Tourney In Hot Springs

[Green to the Bone]

After tonight's game, I gotta go to the tourney. This is good stuff. Or maybe I just got too excited by halftime mascot soccer.

So first, I couldn't go to last year's tourney in Hot Springs, but the conference announcement on this year's tourney says last year's set attendance records. I wasn't able to find the actual figures on last year's attendance. Anybody know?

Second, does anyone know if the UNT ticket office is selling anything other than full-tourney passes? Are individual session passes on sale in advance through the ticket office or Ticketmaster, or are they just available at the arena on game day?

Online information seems as fragmented and confusing as ever. Any clarification would be welcomed.

[UNTFan23]

After tonight's game, I gotta go to the tourney. This is good stuff. Or maybe I just got too excited by halftime mascot soccer.

So first, I couldn't go to last year's tourney in Hot Springs, but the conference announcement on this year's tourney says last year's set attendance records. I wasn't able to find the actual figures on last year's attendance. Anybody know?

Second, does anyone know if the UNT ticket office is selling anything other than full-tourney passes? Are individual session passes on sale in advance through the ticket office or Ticketmaster, or are they just available at the arena on game day?

Online information seems as fragmented and confusing as ever. Any clarification would be welcomed.

You should be able to get session passes, but I think you might spend close to the same if NT makes it deep into the tournament.

I went last year (but can't this year). It was fun and I wish I had been able to attend the 2nd game against WKy.

[TheTastyGreek]

Individual session tickets are sold at the arena box office or online through Ticketmaster.

The main question to ask yourself to determine whether it's worth buying a full tournament book is: "How much Women's Basketball am I going to watch?"

If you aren't going to watch any sessions that the NT ladies aren't playing in, you're going to be better off financially to just buy individual session tickets to the Men's games. It's something I realized at the Mobile tournament.

If you're going to stick around for the entire tournament AND watch a significant amount of Women's basketball, go with a full tournament book. Unless you're not concerned with reserved seating, and in that case, it's cheaper to go with individual tickets for all sessions.

Here's the 2010 pricing from Ticketmaster. Reserved seats (the stuff across the court from the team benches) runs $14 (plus handling if you buy online through Ticketmaster) for each of the 8 sessions (4 for the guys, 4 for the girls). If you only want to watch the Men's games, you could have a guaranteed lower level seat for any game, all sessions, for $56 total face value, $72.60 through Ticketmaster.

If you're willing to go General Admission (which, aside from the NT games, is exactly what a Tournament Pass ticket is), you can see all the Men's sessions for $36 face value, $49.20 through Ticketmaster. A GA ticket lets you sit anywhere that's open, which (unless Arkansas State is playing) will almost invariably mean a great seat that's as close to the court as any lower level Super Pit seat, if not better.

Hopefully, this helps.

I would strongly encourage you (especially since this is your first tournament trip) to plan on taking in at least as many Men's sessions as you can. If nothing else, get there on Saturday in time for the afternoon/evening session. If you're leaving from Dallas/Denton, you can leave as late as 9:00 a.m. and still make it if you drive the speed limit and don't hit any serious traffic.

Watch the Saturday session (hopefully without the NT men) and the Sunday one (one way or another, with us) and that will probably convince you to come back next year for the whole thing.

Tournament basketball is a great environment and a super fun experience. You won't regret making the trip.

Edited February 21, 2010 by TheTastyGreek

[TheTastyGreek]

Another thing I ought to mention is the other main consideration: Where to stay.

I know SUMG stayed at the hotel that connects to the Arena last year, and he had a lot of good things to say about it. Unfortunately, it was booked out by WKU(?) and it isn't an option.

If you just want a decent cheap place to sleep at night, the best place we could find last year was the Knights Inn. It's decent, breakfast and internet included, and it's just a very short drive away from downtown or the Arena.

Last year, some WKU fans clued me in that for groups of more than 2, renting a house/condo/corporate apartment is a cheaper and more comfortable way to go than a hotel. We have a group of 6 staying in a house literally 2 blocks away from the downtown attractions and national park, and just 15 minutes by foot from the Arena. With taxes and cleaning fees and deposit included, it's costing us a little less than $95 each to stay Saturday-Tuesday nights and leave Wednesday morning.

Generally, it's a better financial idea for bigger groups... But depending on how nice a hotel you're thinking of staying in, it could still work for an individual or pair. Here's one of the places we thought about renting if we'd had a smaller group... $95 per night (plus 12.5% tax) with two double or queen beds in different rooms.

If you're an outdoorsy type, there are other options that are also competitively priced with hotels out near the lake. Here's a place that's also $95 per night, and it's right on Lake Hamilton.

There are actually a good amount of places that run cheaper per night than a decent hotel, but all of them are already booked. Some are still available, like this condo place that offers a $65 per night 1br/1bath with no kitchen.

Just Google search for Hot Springs rentals and you'll find at least 3 or 4 sites with a lot of options.

Edited February 21, 2010 by TheTastyGreek

[BonfireBrian]

MeanGreenSoho and I are staying at the Austin, which is right next to the arena, maybe a 5 minute walk. The men's team is staying there as well; in fact, I called them and was able to get the same rate that they gave the team, around $85/night. It's within walking distance of the official Mean Green Hot Springs Headquarters, Lucky's Bar and Grill (great job by the athletic dept. in getting this set up).

I agree with Tasty in that you will want to see all of the men's games that you can. Really, nothing beats tournament basketball. We watched quite a few of the women's games last year too, but really enjoyed all of the men's games, even when we weren't playing.

[Quoner]

It's within walking distance of the official Mean Green Hot Springs Headquarters, Lucky's Bar and Grill (great job by the athletic dept. in getting this set up).

There will be green beer at Lucky's. That makes me tingle.

[NT03]

During the coaches show they said there was going to be a pep rally in Hot Springs. Anyone catch when and where that will be held ?

[TheTastyGreek]

There's a conference pep rally/band concert on Friday night.

Last year, there was a gathering outside the team bus at the hotel before each game.

Not sure if either of those are what they were talking about.

[Green Lantern]

There's a conference pep rally/band concert on Friday night.

Last year, there was a gathering outside the team bus at the hotel before each game.

Not sure if either of those are what they were talking about.

An hour and a half prior to tip for every game, there are send off pep rallys. Send offs for the men's team are going to take place at the Austin (where they are staying.) For the women, they will be doing at pep rally prior to the games at the entrance to Summit Arena when the team arrives. The women are apparently not staying too close to the arena, so they won't have everyone go out to the team hotel.

There is additional tournament info on Meangreensports.com as well.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Green Lantern

[Green to the Bone]

Great advice, all. You've made the trip so much easier.

This team greatly deserves a terrific turnout.