Thinking ahead to hosting the conf tourney..

[UNT96]

NT outbid everyone else and paid the maximum alowed under SBC bylaws to get the rights to the 2004-2005 season and 2005-2006 season SBC tourneys in Denton. This gives us one year to turn things around (next year it is still in Bowling Green at WKU). As you know, as great of a destination that New Orleans is, almost nobody ttraveled well to the SBC conf tourney when it was there. From the attendance numbers I have heard, nobody is really going to Bowling Green, either. The numbers are great for the WKU games but that is about it. So here is my question. Did we speak too soon when we bid on the tourney?

I will await your responses before I post my opinion as I would like an unbiased group of answers from you guys (and gals).

[Zeke]

I was thinking about this myself. The only answer I can come up with is, YES, we did jump the gun a little. In two years, I don't see a very large crowd for any of the tournament games. Things could get a bit better if we could put a competative team on the court.

[emmitt01]

I don''t know if I'm just suggesting something that is already happening but has the tournament ever been pitched as an "event" and not just several teams in a tournament? What I mean is, realizing that Dentonites would only really care about NT (and that's a stretch given past attendance numbers) has anyone ever put together a package deal for all of the games so that basketball afficionados (sp?) could watch it all from start to finish and follow the progression of all of the teams? I know that I could care less about La-La unless they're playing NT but I might pay one lump sum to watch all of the tournament games and become interested by virtue of seeing it all play out.

[UNTFan23]

The fact that it was a problem in New Orleans and seems to be the same way in Bowling Green, says to me that it's the fans of other teams can't (notice I didn't say WON'T) travel, for one reason or another, to the event.

Some how, I think if the event were to be held at Denver or FIU it would still be a problem.

[EagleMBA]

I believe that JJ will have the team competing for the conference championship and the bid to the Big Dance by then. I DO believe it! Also, I thought it was standard practice to pitch the total tournament package as a "season pass" and price it so that anyone who wanted to buy as many as three session tickets would find it more attractive financially to just buy a pass to the whole thing. I admit that I am not aware of this year's tournament ticket structure because there was no interest here in going to Kentucky for a few days. You have to feel that the feeling is mutual and so we will have to market heavily to basketball fans in Dallas and Fort

Worth that would like to see good basketball played, regardless of the teams. There ARE people out there like that. Maybe with the Big 12 tournament being here this year and next it will kindle some interest and people will be looking for a "fix" when it goes back to KC in 2005. We can tap that.

[UNT96]

The reason why it is such a hard sell for attendance is that the damn thing is so long! Wanna know something else? Next year not all of the teams make it automatically. Can you imagine not getting invited (because of record) if it were in Denton? Yikes! I guess you have to take the chance every now and then. Basketball has a way of turning itself around a lot faster than football, we do have a year and a half (but really just one recruiting class more) to right the ship; BUT this year was very disheartening. By then Hopkins will be gone and now Davis is gone. Who is our pure shooter then?

[Privateer6]

Even with the host's teams in the tournament, it's probably hard work to make it a break-even or winning proposition. If the host's men's team doesn't make the tournament, it'd have to be a big money-loser.

Both of our (UNO's) teams would make it most years, so I'd like to hope we'd still put in a bid to host, but I wonder how much the new policy will affect how many schools are willing to bid.

[CMJ]

It kinda worries me for the reasons that were mentioned. I'm not certain Denton is a great travel destination for the acerage person, so the draw from away fans(other than WKU who I hear travel well) would be next to nothing.

JJ needs to turn the ship around so we can at least MAKE the tournament. If we're the host and we don't get in we'll have egg on our face.

I must say, I do plan on flying in and attending the tourney if I can afford it in two years.

[GreenEggs&Ham™]

Just some information to add. The SunBelt tourney attendance here in Bowling Green last week was listed at over 44,000 which is the new attendance record for the conference tournament.

Western KY U. spent $500,000 dollars to host the tournament according to AD Wood Selig today.