(03-16-2014 07:48 AM)pharaoh0 Wrote:  

(03-16-2014 06:41 AM)Cubanbull Wrote:  You are still going to need locals to support the tourney you can't expect traveling fans to pack the arenas by themselves

This would be true. Unlike fans that travel, the locals just interested in basketball buy the tix to watch all the games. The issue with every conference in early rounds is that traveling fans only come to see their teams. The consistency in butts in the seats comes from locals. So, having a conference tourney in an area where the locals would not support the games would be a mistake. Picking a destination because of things to do is also a mistake....as, you merely increase the odds of traveling fans ONLY going to games that feature their teams and spending the rest of the time visiting the destination.

Put it in Houston, there's almost nothing to do here that can't be done in any other major city. The visiting fans would at least have more incentive to stick around.

(03-16-2014 07:48 AM)pharaoh0 Wrote:  

(03-16-2014 06:41 AM)Cubanbull Wrote:  You are still going to need locals to support the tourney you can't expect traveling fans to pack the arenas by themselves

This would be true. Unlike fans that travel, the locals just interested in basketball buy the tix to watch all the games.

Actually, like in many cities that host, like Memphis, a huge majority of the thousands of locals that bought $300 and $250 Tourn Booklets generally do so to secure best seats to see THEIR team play...and are generally not interested in watching 4 games per day.

There isn't another local AAC City that could match the tourn booklet sales than Memphis fans purchase (helps the Conf purses...but doesn't really help attract fans to games that don't involve the home team).