Tulsa may host CUSA tourney

[Shockerman]

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10404045

Below are a couple of excerpts from the article. Makes one realize how special Arch Madness is. I would love for it to be in KC, but it is hard to argue the numbers and success the MVC has had in the Lou.

Conference USA, under pressure from a contingent of its coaches, is on the verge of finalizing a move that will relocate its men's basketball tournament from Memphis to Tulsa in 2009, a source with knowledge of the situation told CBSSports.com late Thursday. The decision still needs approval from the league presidents, but the source said that should come in the next month barring a reversal of plans.

The event has been at FedExForum just off of Beale Street in downtown Memphis the past three seasons primarily because a neutral site isn't a reasonable option for the struggling league

Still, many C-USA coaches have insisted it is worth possibly losing a lively crowd if that means taking away the advantage Memphis has in playing the event on its home floor.

If somehow we could replace E-Ville with SLU then KC would become the logical location, otherwise lets work towards selling out every session.

[SubGod22]

STL has been alright for the Valley. But that's because Valley fans will travel. I'm not a big fan of the Lou. Maybe I just don't know the city well enough but I don't find a lot down there. I know they're supposed to have some decent bars and whatnot but that obviously doesn't appeal to me that much. I think KC would have more to offer, but then again, I'm a little more familiar with KC. Selling out in KC would be just as easy for the Valley. If SIU wasn't in the championship game I wonder if that would happen in the Lou?

Creighton and WSU have shown that they travel very well. Considering we're the two farthest cities from the Lou and bring quite a bit of support, the move to KC would only increase that. It may decrease some Bradley and SIU numbers, but I'm certain that WSU and CU would easily make that up.

I'm still in the camp that says rotate it. That way it's not always in SIUs back yard and we can open up the greatness of the Valley to the KC area. I'd love to see KC be invaded by the Valley for the weekend. Plus, I think KC would simply be more fun. At least for me.

I didn't realize CUSA didn't have a neutral site. If they're supposed to be a big time conference I think that proves otherwise. Playing on a teams home court just doesn't cut it. I'd hate to see the Valley have the tourny in Omaha or Wichita or wherever. That's just not right and we're beyond that. I'm surprised that CUSA isn't.

[RoyalShock]

Travelling well may work against us in a situation like this.

One way to look at it is that the additional WSU and CU fans (and maybe a few more MSU fans) may not make up for the loss of SIU, BU, ISU, InSU and UE fans.

If the MVC office knows we'll travel no matter what, they may not feel like they have much to gain with a move.

[SB Shock]

STL has been alright for the Valley. But that's because Valley fans will travel.

Doesn't STL work because it's close to SIU and SWMO fans and WSU and CU fans will travel?

[GO_SHOCKERS]

I don't understand why the Valley can't mirror the Big XII? Rotate the tourney between KC and STL. KC-"Valley West" and STL-"Valley East" the same way Big XII has KC-"Big XII North" and Dallas "Big XII South"

I'm sure everyone could live with that. Oh, yeah drop UE and bring in Butler (OH), STL, UW-Mil or just about anyone else for that matter!

[Wushock41]

Here's the issue the Valley is struggling with and why the bids are out. The valley, while extremely happy with the overall full arena, knows they owe much of this to SIU regularly playing until the end and day sales. They are trying to find a site that will maximize all session tourney pre-sales. They'd like to get the tourney as close to sold out by 12/31 (the deadline to buy discount tickets directly from your school) as they can. They quite simply know that Wichita and Creighton, the largest all session advance buyers, will go from approximately 6K to around 10K+ if it's in KC. the other schools would make up the difference.

Higher all session pre-sales aren't just about $$ from tickets, it's the fact that they can then go to advertisers and say, hey, we're selling 30% more advance tickets, you know it'll be sold out so advertising will cost you 20% more this year."

The "talk" here in the 'lou is that the tourney will move to another site for 08/09 and the following 2-3 years, probably KC but might be somewhere else if Chicago bids a surprising amount. Then, St. Louis will realize what they've lost, step back up with a bid and the tourney will rotate each year between two sites. This will create fairness as far as proximity to schools and also have a natural efect of keeping each site bidding against the other for years to come.

The wild card is Chicago. I think their interest was somewht surprising and they just might step up with $$ superior to everyone else's. I think chicago is in the mix also because the MVC is talking to FSN about expanding their TV coverage and programming. While there's not schools in Chicago, if the MVC gets that area interested from a media standpoint, more exposure and $$ could follow. I personally doubt this as it's pretty dedicated to the Big 10.

What confuses me is taking bids from Des moines and Omaha. Maybe they just couldn't tell them no or maybe they are thinking about ending the neutral site and rotate it between several cities including Wichita when the new arena is done. I seriously doubt this will happen.

IMO chicago is the real catalist to get KC and STL to bid what the MVC wants but if they double everyone else, guess we're all going to chicago. I've been to many a Bulls game while on business and as long as you're in the lower bowl, it's not bad. however, it's in a bad/transition part of town and you'd be staying somewhere else and taking a cab. If you think hotel prices are high in STL, you'll be shocked if it goes to chicago.

Anyway, guess we'll all know soon as this is supposed to be annouced in november.

:yes:

[rrshock]

They may be losing some seats in KC, but the MVC would still have sellouts for probably every game if it came West. Everyone can call STL neutral, but it really isn't. Being less than an hour from Carbondale, pretty much puts it in SIU's backyard. In KC, everyone would have to stay there, unless they feel like driving 2+ hours each way for a game.

I thought C-USA was doing better than that. Why don't we just get rid of EU and add Memphis? That would take care of alot of problems right there.

[shockball]

Perhaps the gridiorn is the reason CUSA is struggling.

[rrshock]

Perhaps the gridiorn is the reason CUSA is struggling.

They are struggling because they lost Cinci, Marquette, and Louisville.

[tropicalshox]

Why don't we just get rid of EU and add Memphis?

Never will happen, but adding St. Louis and Butler might.