(03-09-2019 11:15 AM)_x_ Wrote:  I think instead of giving up and doing away with it cause our fans won't travel we need to find a way to get our fans to travel. Or get the locals involved somehow. I don't like the idea of just giving up though cause we're struggling with attendance.

Historically speaking, unless you are the SEC, ACC etc, A large percentage of fans who attend a conference basketball tournament are retirees. Adults who no longer have full time jobs they have to negotiate time off for, who no longer have kids at home that they have to keep occupied, and like taking small vacations together as a couple.

Someone like WKUG is a great example of the type fans a conference brings in to the tournament. He travels to WKU games all the time, and is going to spend the entire tournament at one place.

The thing people don't understand is, there's very little chance we will be able to attract younger fans to our conference tournament simply because none of us have the jobs that we can just take a week off to go to a basketball tournament. Especially if we intend to take time off for football and other sports. Student attendance requires schools to be on Break, so scratch that. That leaves it imperative that we fire up locals about the games. Simply put, we're never going to be able to do that in New Orleans. Even trying is foolhardy. We're not the SEC, we're not even the Missouri Valley or the MAC, both established basketball centric leagues that have been able to make an event out of their tournaments. We'd be far better off not trying to emulate them, but forging our own path.

I will admit, the format next year is the best chance at getting fans. Just 4 teams over a weekend at Smoothie King, so its easier to get folks there, but then there's the entire of issue of traveling on short notice, so who knows.