It doesn't have to be 100% neutral. It could be in a home city on a neutral court. I've been watching all the tournament games on tv and some of them are in cities that have a dog in the hunt but neutral arenas.

Maybe it's just be but it looks better when the teams are playing on a neutral court where the court doesn't have the name of a specific team but rather the name of the conference and the city it is in.

For example. The Mountain West court is amazing. Even though it is in Las Vegas, there was at least 8k for New Mexico vs. Fresno St.

(03-13-2014 10:18 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(03-13-2014 10:06 PM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  I don't think a neutral site will work if attendance is a priority.

really???....you wouldn't travel to biloxi or new orleans? oh well....tells me what I needed to know.....

Like what? people on this board might go, but lets face it most of our schools have crappy basketball attendance as is. Not going to get a lot of fans at a neutral court... and Arkansas? LOL

(03-13-2014 11:02 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  It doesn't have to be 100% neutral. It could be in a home city on a neutral court. I've been watching all the tournament games on tv and some of them are in cities that have a dog in the hunt but neutral arenas.

Maybe it's just be but it looks better when the teams are playing on a neutral court where the court doesn't have the name of a specific team but rather the name of the conference and the city it is in.

For example. The Mountain West court is amazing. Even though it is in Las Vegas, there was at least 8k for New Mexico vs. Fresno St.

Birmingham would host the men's at the BJCC so it would be a neutral court in Birmingham.

(03-13-2014 11:04 PM)Blazer88 Wrote:  

(03-13-2014 11:02 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  It doesn't have to be 100% neutral. It could be in a home city on a neutral court. I've been watching all the tournament games on tv and some of them are in cities that have a dog in the hunt but neutral arenas.

Maybe it's just be but it looks better when the teams are playing on a neutral court where the court doesn't have the name of a specific team but rather the name of the conference and the city it is in.

For example. The Mountain West court is amazing. Even though it is in Las Vegas, there was at least 8k for New Mexico vs. Fresno St.

Birmingham would host the men's at the BJCC so it would be a neutral court in Birmingham.

I would be all for that. As long as the court says "CUSA" in the center and Birmingham on the base lines.

It's the little things that make the difference.

Seriously, how many people are flipping channels and won't stop on the CUSA tournament because the court says UTEP.

Oh wait. It's not on TV.

Southern Miss is submitting a bid to host at Biloxi

Ehhh...I think that the tourney should be on I-20, anywhere between Dallas and Atlanta. That highway cuts through the center of the conference and has relatively reasonable access via other major highways for everyone. The closer to the center, the better. So to drill it down, Jackson or Birmingham.

And jackson sucks so...

Huntsville ?

Pretty close to I-20

If the tournament ever made it to Nashville, I'd have to imagine it would be played at the Municipal Auditorium. The OVC Tournament is also held there, so they'd have to figure out the scheduling.

I will be there tomorrow even though UTEP is out. I have been to every session. It is what you do to support your city and school.

I've never been a big fan of conference tournaments. It seems to me that it devalues what was won during the regular season. But if it must be played, it needs to be in a centralized location who's population really appreciates basketball. Folks who love basketball will turn out to support a tournament. CUSA is unique in that it's geography is too dispersed. Fans aren't going to travel across the country to watch a basketball tournament. Perhaps CUSA should expand in basketball and hold two, geographically-sensible tournaments. I don't know the answer to the problem. Just my thoughts.

(03-13-2014 10:29 PM)shyminer Wrote:  

(03-13-2014 10:22 PM)mistabinks Wrote:  Don't take the OP's post as fact. I don't expect 6K or anything like that the next two days but the fact that The Don did not clear out after the Miner loss is a good sign. A ton of people stayed to watch the next game. Also, the UTEP women's team are going to play tomorrow.

I love El Paso but man do some of us like to revel in the negativity.

I agree.. It wont look like when Tulsa was hosting... It will be better than most in CUSA, given the circumstance...

I would like to see it in the Dallas area, or ODU hosting...

Don't lie. I "KNOW" you won't be at the next two games.

Bring it down to San Antonio. Host it at the Alamodome. The NCAA tournament always gets a good crowd when they have the games at the dome. Plus you can walk to the Riverwalk afterwards and have a few beers or margaritas.

Noticing the last fews season in the conf. touranment landscape you are almost cursed to play on your home floor during a conf. touranment...Look at all the teams that have lost on their home floor this season during conf. tournament time....The lower conf. have teams hosts every game as they progress in conf. tournament, but it still does not matter as they still lose 9 times out of 10 on their home floor....I think it doubles the pressure of conf. tournament time for the home team and the players cannot handle it most of the time.....

(03-13-2014 09:37 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(03-13-2014 09:36 PM)Saint Greg Wrote:  That's why we need a more centralized location.

In all fairness, for the good of the conference, it shoul be somewhere on a neutral court in a tourist area. I"m thinking New Orleans.

Sun Belt has New Orleans locked in for a few seasons I beleive...I vote Birmingham or charlotte or maybe even the old Municpal Gym is Nashville, I think it seats 10k and maybe they could renovate it a little bit...

Is it just me but why the h*ll does attendance need to be a PRIORITY??? Yes, I understand that it's all about attracting viewers: when people turn on a game and the crowd is full and loud then it makes them want to watch it more.......BUT I say that is BOGUS!! Not to mention, the games aren't even televised! The first few rounds are on all-access CUSA's website (lame)...only the semi's and CG are on TV (hope this changes). To me, I like watching the TEAMS play...not the CROWDS. It should be about the BRAND OF BASKETBALL and CALIBER OF TEAMS BATTLING that should be the priority.....why does attendance have to be a priority??? I don't think any teams should be hosting the game on their home court for a lot of reasons...it should be at a neutral site: New Orleans, Memphis, Mobile, Pensacola, (I'm trying to think of cities that are halfway between the most spread out cities (ODU and El Paso).


Just my two cents.

I've been working the SWAC tournament all week in Houston. So far their crowds haven't been great, but they haven't been awful either (and they should be decent the last two days with both TSU and Prairie View teams still alive). They've done a nice job of having special events tied into the tournament (like postgame concerts and college recruiting days for local high schools).

While Houston isn't a possibility right now due to Rice's pathetic state of both of its basketball programs, that could change in the future. And if Rice had a viable program, I'd like to see the city of Houston considered as a host. There are plenty of local groups to help with the event and the city has a lot to do this time of year (the rodeo is in town this time of year). It was probably a better choice when UH was still in the conference, but it's still a possibility down the road (btw, the Southland Conference tournament is also in Houston - out in Katy which is a suburb 20 miles west of downtown).

How was attendance in El Paso yesterday?

(03-14-2014 07:38 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  Sun Belt has New Orleans locked in for a few seasons I beleive...I vote Birmingham or charlotte or maybe even the old Municpal Gym is Nashville, I think it seats 10k and maybe they could renovate it a little bit...

I believe the OVC uses the Muni, so that's not an option. I think Birmingham is the best choice given that we can't use Nashville.

Every conference tournament I've seen so far has bad crowds unless the host team is playing. If that's how they do the tournament.

(03-13-2014 11:40 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  I've never been a big fan of conference tournaments. It seems to me that it devalues what was won during the regular season. But if it must be played, it needs to be in a centralized location who's population really appreciates basketball. Folks who love basketball will turn out to support a tournament. CUSA is unique in that it's geography is too dispersed. Fans aren't going to travel across the country to watch a basketball tournament. Perhaps CUSA should expand in basketball and hold two, geographically-sensible tournaments. I don't know the answer to the problem. Just my thoughts.

There are certain scenarios, like the one this year, in which you are glad that their is a conference tourney. I would hate to see the C-USA autobid determined by a tiebreaker. Additionally, this may give C-USA the opportunity to earn two bids if USM beat LA Tech and lost in the championship. That's not to say this will happen...but the opportunity was at least there.

In general, though, I agree with you about hating conference tourneys.

A central location would not work. The conference is so spread out that a central location would not be close to anyone.

The only option I really see is to put the tournament in a C-USA city that has the fanbase to support it or is within driving distance of multiple schools. El Paso is certainly the former. Norfolk would be my second choice and then maybe Birmingham. Wherever it is played, we are always chancing the home team going down early and attendance dropping off.