical odds to maximize attendance (thus maintaining a good perception). The American is a VERY widespread conference. While we have strong programs in the East, they range from Connecticut to Ohio down to Florida.

In the same way that the ACC can expect a Carolina team to be competing for the ACC championship and a Northeastern team to be competing for the new Big East Championship, I think we can expect a Wichita/Tulsa/SMU/Houston/Memphis to regularly be competing for an American Championship. While I love me some East Coast basketball, the Eastern schools are simply too far flung to assure a successful geographically hosting situation.

For the good of the conference (and perception within the college basketball world), I too have come to the conclusion that a more Western-based conference tournament home is what's best for the American, with somewhere in Oklahoma making the most sense.

Thoughts? Ideas? :)

Good offseason topic. I'll throw out two off-the-cuff, shoot-from-the-hip, dubious, and unlikely thoughts out for discussion:

1. It looks like the Big East contract with Madison Square Garden runs through 25-26... BUT... at least this year, they didn't have any college basketball on the schedule the weekend before. How about taking a page from the Valley playbook for additional exposure and be the only major conference tournament going the weekend before? In a world-class city with many alumni bases and a ton of other college basketball fans, in the Greatest Arena on Earth to boot?

I'm pretty sure CBS would be up for airing that, and we'd be the only games on TV. Attendance should be close to optimized by being close to East Coast schools and a destination trip to an airport hub and/or with direct flights for most others.

Pull Bill Raftery out of the nearest pub, and instead of screaming "Irishman's Loose Ball Drill!" when the waitress drops a tray of drinks he can scream "Shamet... WITHTHEKISS!!!" as he calls the games.

It might also bolster recruiting NYC for the East Coast schools and open the market for the Midwest schools.

Bottom line - it screams legitimacy. Who cares about the weekend before - it can be positive from being the only games on TV, and of a way higher quality than the Valley.

2. Chicago. Do they even have a dedicated tournament? They might want one in the United Center to mimic MSG. Otherwise, all the same arguments - just down an octave.

Peace and Chicken Grease,

Good News

PS - In my dream world where the AAC is as meaningful to college basketball as the Big East was in the 80s, we would also need to bring Gus Johnson out of college basketball retirement to call the game with Raft. Then when the Big East contract is up in 25-26, we take their weekend.

[Aargh]

There would probably be about 8,000 from Wichita at a tournament in OK. OKC isn't a "destination" city, but you'd have a pretty good looking crowd for the television cameras. SMU's attendance is in the 7,000 range for home games,. Tulsa used to have great attendance, but that's dropped off since they left the Valley. I imagine you'd gwet maybe 2,000 from each of those schools. Probably in the range fo 15,000 to 17,000 in ticket sales.

WSU fans would REALLY like it. It would be like a home crowd atmosphere, which might not be well-received by some other schools.

[Eric]

**** it. Intrust!!!!!

[Shocker-maniac]

I would prefer Dallas over OKC or Tulsa. It's roughly the same miles as to St. Louis (if not a little less). It's also probably a little easier to travel to for the Eastern schools.

[shockmonster]

There would probably be about 8,000 from Wichita at a tournament in OK. OKC isn't a "destination" city, but you'd have a pretty good looking crowd for the television cameras. SMU's attendance is in the 7,000 range for home games,. Tulsa used to have great attendance, but that's dropped off since they left the Valley. I imagine you'd gwet maybe 2,000 from each of those schools. Probably in the range fo 15,000 to 17,000 in ticket sales.

WSU fans would REALLY like it. It would be like a home crowd atmosphere, which might not be well-received by some other schools.

The key is how many fans would be in attendance at the Sunday Championship game. The Valley had so many schools close to St. Louis that when Creighton and later WSU wasn't in the Championship game, it meant that schools who didn't send very many fans to early MVC Tourney games, would then travel to St. Louis because it was close. Wichita and Creighton numbers dominated Thursday, Friday, and Saturday followed by others who would travel from close distances. There were usually good numbers that came to the Sunday game even if others left.

If the game was at Tulsa, I would be one who would stay for a late afternoon Sunday game even if it didn't include WSU. I would hope many WSU fans would do the same. The AAC has a good number of good basketball programs who would be fun to watch.

[pinstripers]

What's the number of seats in each of those locations?

[ShockTalk]

Do you go "big city" or centralized location? One location or rotate? No "home field" advantage?

There is some rotation of sites among the P5, so I wouldn't rule out rotation.

Centralized, no home team - - Atlanta, Nashville.

Centralized with "home" team city - - Memphis, Cincinnati, Orlando/Tampa.

Personally, I like rotating among the above 3. Florida is the least centralized, but it is Florida.

You could go Memphis, Atlanta, and Orlando/Tampa rotation as well.

[Shocker-maniac]

Do you go "big city" or centralized location? One location or rotate? No "home field" advantage?

There is some rotation of sites among the P5, so I wouldn't rule out rotation.

Centralized, no home team - - Atlanta, Nashville.

Centralized with "home" team city - - Memphis, Cincinnati, Orlando/Tampa.

Personally, I like rotating among the above 3. Florida is the least centralized, but it is Florida.

You could go Memphis, Atlanta, and Orlando/Tampa rotation as well.

All great locations that I would very much enjoy, but I'm not sure how these locations other than Memphis would do as far as attendance. A key criterion of this exercise is having a filled arena for the tournament. But I could definitely vote for having Memphis in a rotation.

[Bluzrover]

While I think the idea of the tourney in Oklahoma would be cool and certainly great for attendance as Aargh pointed out, I really think that's unfair to the East Coast schools and their fans. I also like the Dallas option but again, not cool for our new East Coast brothers and sisters.

I'd push it east, a little past Memphis, perhaps in Nashville. Somewhat of a neutral site. Granted, it's Vanderbilt territory, and it's sorta in the Memphis sphere of influence, but who cares about that? At least it's more of a destination city than Tulsa or OK City, no offense to my Okie friends.

Shocker fans are going to travel no matter where the tournament is held and Nashville would be a bit closer for our East coast opponents.

[AndShock]

While I think the idea of the tourney in Oklahoma would be cool and certainly great for attendance as Aargh pointed out, I really think that's unfair to the East Coast schools and their fans. I also like the Dallas option but again, not cool for our new East Coast brothers and sisters.

I'd push it east, a little past Memphis, perhaps in Nashville. Somewhat of a neutral site. Granted, it's Vanderbilt territory, and it's sorta in the Memphis sphere of influence, but who cares about that? At least it's more of a destination city than Tulsa or OK City, no offense to my Okie friends.

Shocker fans are going to travel no matter where the tournament is held and Nashville would be a bit closer for our East coast opponents.

They've already done Hartford the AAC doesn't care about fair.

[UCONN_Husky]

Not fair meaning hosting the tournament at the home of the program with the most National Championships over the past 20 years? I don't think it was "unfair" for Hartford to host.

Additionally, I do want to point out that Hartford was not supposed the host to the tourney last year. We were a last minute replacement after Orlando had a scheduling conflict. Hartford in 2015 did pretty well attendance-wise. That tournament actually had that highest attendance numbers of any AAC tournament.

With that said (going forward), Hartford is too isolated given the geographical make-up of the conference. Even if the Huskies are pre-season #1 in the conference, it simply doesn't make sense to hold the conference tourney there. If we want to incorporate some Eastern sites, I'm not opposed, but I believe our home site should be out West.

[ShockTalk]

While I think the idea of the tourney in Oklahoma would be cool and certainly great for attendance as Aargh pointed out, I really think that's unfair to the East Coast schools and their fans. I also like the Dallas option but again, not cool for our new East Coast brothers and sisters.

I'd push it east, a little past Memphis, perhaps in Nashville. Somewhat of a neutral site. Granted, it's Vanderbilt territory, and it's sorta in the Memphis sphere of influence, but who cares about that? At least it's more of a destination city than Tulsa or OK City, no offense to my Okie friends.

Shocker fans are going to travel no matter where the tournament is held and Nashville would be a bit closer for our East coast opponents.

Shocker fans travel no matter where, but much stronger some locations than others. Also, as we have read here before, now that the Shocks are NCAA regulars, some, to save money, were foregoing the league tourney, to be able to go to the NCAAs. It would now not be unusual for the conference tourney to be a longer distance, maybe more costly, than the NCAA games (tickets aside).

[UCONN_Husky]

Shocker fans travel no matter where, but much stronger some locations than others. Also, as we have read here before, now that the Shocks are NCAA regulars, some, to save money, were foregoing the league tourney, to be able to go to the NCAAs. It would now not be unusual for the conference tourney to be a longer distance, maybe more costly, than the NCAA games (tickets aside).

This is the big dilemma in this conference...perhaps not what WSU fans are accustomed to. I attended about 75% of the old Big East tournaments at MSG. Since the break-up, it's been in my best interest to save $ solely for the NCAA tourney sites. One can easily justify a local conference tourney, but when it's halfway across the country, it's a much different conversation when it comes to the appropriation of funds.

[ShockTalk]

Florida is a great location, but the lack of a large number of local fans is a big disadvantage. They are much more dependent on other fan bases willing to travel far because it's Florida.

UConn has a great history and fan base, but they are also the most remote (or at least, feel that way) for other fan bases. If the Huskies aren't doing as well, that can add to the problem (possibly).

If it's within driving distance, the WSU fans will come strong as they did in St. Louis. I would think Memphis and Dallas (or anything closer) fit into that category.