(03-04-2012 03:11 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  Personally I think the best answer long term would be Montgomery. Big city, international airport, major interstates connect to it, no pro sports to compete with, no Universities to compete with, driving distance of MT, South, Troy, ULL, ULM, and most of the proposed expansion members like La Tech and Georgia St.

The tourney would always have the support of the local Troy Montgomery campus for extra advertisement and the community would get behind supporting this because there is nothing like this in Montgomery. City also has lots of hotels, bars, restaurants, three malls, and sight seeing.

Where would you suggest the games be played? The Acadome or Garrett Coliseum? I doubt Alabama St would get behind that move and Garrett Coliseum is the Legion Field of the Capital City. If you stop to think about it, Montgomery does not possess the facilities to host this better than Hot Springs, at this point.

Montgomery Regional is not an International Airport. You can do better TC...

I hear Jonesboro, Arkansas is pretty nice this time of year...

To me this is just one more sign that UNT may be gone... At least in Hot springs pretty much all the teams (outside the of the FL schools) could make it as a drive.. If UNT leaves, moving the thing to coastal Mississippi just helps make it a little closer overall...

Several months back I remember reading that the SBC Presidents wanted the SBC to focus on the Southeast for expansion . . if this SBC Tournament is moved farther Southeast that would be in agreement with the SBC President's expansion thoughts.

It matters little what the Commish wants to do unless he can convince the SBC Presidents to allow him to do it.

If UNT leaves the SBC, moving this tournament farther to the East might not be a good sign for TXST and UTSA.

Go stAte . . Go SBC !!

(03-04-2012 04:54 PM)trojanbrutha Wrote:  

(03-04-2012 03:11 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  Personally I think the best answer long term would be Montgomery. Big city, international airport, major interstates connect to it, no pro sports to compete with, no Universities to compete with, driving distance of MT, South, Troy, ULL, ULM, and most of the proposed expansion members like La Tech and Georgia St.

The tourney would always have the support of the local Troy Montgomery campus for extra advertisement and the community would get behind supporting this because there is nothing like this in Montgomery. City also has lots of hotels, bars, restaurants, three malls, and sight seeing.

Where would you suggest the games be played? The Acadome or Garrett Coliseum? I doubt Alabama St would get behind that move and Garrett Coliseum is the Legion Field of the Capital City. If you stop to think about it, Montgomery does not possess the facilities to host this better than Hot Springs, at this point.

Montgomery Regional is not an International Airport. You can do better TC...

LOL! I was thinking the same thing.

I swear, somebody was just saying this a day or two ago, met with venom by the all hailed leader of the board.

(03-04-2012 10:01 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  I swear, somebody was just saying this a day or two ago, met with venom by the all hailed leader of the board.

I could see some football being played at Cramton Bowl, I really could. The renovated facility could rival some of the stadiums in this league, but for basketball, your options are limited to the Acadome and Garrett Coliseum...

(03-04-2012 10:48 PM)trojanbrutha Wrote:  

(03-04-2012 10:01 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  I swear, somebody was just saying this a day or two ago, met with venom by the all hailed leader of the board.

I could see some football being played at Cramton Bowl, I really could. The renovated facility could rival some of the stadiums in this league, but for basketball, your options are limited to the Acadome and Garrett Coliseum...

I was talking about Biloxi. Or New Orleans. Or Pensacola, for that matter.

Move it to Bowling Green since we have made the semi's 8 straight seasons of the conf. tournament...And we could set the record again for attend...

we were talking about this at our baseball game today. I made the comment that East Schools want the tourney moved to a closer location and WKU wanted the tournament in Bowling Green since you know they are WKU.

(03-04-2012 10:01 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  I swear, somebody was just saying this a day or two ago, met with venom by the all hailed leader of the board.

You talking about that jerk who posted this in 2009?

(03-17-2009 05:33 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  My point all along is that our problem as a conference is that not enough people consider traveling to the tournament a priority.

As long as that is the case, the tournament is going to struggle at ANY site because NO site is close enough to enough teams to rely on over and back attendance. We could play in Nashville but if WKU and MT stink it up, no one is going to be there.

I want neutral site to work. Its no fun going to a city focused on a single team. If Huntsville or Southhaven or Biloxi or Pensacola rolls in after the 2011 tournament and is committed to offering a better package you won't see a single post from me complaining though I'd probably have less enthusiasim for Huntsville of that list. Being away from me is a positive, it keeps me from being tempted to commute.

The neutral site gathering point is part of the growing up process of this conference.

And posted this in 2010 when the tournament was expanded

(09-04-2009 03:49 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  We aren't at a point where that makes financial sense for the potential host cities. Most want a multi-year committment.

When this contract came up, only Hot Springs and Huntsville, AL made serious bids and it worked out for the better because Hot Springs is capable of adding the extra venue easily.

I'm not really happy about the neutral site expansion because unless the format is changed after the Hot Springs contract expires it seriously limits the cities that can bid because of the need for dual venues.

Even among those capable of providing two venues, few can offer two under the same roof.

(09-04-2009 04:39 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Just want to add, that while I was pro-Hot Springs for some time because I like the venue, the communities proven organization ability, and availablity of some added attractions, I don't want them winning the bid by default in the future.

It's not in the league's best interest to be in a city that can win the bid merely because it is the only interested party that can accomodate the needs of the event. That's not healthy.

I'd be tickled if Hot Springs offers a better bid than other competing cities when this contract expires, I don't want them to get it because no one else can offer two courts under one roof.

If we are going to have an all-comers tournament, put the bottom five at a disadvantage in the first round or eliminate those who finish below the 6 or 8 level.

That guy is a dick.

(03-04-2012 04:20 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  

(03-04-2012 04:15 PM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  

(03-04-2012 03:43 PM)slappycajun Wrote:  Yeah. Pensacola would be a great destination. I remember the Cajuns going to a tourney in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum. I don't know if it was the American South Conference or Sunbelt.

The tournament was in Biloxi our first two years in the SBC, 92 and 93.

Talking to some folks today, I don't think it's a secret Benson wants to move the Tournament. But I don't think it's any of the cities mentioned in this thread.

Something surely needs to be done. Attendance in Arkansas is abysmal and the conference looks high schoolish. I don't know if its the venue or SBC teams just don't travel well. Maybe going back to the conference champion hosting to guarantee better attendance might be in order. What is going on right now is embarassing for the conference.

He wants to move it to Austin, TX?

Seriously though, this thread is a little all over the place. That eliminates a lot of options...

(03-05-2012 01:33 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-04-2012 10:01 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  I swear, somebody was just saying this a day or two ago, met with venom by the all hailed leader of the board.

You talking about that jerk who posted this in 2009?

(03-17-2009 05:33 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  My point all along is that our problem as a conference is that not enough people consider traveling to the tournament a priority.

As long as that is the case, the tournament is going to struggle at ANY site because NO site is close enough to enough teams to rely on over and back attendance. We could play in Nashville but if WKU and MT stink it up, no one is going to be there.

I want neutral site to work. Its no fun going to a city focused on a single team. If Huntsville or Southhaven or Biloxi or Pensacola rolls in after the 2011 tournament and is committed to offering a better package you won't see a single post from me complaining though I'd probably have less enthusiasim for Huntsville of that list. Being away from me is a positive, it keeps me from being tempted to commute.

The neutral site gathering point is part of the growing up process of this conference.

And posted this in 2010 when the tournament was expanded

(09-04-2009 03:49 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  We aren't at a point where that makes financial sense for the potential host cities. Most want a multi-year committment.

When this contract came up, only Hot Springs and Huntsville, AL made serious bids and it worked out for the better because Hot Springs is capable of adding the extra venue easily.

I'm not really happy about the neutral site expansion because unless the format is changed after the Hot Springs contract expires it seriously limits the cities that can bid because of the need for dual venues.

Even among those capable of providing two venues, few can offer two under the same roof.

(09-04-2009 04:39 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Just want to add, that while I was pro-Hot Springs for some time because I like the venue, the communities proven organization ability, and availablity of some added attractions, I don't want them winning the bid by default in the future.

It's not in the league's best interest to be in a city that can win the bid merely because it is the only interested party that can accomodate the needs of the event. That's not healthy.

I'd be tickled if Hot Springs offers a better bid than other competing cities when this contract expires, I don't want them to get it because no one else can offer two courts under one roof.

If we are going to have an all-comers tournament, put the bottom five at a disadvantage in the first round or eliminate those who finish below the 6 or 8 level.

That guy is a dick.

Yup. Makes the response even more curious.

Having your tournament in a central city that is a destination is quite fun. St. Louis for the MVC is a blast. If the Sun Belt can find a city like that for their tournament it would be the best thing for the league IMO. Memphis could be that type, while being at the FedEx Forum would be ideal the arena where the hockey team in the suburbs might not be a bad spot.

Average Distance to Southaven, MS from the Sun Belt Schools (9 schools excluding the two Florida schools) - 301 miles.
Average Distance to St. Louis from the MVC schools - 250 miles.

(03-07-2012 01:03 AM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  Having your tournament in a central city that is a destination is quite fun. St. Louis for the MVC is a blast. If the Sun Belt can find a city like that for their tournament it would be the best thing for the league IMO. Memphis could be that type, while being at the FedEx Forum would be ideal the arena where the hockey team in the suburbs might not be a bad spot.

Average Distance to Southaven, MS from the Sun Belt Schools (9 schools excluding the two Florida schools) - 301 miles.
Average Distance to St. Louis from the MVC schools - 250 miles.

YES.

The Missouri State fan has nailed it. The neutral site has worked for the MVC because they have great programs but also because it is a truly centralized location that all participants can travel to.

Missouri State fan is also correct in "throwing out" the Florida schools in the equation because nothing will be close to them regardless.

Just look at a map. Draw a "box" around all of those 8 remaining Sunbelt schools. Then picture the center of that box. Where is it? The geographic center of the Sunbelt is somewhere in northern Mississippi. South Haven is nice facility and is as close as you will get to the geographic center of the 8 core schools.

I think that too many people on here just want the tournament close to them. Hey, I'm one of them. But I'm being honest about that. WKU/MTSU fans want it in Nashville. USA fans want it in Biloxi close to them.

But I honestly think there is something else going on here. I think there is a deliberate intent to keep the tourney away from WKU/MTSU fanbases. Everybody knows that if the tourney was an equal distance to those schools that they will travel VERY WELL to the tournament. Therefore SOME of you deliberately want it disproportionately far from those schools.

The compromise is to put it at the geographic center. The compromise is SOUTH HAVEN.

Biloxi is UNACCEPTABLE. You're going to move it from a site that is centrally located for the Western division to a site that is on the fringe for BOTH divisions???

This is the wrong strategy. WRONG.

(03-07-2012 06:49 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  But I honestly think there is something else going on here. I think there is a deliberate intent to keep the tourney away from WKU/MTSU fanbases. Everybody knows that if the tourney was an equal distance to those schools that they will travel VERY WELL to the tournament. Therefore SOME of you deliberately want it disproportionately far from those schools.

Wow. Truth is, I don't think we care that much and you are a little paranoid.

I do not want it in Mississippi unless there is a Mississippi school in the Sun Belt. We should be giving the economic impact, such as it is, to one of OUR states.

Other than that I'm fine with high bidder, wherever that may be.

I'm fine with it in SH but can they get 2 courts in the Desoto center? Also, do they even want the tournament? When does our contract end in HS?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

I doubt there are many places that can handle a two court solution. One more thing about South Haven. If La.Tech joins that adds another school inside the 300 mile radius.

(03-07-2012 06:49 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Missouri State fan is also correct in "throwing out" the Florida schools in the equation because nothing will be close to them regardless.

I agree as well. I doubt you will EVER see FAU/FIU fans travel well in general to Sun Belt schools in any sport. There is just no school thats an easy 3-4 hour drive. Everything has to be by plane.

FAU/FIU's benefit to a confrence is recruiting, market and ease of travel for the TEAMS. For the fans of those schools its not easy unless you like and can afford air fare.

I really like the idea of Nashville or Gatlinburg. Nashville is growing like crazy and definitely has the facilities, hotels, etc. Yet, Gatlinburg is just a fun and gorgeous town! There's plenty to do and they have the facilities as well. The only bad thing about Gatlinburg would be the traffic; but if you stay at a hotel where you can walk to everything (which there are plenty) then it would be great! What about Atlanta or Chattanooga? I just think those would be great too.