CSNbbs

@Patrick Magee
New Orleans eyed as potential site for Conference USA basketball tournament

http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/08/6357....html?rh=1

New Orleans next?

McGillis has pitched the Coast Coliseum in Biloxi and Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg as potential conference tournament sites over the last couple of years, but Birmingham again landed the men's and women's tournaments for 2016.

McGillis said the league's athletic directors appear committed to keeping the men's and women's tournaments in the same city, likely preventing Biloxi and Hattiesburg from having a shot to host the league's basketball championships with neither city featuring a quality second arena.

However, McGillis said a city with one suitable arena could host the event if the conference decides to reserve the facility for a full week with the women's tournament starting earlier.

"I don't envision the tournament being awarded on a multiple-year basis to anyone that has a clear home court advantage, including UAB, going forward. But we'll see," McGillis said. McGillis said that New Orleans, Biloxi and Shreveport have been mentioned as neutral site possibilities for the conference.

If New Orleans is selected in the future, McGillis said the Pelicans' Smoothie King Center could serve as the host of the men's tournament and Xavier University's 4,000-seat Convocation Center could be a "first-class" spot for the women's event.

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/08/6357...rylink=cpy

"I don't envision the tournament being awarded on a multiple-year basis to anyone that has a clear home court advantage, including UAB, going forward. But we'll see," McGillis said.

Apparently he never was around when Memphis seemed to have it there every year. It's great for UAB and Birmingham, but for the basketball fans it's nice to have it rotate every 3 years or so or have 3 go to cities. Not sure how basketball does it besides voting.

So it's fine for Memphis, but now that they're gone we're going to start holding it in cities that don't even have a CUSA school?

I'm biased and would love to see CUSA basketball in Biloxi, but Birmingham is a better location for dozens of reasons. I don't know if Biloxi would support it. I'd have to be convinced.

And is USM or La Tech pushing NOLA? I guess between the two schools it could work. I feel like we should be supporting CUSA cities but nobody should want this in Hattiesburg or Ruston.

I'd much prefer rotation between C-USA schools over a neutral location. I get that a central location is important, but I don't think our brand is big enough to have meaningful turnout in a place that doesn't have a member institution.

I could see them trying a neutral site like New Orleans. But I don't think it's something they will continue, because I think they will find it to be not very successful.

I understand why people wouldn't like it continuing to remain in Birmingham. It's not much different than when we dealt with the Memphis Invitational, though that was literally on their home floor. Whatever the decision, I think they will try it in some different locations and then take the numbers/data from that tournament event and go back to the ADs to prove why neutral sites and even many of the cities that have CUSA teams wouldn't be as good for the conference as Birmingham. And with Birmingham continuing to grow with more restaurants and developments, Birmingham's attractiveness as a host city will likely only grow in my opinion.

The tournament is lucky to draw flies even in a CUSA city.

Having it in a non-CUSA would be asking for disaster.

New Orleans is enough of a party town that it might draw some extra fans from out of town for the tournament. I don't think the locals will give a damn about it.

New Orleans might be too much of a party town that some may go "to the tournament" and not bother to show up at the tournament.

(08-08-2015 11:19 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]New Orleans might be too much of a party town that some may go "to the tournament" and not bother to show up at the tournament.

This!!!

Birmingham, Charlotte, & El Paso are the best options.

The only way this tournament will sell any tickets is to have it at a site in the city of one of the tournament favorites, as unfair as that may be to the other teams.

I would go but I'm afraid others wont. The furthest I would get away from a C-USA city is Nashville or Shreveport.

(08-08-2015 11:19 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]New Orleans might be too much of a party town that some may go "to the tournament" and not bother to show up at the tournament.

agreed - This is always a consideration when choosing a "destination city" that can always have lots of people but perhaps not a lot of fans who will go to the games. In such cities, there is always a "trade off" between things to do and games to see.

If they try this I bet it will only happen once

I agree. Go to Nashville and it will be well attended IMHO.

(08-09-2015 12:43 PM)stc Wrote: [ -> ]Birmingham, Charlotte, & El Paso are the best options.

I would throw Norfolk/Virginia Beach in there. Especially if ODU is doing well.