http://sunbeltsports.org/news/2016/6/15/...63718.aspx

So they are betting that the format will bring the attendance, not that the venue has become stale.

Do you guys realize how many rounds of golf this is getting Benson?
He's politicking!

(06-15-2016 04:06 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  Do you guys realize how many rounds of golf this is getting Benson?
He's politicking!

The tourney news on the format is awesome. Big fan of both all teams getting to play, and, best teams getting byes. Allows a great experience for all, while helping ensure the conference is represented by a better team.

In a likely one bid league, I'd like it even more if the top two teams got byes through to the semis, but this is a good start.

Format is right...site is awful. There won't be 500 people there most games.

What other cities put in bids? Apparently First Bank has kicked in some good coin as a sponsor.

(06-15-2016 05:25 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Format is right...site is awful. There won't be 500 people there most games.

Half our conference doesnt get 500 people at their home games. We lead the conference in attendance and it's some of worst years of the program and the majority of our fans just don't care. So until this conference actually starts supporting their own teams at home, the tourney will have horrible attendance no matter where you put it.

(06-15-2016 08:44 PM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  What other cities put in bids? Apparently First Bank has kicked in some good coin as a sponsor.

Atlanta (Georgia state), little rock (ualr), Arlington (UTA), Shrevport (ULM) and I'm pretty sure mobile (USA)

(06-19-2016 09:37 AM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 05:25 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Format is right...site is awful. There won't be 500 people there most games.

Half our conference doesnt get 500 people at their home games. We lead the conference in attendance and it's some of worst years of the program and the majority of our fans just don't care. So until this conference actually starts supporting their own teams at home, the tourney will have horrible attendance no matter where you put it.

???

Every team draws that, Mr. Hyperbole.

As an aside, UTA is heading in the right direction with our attendance.

http://themaverickrambler.blogspot.com/2...ctory.html

(06-19-2016 11:55 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 09:37 AM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 05:25 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Format is right...site is awful. There won't be 500 people there most games.

Half our conference doesnt get 500 people at their home games. We lead the conference in attendance and it's some of worst years of the program and the majority of our fans just don't care. So until this conference actually starts supporting their own teams at home, the tourney will have horrible attendance no matter where you put it.

???

Every team draws that, Mr. Hyperbole.

So what do you expect? How many people you think will travel to a neutral site? I was exaggerating but half this conference averages 1000-1200, 1400 at home so what do you really expect to get at the tourney games? If attendance is an issue have schools bid to host at their places like baseball and softball.

It irked me that the conference pulled out of Hot Springs a year early. I assume and hope that the ADs and schools made Benson prove the value of putting the tournament in New Orleans. I would like to see some true justification and the $$ value for not letting schools bid. It sure looks dismal on TV

(06-19-2016 12:59 PM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 11:55 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 09:37 AM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 05:25 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Format is right...site is awful. There won't be 500 people there most games.

Half our conference doesnt get 500 people at their home games. We lead the conference in attendance and it's some of worst years of the program and the majority of our fans just don't care. So until this conference actually starts supporting their own teams at home, the tourney will have horrible attendance no matter where you put it.

???

Every team draws that, Mr. Hyperbole.

So what do you expect? How many people you think will travel to a neutral site? I was exaggerating but half this conference averages 1000-1200, 1400 at home so what do you really expect to get at the tourney games? If attendance is an issue have schools bid to host at their places like baseball and softball.

Attendance at Hot Springs was far higher than what it is in New Orleans.

Also, Softball and baseball no longer bid on the tourney's, they now rotate to all 12 SBC members...or 10 in the case of softball.

(06-19-2016 02:23 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 12:59 PM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 11:55 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 09:37 AM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 05:25 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Format is right...site is awful. There won't be 500 people there most games.

Half our conference doesnt get 500 people at their home games. We lead the conference in attendance and it's some of worst years of the program and the majority of our fans just don't care. So until this conference actually starts supporting their own teams at home, the tourney will have horrible attendance no matter where you put it.

???

Every team draws that, Mr. Hyperbole.

So what do you expect? How many people you think will travel to a neutral site? I was exaggerating but half this conference averages 1000-1200, 1400 at home so what do you really expect to get at the tourney games? If attendance is an issue have schools bid to host at their places like baseball and softball.

Attendance at Hot Springs was far higher than what it is in New Orleans.

Also, Softball and baseball no longer bid on the tourney's, they now rotate to all 12 SBC members...or 10 in the case of softball.

The Bidding part is irrelevant, if you want attendance it needs to be at home sites not neutral. Having better basketball teams in the league wouldn't hurt either. Hopefully we get rid of Marlin before 2019 and prove our worth of having the tourney in New Orleans... Majority of our fan base is apathetic towards our program currently. We have a lot bigger problems in basketball than tourney attendance IMO.

Benson sure is a lightning rod with you folks.....

It's the AD's, not Benson, who were adamant about the tournament remaining at a neutral site. That took everyone out of the mix except New Orleans and Shreveport/Bossier.

Personally, I would have like to have seen it move. Shreveport is very doable from San Marcos, Arlington, Little Rock, Jonesboro, Monroe and Lafayette. Troy and South Alabama are on the fringe, but if their team isn't vying for a title, they aren't coming anyway. Same holds true for the schools in the Eastern time zone.

Because of geography, it's tough to find a place that's equitable to more than half of the league.

But the problem is deeper than even that. Part of the problem is the lack of interest for college basketball in the deep South once you get past the P5. Despite the "apathy" by UL fans claimed in an earlier post, UL drew right at 4,000 per game, leading the league. Among non P5's in the deep south, that was the fifth best attendance (this includes the Carolina's, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas as far as San Antonio and up to Forth Worth, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky....I think I got them all listed)

(06-19-2016 02:23 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 12:59 PM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 11:55 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 09:37 AM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 05:25 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Format is right...site is awful. There won't be 500 people there most games.

Half our conference doesnt get 500 people at their home games. We lead the conference in attendance and it's some of worst years of the program and the majority of our fans just don't care. So until this conference actually starts supporting their own teams at home, the tourney will have horrible attendance no matter where you put it.

???

Every team draws that, Mr. Hyperbole.

So what do you expect? How many people you think will travel to a neutral site? I was exaggerating but half this conference averages 1000-1200, 1400 at home so what do you really expect to get at the tourney games? If attendance is an issue have schools bid to host at their places like baseball and softball.

Attendance at Hot Springs was far higher than what it is in New Orleans.

Also, Softball and baseball no longer bid on the tourney's, they now rotate to all 12 SBC members...or 10 in the case of softball.

I'm not crazy about the rotating baseball and softball ideas.

(06-20-2016 08:42 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Benson sure is a lightning rod with you folks.....

It's the AD's, not Benson, who were adamant about the tournament remaining at a neutral site. That took everyone out of the mix except New Orleans and Shreveport/Bossier.

Personally, I would have like to have seen it move. Shreveport is very doable from San Marcos, Arlington, Little Rock, Jonesboro, Monroe and Lafayette. Troy and South Alabama are on the fringe, but if their team isn't vying for a title, they aren't coming anyway. Same holds true for the schools in the Eastern time zone.

Because of geography, it's tough to find a place that's equitable to more than half of the league.

But the problem is deeper than even that. Part of the problem is the lack of interest for college basketball in the deep South once you get past the P5. Despite the "apathy" by UL fans claimed in an earlier post, UL drew right at 4,000 per game, leading the league. Among non P5's in the deep south, that was the fifth best attendance (this includes the Carolina's, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas as far as San Antonio and up to Forth Worth, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky....I think I got them all listed)

I would have been okay with trying Shreveport/Bossier for a couple of years. I go for the basketball, but with the casinos and horse track (I am assuming it is open in March) there is something to keep folks busy who are looking for something else to do when their teams aren't playing. The city might actually "embrace" the tourney, unlike New Orleans which could care less.

(06-19-2016 02:23 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Attendance at Hot Springs was far higher than what it is in New Orleaans.

We also had WKU and MTSU in the league then, and Hot Springs was closer to both. It's not really a fair comparison.

Average attendance by game at the conference tournament over the last 15 years:

New Orleans:
2016 - 1,226
2015 - 1,355
2014 - 1,909
2002 - 4,040

Hot Springs:
2013 - 3,333
2012 - 4,027
2011 - 4,101
2010 - 4,295
2009 - 2,621

Mobile:
2008 - 3,890

Lafayette:
2007 - 1,530

Murfreesboro:
2006 - 2,576

Denton:
2005 - 2,226

Bowling Green:
2004 - 4,179
2003 - 5,882

(06-20-2016 11:39 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 02:23 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Attendance at Hot Springs was far higher than what it is in New Orleaans.

We also had WKU and MTSU in the league then, and Hot Springs was closer to both. It's not really a fair comparison.

Average attendance by game at the conference tournament over the last 15 years:

New Orleans:
2016 - 1,226
2015 - 1,355
2014 - 1,909
2002 - 4,040

Hot Springs:
2013 - 3,333
2012 - 4,027
2011 - 4,101
2010 - 4,295
2009 - 2,621

Mobile:
2008 - 3,890

Lafayette:
2007 - 1,530

Murfreesboro:
2006 - 2,576

Denton:
2005 - 2,226

Bowling Green:
2004 - 4,179
2003 - 5,882

The numbers for New Orleans are appalling. Around a 1500 average, compared to Hot Springs having an average of almost 4000. I really didn't realize how big the difference was. What makes it worse is that we are filling 15% of Lakefront arena, compared to 2/3 of the Hot Springs Convention Center. The former is not a good look for TV.

(06-20-2016 10:29 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(06-20-2016 11:39 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(06-19-2016 02:23 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Attendance at Hot Springs was far higher than what it is in New Orleaans.

We also had WKU and MTSU in the league then, and Hot Springs was closer to both. It's not really a fair comparison.

Average attendance by game at the conference tournament over the last 15 years:

New Orleans:
2016 - 1,226
2015 - 1,355
2014 - 1,909
2002 - 4,040

Hot Springs:
2013 - 3,333
2012 - 4,027
2011 - 4,101
2010 - 4,295
2009 - 2,621

Mobile:
2008 - 3,890

Lafayette:
2007 - 1,530

Murfreesboro:
2006 - 2,576

Denton:
2005 - 2,226

Bowling Green:
2004 - 4,179
2003 - 5,882

The numbers for New Orleans are appalling. Around a 1500 average, compared to Hot Springs having an average of almost 4000. I really didn't realize how big the difference was. What makes it worse is that we are filling 15% of Lakefront arena, compared to 2/3 of the Hot Springs Convention Center. The former is not a good look for TV.

You did have a couple of teams who traveled very well in close proximity to Hot Springs that are no longer in the league that probably affected the numbers as well.