AAC conference tournament

[Matt from A700]

I received an email from Dickies Arena that the AAC conference tourney is back in Fort Worth in 2023. I hope this continues through 2024 and beyond. Would continue to give North Texas a homecourt advantage. Besides being 20 minutes from my house, it is a lot more accessible without using tollways.

[CMJ]

 I don't expect the tournament to stay in DFW, but it'd be amazing for us if it does.

[Matt from A700]

5 hours ago, CMJ said:

 I don't expect the tournament to stay in DFW, but it'd be amazing for us if it does.

Genuinely curious, why do you say that? Where do you think it would relocate to?

The AAC isn't losing any DFW teams to the Big XII, and is still headquartered in Irving.

[GrandGreen]

4 minutes ago, Matt from A700 said:

Genuinely curious, why do you say that? Where do you think it would relocate to?

The AAC isn't losing any DFW teams to the Big XII, and is still headquartered in Irving.

Both Memphis and New Orleans are more central sites, and IMO are better tourist cities.

However, I think a bidding process is involved; and the DFW area may be willing to pay more.  New Orleans is a tourist destination and doesn't need another event.  Memphis may not have the financial backing to be a serious candidate.  

[CMJ]

Yeah, I figured Memphis would eventually get the tournament back.

[BonfireBrian]

AAC Commissioner says the tournament will be in Fort Worth through 2026 with a two-year option after that.

Here's an interview from NBC5 at the tournament last year:

AAC Commissioner on Dickies Arena Hosting Conference Tournaments – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (nbcdfw.com)

 

[Jason Howeth]

22 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Both Memphis and New Orleans are more central sites, and IMO are better tourist cities.

However, I think a bidding process is involved; and the DFW area may be willing to pay more.  New Orleans is a tourist destination and doesn't need another event.  Memphis may not have the financial backing to be a serious candidate.  

I think you're discounting the importance of the DFW airport as a major hub. Lots of flights from the airports servicing AAC schools may not have direct flights to NOLA or Memphis without going through Atlanta, Charlotte, Detroit, or DFW, so it'll be cheaper to host in those cities to begin with. Then add in that the AAC is HQed in Irving, and UNT is adding to the DFW footprint of the AAC next year (with a highly competitive team). 

[Matt from A700]

3 hours ago, BonfireBrian said:

AAC Commissioner says the tournament will be in Fort Worth through 2026 with a two-year option after that.

Here's an interview from NBC5 at the tournament last year:

AAC Commissioner on Dickies Arena Hosting Conference Tournaments – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (nbcdfw.com)

 

Great find and great news! The commish was echoing what I was thinking in that these conferences seem to like these shiny toys (new arenas) and want to stay there. I think we could be enjoying homecourt advantage for a long time.

[GrandGreen]

2 hours ago, Jason Howeth said:

I think you're discounting the importance of the DFW airport as a major hub. Lots of flights from the airports servicing AAC schools may not have direct flights to NOLA or Memphis without going through Atlanta, Charlotte, Detroit, or DFW, so it'll be cheaper to host in those cities to begin with. Then add in that the AAC is HQed in Irving, and UNT is adding to the DFW footprint of the AAC next year (with a highly competitive team). 

Your right I am discounting it, because it is very easy to get to New Orleans from DFW area.  Memphis a little tougher, but not much further than NO.  

[Jason Howeth]

45 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

Your right I am discounting it, because it is very easy to get to New Orleans from DFW area.  Memphis a little tougher, but not much further than NO.  

Right, but it may not be as easy to get there from Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Greenville and others, is what I'm saying.

[GrayEagle]

I thought about the AAC moving the tournament to Memphis or Birmingham but then I realized that the league office is in Irving and the four teams in Texas are located in metros totaling nearly ten million.  Temple (Philadelphia) is the only other truly large metro and they are at the northern limits of the conference.  So, people-wise, the Texas location has more people nearby than the geographic center.

[drex]

Memphis and New Orleans crime stats hurt them, too.