(05-24-2016 09:10 PM)jaminniner Wrote:  Are there any venues available to host the tournament in Nashville? If you want folks to attend how about a location that is fun to visit.

Municipal Auditorium is old but located downtown and hosts the OVC tournament....For those who say we cannot have it during SEC tournament at Bridgestone, I get it obviously, but we could have it week earlier before SEC even starts and just go head to head with the 4 OVC schools....ALso Nashville Convention Center is big enough to lay down a court similar to Hot SPrings and Sun Belt tournament.....

Either way, bottom line CUSA powers to be really need to at least get rid of the silly 2 arena thing with the women's tournament, this is killing what could be an even better men's tournament and host cities should not be handcuff by the silly 2 arena thing...The women's tournament should be hosted by the regular season champion or hosted each round by higher seed....Its that simple...

(05-24-2016 07:22 PM)wkuhilltopperfan Wrote:  If UTEP was to have a bad season......ohhh boy it would look bad being in El Paso , UTEP has great fans, but only for UTEP

That is going to be true of every possible C-USA venue. Central locations don't make a difference. The only way to avoid that possibility is to have higher seeds host all the way thru.

Charlotte would be great but our AD has no interest in the time or marketing it takes to put on the tournament. Combined with the 49ers fans, you have large contingent of Marshall fans in the city and I'm sure ODU, WKU, MT, and UAB fans would travel fairly well.

The city is also more concerned with catering to the NCAA tournament and CIAA around this time.

I think Houston could be a good location.

It's easy to get to, close to 3/4 Texas schools, and not that far from LA Tech. The issue is what arenas to use. The SWAC plays at the Toyota Center (Rockets). We could play at Tudor Fieldhouse (Rice's Venue) and the Berry Center in Cypress.

A combination of NRG Arena/Tudor would be PERFECT as they are only about 2 miles from each other, but Conference Tourney season overlaps with the Houston Rodeo.

(05-25-2016 08:53 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  I think Houston could be a good location.

It's easy to get to, close to 3/4 Texas schools, and not that far from LA Tech. The issue is what arenas to use. The SWAC plays at the Toyota Center (Rockets). We could play at Tudor Fieldhouse (Rice's Venue) and the Berry Center in Cypress.

A combination of NRG Arena/Tudor would be PERFECT as they are only about 2 miles from each other, but Conference Tourney season overlaps with the Houston Rodeo.

A couple of us on Twitter last night were talking about a 2 year rotation between Houston and Atlanta. If that's two complicated just keep it in Houston. CUSA is in Irving and it's a drive-able distance for Rice, UNT, and La Tech.

Again, CUSA fans are not buying into this conference as it presently functions.

IMHO Some of our challenges are 1. For all intent and purposes we are a new conference (there is no substitute for time). 2. We are too spread out geographically to create major rivalries.(Think divisions) 3. As the conference championships are presently set up (Football & basketball) it's basically a one game event. (Creating rivals is a journey). The conference would be wise to create a structure where regionally teams knock each other off on the way to the prize.

Some things we have going for us are: 1. We have teams to fill up air time with our new TV affliant BeIN (that's exposure). 2. We are young enough as a conference to explore (or re-explore possibilities "ex red, white, & blue divisions." 3. We can dream.

I do think that since reality is we are not sharing a whole pie, just a piece of pie, we should add Wichita State and Georgia State in order to raise our basketball RPI, add another large market, and set up four divisions of four teams to address the lack of rivals (I must confess I am envious or Western Kentucky & Middle Tennessee's rivalry that has grown because of proximity, time, and beating each other up).

According to local radio, there just isn't anything to do in Birmingham. Most schools have to stay 20 or 30 min. away from their venue and there isn't much in between except a few BBQ joints along the way. That's probably an exaggeration but that's what Kappy said on his sport talk radio show yesterday.

As an aside, he also said San Antonio would be the perfect place for a CUSA tourney.

(05-24-2016 01:36 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  I'm good with either. Anyone who says it isn't easy to get to El Paso needs to discover Southwest. Smdh.

Even on Southwest, it is not easy to get from ORF to ELP.

(05-24-2016 01:16 PM)BKTopper Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 12:38 PM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 10:52 AM)MTowho Wrote:  I know El Paso supports the tournament as well as if not better than anyone, and I know it's about the money, but it's just a nightmare for anyone not on the athletic dept's dime that wants to see their team play. The other 3 Texas schools are consistently in the bottom half of the standings. And I know I'm biased towards Birmingham given the short drive, but my god I'd rather it be played in Fort Lauderdale where it's easy to travel to for all schools than literally the other side of the country.

Fort Lauderdale is easy to travel to for all schools? If you are talking by airplane, Southwest Airlines also serves El Paso with cheap fares.

Once you get to El Paso, it is a low cost city with plenty to offer between games.

One of those other 3 Texas schools has made considerable investments in its basketball program, and scored some highly rated recruiting classes, without any off-season transfers. Its days of finishing in the bottom half of the conference look to be in the past.

Which one?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

I think he means the one that beat Western two years in a row, right?

(05-25-2016 07:48 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 07:22 PM)wkuhilltopperfan Wrote:  If UTEP was to have a bad season......ohhh boy it would look bad being in El Paso , UTEP has great fans, but only for UTEP

That is going to be true of every possible C-USA venue. Central locations don't make a difference. The only way to avoid that possibility is to have higher seeds host all the way thru.

Obvious solution: host team gets a bye into the championship game.

(05-25-2016 09:24 AM)STexMiner Wrote:  

(05-25-2016 07:48 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 07:22 PM)wkuhilltopperfan Wrote:  If UTEP was to have a bad season......ohhh boy it would look bad being in El Paso , UTEP has great fans, but only for UTEP

That is going to be true of every possible C-USA venue. Central locations don't make a difference. The only way to avoid that possibility is to have higher seeds host all the way thru.

Obvious solution: host team gets a bye into the championship game.

good one

How about people stop making excuses and show up no matter the location? Just a thought.

You don't see fans of big time programs making the same lane ass excuses. They show up. Want to be big time? Stop whining and show up. That includes UAB fans. I'm calling UAB fans out for not showing up in better numbers after we were bounced as well. No excuses.

If you don't want to show up and support this league just go all the way Micky mouse and do away with the damn thing and do what the Ivy League does.

Stop whining and support your program. In the regular season and post season.

I think Chattanooga would be a great city to host the tournament. There is plenty to do and the city is small enough that it would really embrace the tournament, yet big enough to provide all the amenities needed to hold a tournament.

(05-25-2016 09:08 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  According to local radio, there just isn't anything to do in Birmingham. Most schools have to stay 20 or 30 min. away from their venue and there isn't much in between except a few BBQ joints along the way. That's probably an exaggeration but that's what Kappy said on his sport talk radio show yesterday.

As an aside, he also said San Antonio would be the perfect place for a CUSA tourney.

San Antonio is on my personal list of favorite American cities. It is worth another visit on its own merits. A hosted CUSA tournament would be added incentive.

Happy is a blithering idiot. You can quote me.

Doug Smock ‏@dougsmock 8m8 minutes ago
Hearing C-USA basketball tournament will remain in Birmingham for 3rd year in a row.

(05-25-2016 09:44 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  I think Chattanooga would be a great city to host the tournament. There is plenty to do and the city is small enough that it would really embrace the tournament, yet big enough to provide all the amenities needed to hold a tournament.

At least UTSA does not have to worry about this Tourney.. until UTSA upgrades from the middle school gym they play in. Going to have tough road no matter who is the new coach.

(05-25-2016 11:41 AM)Saint Greg Wrote:  Doug Smock ‏@dougsmock 8m8 minutes ago
Hearing C-USA basketball tournament will remain in Birmingham for 3rd year in a row.

That is A-OK with me.

Western and MT need to come up with something in the near future for Nashville. If one of us falters, the other will still be around.

And both men and women are traditionally good teams.

Hotel accommodations will be limited in Nashville if $EC week, however, and expensive as hades.

(05-25-2016 11:41 AM)Saint Greg Wrote:  Doug Smock ‏@dougsmock 8m8 minutes ago
Hearing C-USA basketball tournament will remain in Birmingham for 3rd year in a row.

That can only mean UTEP is MWC bound.