(03-03-2021 04:39 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:49 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:35 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 12:58 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  Im not worried about TX football schools calling the shots. Who has actual influence in the WAC? NMSU and GCU, they are the main schools from the WAC that have been cobbling this thing together. I have confidence that NMSU and GCU will help with checking the TX football schools egos. I worry about the schools in the WAC going forward who don't have much influence like Seattle or UVU. I can see TX schools walking allover them.

This a good post to remember when Texas schools and maybe Utah schools start voting as a block.

Yup, the Texas schools could vote (in the future) to have the WAC tournament moved from Las Vegas to Dallas or Houston.

Don't worry too much about TX schools voting as a block. We're at each others' throats on state budget, degree authorizations, etc, it'll probably be the same on WAC issues. And anyway if the WACT moves to Texas it should be at South Padre Island, not Dallas or Houston.

If ever strongarmed to Texas, think San Antonio. Or maybe Austin.

I'd very much prefer it to remain in Vegas, though

(03-03-2021 07:06 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 04:39 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:49 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:35 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 12:58 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  Im not worried about TX football schools calling the shots. Who has actual influence in the WAC? NMSU and GCU, they are the main schools from the WAC that have been cobbling this thing together. I have confidence that NMSU and GCU will help with checking the TX football schools egos. I worry about the schools in the WAC going forward who don't have much influence like Seattle or UVU. I can see TX schools walking allover them.

This a good post to remember when Texas schools and maybe Utah schools start voting as a block.

Yup, the Texas schools could vote (in the future) to have the WAC tournament moved from Las Vegas to Dallas or Houston.

Don't worry too much about TX schools voting as a block. We're at each others' throats on state budget, degree authorizations, etc, it'll probably be the same on WAC issues. And anyway if the WACT moves to Texas it should be at South Padre Island, not Dallas or Houston.

If ever strongarmed to Texas, think San Antonio. Or maybe Austin.

I'd very much prefer it to remain in Vegas, though

Marketing suicide to leave Vegas. WACT is in town the same time the PAC12 and MWC with lots of media and the bball world's attention that week. The WCC has already asked to switch time slots in the Orleans with the WAC. So far, the WAC is holding tight. If the WACT moved anywhere they would never get the current time slot back. Then we'd be stuck with the prior week WCC slot or obligated to hold it somewhere else forever. My guess is that's why UMKC never got their supposedly promised hosting gig.

There's a reason virtually every conference in the West has their tourney in Vegas.

(03-03-2021 07:21 PM)Hairy Castaway Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 07:06 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 04:39 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:49 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:35 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  This a good post to remember when Texas schools and maybe Utah schools start voting as a block.

Yup, the Texas schools could vote (in the future) to have the WAC tournament moved from Las Vegas to Dallas or Houston.

Don't worry too much about TX schools voting as a block. We're at each others' throats on state budget, degree authorizations, etc, it'll probably be the same on WAC issues. And anyway if the WACT moves to Texas it should be at South Padre Island, not Dallas or Houston.

If ever strongarmed to Texas, think San Antonio. Or maybe Austin.

I'd very much prefer it to remain in Vegas, though

Marketing suicide to leave Vegas. WACT is in town the same time the PAC12 and MWC with lots of media and the bball world's attention that week. The WCC has already asked to switch time slots in the Orleans with the WAC. So far, the WAC is holding tight. If the WACT moved anywhere they would never get the current time slot back. Then we'd be stuck with the prior week WCC slot or obligated to hold it somewhere else forever. My guess is that's why UMKC never got their supposedly promised hosting gig.

The Big West Conference has also moved their tournament to Las Vegas; starting this year.

(03-03-2021 07:21 PM)Hairy Castaway Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 07:06 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 04:39 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:49 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:35 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  This a good post to remember when Texas schools and maybe Utah schools start voting as a block.

Yup, the Texas schools could vote (in the future) to have the WAC tournament moved from Las Vegas to Dallas or Houston.

Don't worry too much about TX schools voting as a block. We're at each others' throats on state budget, degree authorizations, etc, it'll probably be the same on WAC issues. And anyway if the WACT moves to Texas it should be at South Padre Island, not Dallas or Houston.

If ever strongarmed to Texas, think San Antonio. Or maybe Austin.

I'd very much prefer it to remain in Vegas, though

Marketing suicide to leave Vegas. WACT is in town the same time the PAC12 and MWC with lots of media and the bball world's attention that week. The WCC has already asked to switch time slots in the Orleans with the WAC. So far, the WAC is holding tight. If the WACT moved anywhere they would never get the current time slot back. Then we'd be stuck with the prior week WCC slot or obligated to hold it somewhere else forever. My guess is that's why UMKC never got their supposedly promised hosting gig.

Nah, there are other options in Vegas. The MGM Grand has an arena that used to host the Pac 12 tournament. Wouldn't be surprised if the WCC moved there, BYU and Gonzaga can draw huge numbers.

South Padre Island sounds interesting. If any of the ski towns had suitable arenas, I would be all in.

(03-03-2021 09:09 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 07:21 PM)Hairy Castaway Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 07:06 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 04:39 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(03-02-2021 03:49 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  Yup, the Texas schools could vote (in the future) to have the WAC tournament moved from Las Vegas to Dallas or Houston.

Don't worry too much about TX schools voting as a block. We're at each others' throats on state budget, degree authorizations, etc, it'll probably be the same on WAC issues. And anyway if the WACT moves to Texas it should be at South Padre Island, not Dallas or Houston.

If ever strongarmed to Texas, think San Antonio. Or maybe Austin.

I'd very much prefer it to remain in Vegas, though

Marketing suicide to leave Vegas. WACT is in town the same time the PAC12 and MWC with lots of media and the bball world's attention that week. The WCC has already asked to switch time slots in the Orleans with the WAC. So far, the WAC is holding tight. If the WACT moved anywhere they would never get the current time slot back. Then we'd be stuck with the prior week WCC slot or obligated to hold it somewhere else forever. My guess is that's why UMKC never got their supposedly promised hosting gig.

The Big West Conference has also moved their tournament to Las Vegas; starting this year.

Wasn't this just to get around California covid measures? I thought they were planning on heading back to Anaheim.

(03-03-2021 09:19 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 09:09 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 07:21 PM)Hairy Castaway Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 07:06 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 04:39 PM)edinburger Wrote:  Don't worry too much about TX schools voting as a block. We're at each others' throats on state budget, degree authorizations, etc, it'll probably be the same on WAC issues. And anyway if the WACT moves to Texas it should be at South Padre Island, not Dallas or Houston.

If ever strongarmed to Texas, think San Antonio. Or maybe Austin.

I'd very much prefer it to remain in Vegas, though

Marketing suicide to leave Vegas. WACT is in town the same time the PAC12 and MWC with lots of media and the bball world's attention that week. The WCC has already asked to switch time slots in the Orleans with the WAC. So far, the WAC is holding tight. If the WACT moved anywhere they would never get the current time slot back. Then we'd be stuck with the prior week WCC slot or obligated to hold it somewhere else forever. My guess is that's why UMKC never got their supposedly promised hosting gig.

The Big West Conference has also moved their tournament to Las Vegas; starting this year.

Wasn't this just to get around California covid measures? I thought they were planning on heading back to Anaheim.

You may be right. It might be a one time event due to COVID. I just saw that the BWC would be at the Mandalay Bay for 2021.

With regards to the WAC being in Las Vegas, I suspect the Orleans Arena & Hotel will bend over backwards to keep the WAC there; now that the WAC is expanding to potentially 14 teams with a greater number of patrons (WAC fans) entering their halls, casino, hotel and arena. Dixie State and Southern Utah are driving distance to Las Vegas and I suspect the Texas schools will sent a number of fans their way as well. I am curious on the number of fans CBU will bring once the COVID restrictions are lifted.

When the WAC first moved to Las Vegas, after the first year there (with the old WAC), the number of fans at the Championship games were dismal. NMSU bring bringing considerably more fans to the tournament than the rest of the WAC. But with the recent addition of GCU to the tournament, the Championship game attendance numbers have steadily increased. I am hopefully, the WAC Championship game will eventually become a packed event; much like with the WCC Championship game which is held in the same venue just days earlier. The Orleans Arena can seat up to nearly 7,500 capacity; which is the case for the WCC Championship. For the WAC Championship game, the arena seating capacity has been reduced in size in the past.

Since moving the WAC tournament to Las Vegas...
Year..... Sessions..... Site.... Total Att/Session Avg./Championship Att. / Results
2011... 4 Sessions... Las Vegas... 14,075... 3,518... 4,372... Utah State defeats Boise State... 77-69
2012... 4 Sessions... Las Vegas... 7,482... 1,870... 1,405... New Mexico State defeats Louisiana Tech... 82-57
2013... 5 Sessions... Las Vegas... 4,938... 987... 1,142... New Mexico State defeats UT Arlington... 64-55
2014... 4 Sessions... Las Vegas... 5,136... 1,284... 1,518... New Mexico State defeats Idaho... 77-55
2015... 3 Sessions... Las Vegas... 4,546... 1,515... 1,763... New Mexico State defeats Seattle... 80-61
2016... 3 Sessions... Las Vegas... 4,874... 1,625... 1,673... Cal State Bakersfield defeats New Mexico State... 57-54
2017... 3 Sessions... Las Vegas... 6,488... 2,163... 2,444... New Mexico State defeats Cal State Bakersfield... 70-60
2018... 4 Sessions... Las Vegas... 8,833... 2,208... 3,065... New Mexico State defeats GCU... 72-58
2019... 4 Sessions... Las Vegas... 11,362... 2,841... 3,598... New Mexico State defeats GCU... 89-57
2020... Tournament Canceled (COVID-19)
2021... COVID Restricted Attendance

Crazy to think NMSU has played in the WAC Conference Championship Game 11 times in the last 13 tournaments. The only two seasons we didn't was in 2009, that was the rebuild year where we started 3 freshman and 2 sophomores and then the 2011 season when we lost two key starters from the 2010 NCAA Tournament Team prior to the start of that season. What an impressive run.


9 WAC Tournament Championships since the 2006/2007 season.

Will be interesting to see how we handle the bracket/qualification situation when we go to 14. The B1G and SEC have all of their teams participate, while Conference USA only takes the top 12. Personally, I hope we stick with 8 and do a true bracket, no byes. The Sun Belt/WCC style is horrid.

(03-04-2021 12:05 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  Will be interesting to see how we handle the bracket/qualification situation when we go to 14. The B1G and SEC have all of their teams participate, while Conference USA only takes the top 12. Personally, I hope we stick with 8 and do a true bracket, no byes. The Sun Belt/WCC style is horrid.

WCC bracket has 5 sessions in total and the top 2 seeds don't play till day 4 of the tournament. Zags and BYU only need to win 1 game to reach the finals where San Fransisco would need to 4 days in a row. Crazy to think how the top 2 seeds in WCC get a 3 game bye with 10 teams participating in the tournament.

The Atlantic 10_has a convoluted set up of byes at multiple levels. It isn't bad really. At least every one gets into the tournament.

I forgot about the A10. The A10, B1G, and SEC all have the same bracket. But there's a catch - these brackets all require 5 days. This year, the WCC Championship game is on March 9, and Selection Sunday is March 14. So the WAC only has four days to hold its tournament (March 10, 11, 12, 13). This is typical - the WCC tournament ends on Tuesday, and the WAC tournament ends on Saturday. We could do a system where the top 2 seeds get a bye to the second round, while everybody else starts in the first round. But this would require 6 games on Wednesday....

Sounds like a change of venue is coming - for either us or the WCC.

The WAC is not leaving the Orleans any time soon. And there is no reason to. It's the best city, with the most to do and fairly centrally located.

(03-04-2021 01:47 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  The WAC is not leaving the Orleans any time soon. And there is no reason to. It's the best city, with the most to do and fairly centrally located.

Maybe, but logistical questions remain, which I've already highlighted. The WCC's contract runs through 2021, so we will probably know more around this time next year.

I forgot that the Big Ten, SEC, and A10 actually have their championship games on Selection Sunday, so we could feasibly do that with the standard five day, 14 team bracket, without requiring the WCC to adjust its schedule. Our championship game would be overshadowed, though. Pretty sure that the committee doesn't even consider the Big Ten Championship in seeding teams, because it's so late.

My priority is to remain in Vegas and to have our championship game on either Saturday or Sunday. Any earlier looks bush league. I don't have a particular allegiance to the Orleans.

(03-04-2021 01:19 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  I forgot about the A10. The A10, B1G, and SEC all have the same bracket. But there's a catch - these brackets all require 5 days. This year, the WCC Championship game is on March 9, and Selection Sunday is March 14. So the WAC only has four days to hold its tournament (March 10, 11, 12, 13). This is typical - the WCC tournament ends on Tuesday, and the WAC tournament ends on Saturday. We could do a system where the top 2 seeds get a bye to the second round, while everybody else starts in the first round. But this would require 6 games on Wednesday....

Sounds like a change of venue is coming - for either us or the WCC.

If I remember correctly, there are a few conferences who play their championship games on Sunday, so there is always the possibility that they play Sunday mid-day.

This year, the American, Big Ten, A10, Patriot and Southland conference are all playing their championship games on Sunday this year. It might even lead to more viewership for the conference because everyone is already excited about the tournament bracket.

(03-04-2021 02:24 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(03-04-2021 01:47 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  The WAC is not leaving the Orleans any time soon. And there is no reason to. It's the best city, with the most to do and fairly centrally located.

Maybe, but logistical questions remain, which I've already highlighted. The WCC's contract runs through 2021, so we will probably know more around this time next year.

I forgot that the Big Ten, SEC, and A10 actually have their championship games on Selection Sunday, so we could feasibly do that with the standard five day, 14 team bracket, without requiring the WCC to adjust its schedule. Our championship game would be overshadowed, though. Pretty sure that the committee doesn't even consider the Big Ten Championship in seeding teams, because it's so late.

My priority is to remain in Vegas and to have our championship game on either Saturday or Sunday. Any earlier looks bush league. I don't have a particular allegiance to the Orleans.

I don't get your WCC/logistical questions. The WCC has their slot and we have ours. It doesn't matter if they want our slot. It belongs to the WAC.

As for 14 teams, they can easily be accommodated with our current Orleans setup. I don't see any issues.

Why not have every team play in the tournament but the last 4 teams have to play for a trip to join the rest of the WAC in Vegas? These games could be at the team with the better record and the winners of both games punch a ticket to Vegas?

Quote:I don't get your WCC/logistical questions.

If we bring 14 teams to the WAC tournament, and the time frames for the WAC and WCC tournaments do not change, then the WAC has the following options:

1. Play 6 games on Wednesday, or
2. Play the conference championship game midday Sunday.

I view both of these options as suboptimal, but workable. From a revenue/attendance/viewership/bubble team perspective, I'd guess that the ideal scenario would be to hold the tournament from Tuesday to Saturday.

Quote:The WCC has their slot and we have ours.

For the duration of the contract. The WCC's contract expires in 2022. I don't know when ours does.

(03-04-2021 04:16 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  Why not have every team play in the tournament but the last 4 teams have to play for a trip to join the rest of the WAC in Vegas? These games could be at the team with the better record and the winners of both games punch a ticket to Vegas?

I like this solution - campus sites for the play in games.

Eh I want every team to play in the tournament. More basketball! Plus the WAC tournament is usually where I will watch every game instead of just following the scores.