Topic: 2015 CUSA Tourney awarded to Birmingham

[herds]

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - UAB and the city of Birmingham will host the 2015 Conference USA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament.

Conference USA confirmed the move on Twitter. UAB put in a bid to host along with Louisiana Tech (in Bossier City, La.), Southern Miss (on campus and in Biloxi) and UTEP.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/05/conference_usa_athletic_direct.html

[Herdmeister]

I love it. A very easy 8 hour drive. I would hope that we can take more than a dozen Herd fans. Much like when it was in Memphis. I never could understand the low turnout we had in Memphis.. Less than 9 hours away, GREAT venue and a city with tons to do..

[whf]

I know many think I am nuts, but I think Huntington should be bidding on this tourney every year.  Make them keep telling us No.  We have two facilities more than amply capable of hosting our tourney, plenty of hotels, and a community atmosphere where those attending would be noticed and very welcomed in town. 

However, if not us, Birmingham is great.  I might actually make my first tourney next year.

[Herdmeister]

I know many think I am nuts, but I think Huntington should be bidding on this tourney every year.  Make them keep telling us No.  We have two facilities more than amply capable of hosting our tourney, plenty of hotels, and a community atmosphere where those attending would be noticed and very welcomed in town.  

However, if not us, Birmingham is great.  I might actually make my first tourney next year.

when we first joined the league our facility wasn't big enough to bid. Minimum was 12,000 seats. Also needed a $1 million minimum guarantee. I know that was still in place for El Paso this past year. Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Arena (BJCC) seats 17,000 for basketball.

[andy31]

when we first joined the league our facility wasn't big enough to bid. Minimum was 12,000 seats. Also needed a $1 million minimum guarantee. I know that was still in place for El Paso this past year. Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Arena (BJCC) seats 17,000 for basketball.

I think that minimum should be removed. El Paso may have a large arena but attendance was embarrassing for the conference. I don't think Huntington has a good enough hotel situation to host but I think the tournament would actually be well supported if it was here. I'd rather have a relatively full 9,000 arena than a 1/4 full 17,000 seat arena.

[_sturt_]

Thought #1.

Sucks to be Chuck Landon these days, don't it? It's almost as-if he was just plain set-up.

Thought #2.

A conference as spread-out as ours shouldn't be shy to think out of the box on something like this, imo. The traditional model doesn't work all that well.

Here's my take, which no one listens to, but that's never stopped me before, right?

The tournament should be set-up along divisional lines and played concurrently at two sites, one East, one West.

Atlanta would be the most geographically-proximal for the East, and Dallas would be equally rational for the West.

Top team in each division gets a bye, and first round starts Tuesday with 2v7, 3v6 and 4v5 at both sites. Wednesday is divisional semi-final, Thursday is divisional final, and then... the capper... one or the other uses Friday as a travel day, and the conference final takes place on Saturday, alternating each year between Atlanta and Dallas.

[Ovaltine Jenkins]

Thought #1.

Sucks to be Chuck Landon these days, don't it? It's almost as-if he was just plain set-up.

Thought #2.

A conference as spread-out as ours shouldn't be shy to think out of the box on something like this, imo. The traditional model doesn't work all that well.

Here's my take, which no one listens to, but that's never stopped me before, right?

The tournament should be set-up along divisional lines and played concurrently at two sites, one East, one West.

Atlanta would be the most geographically-proximal for the East, and Dallas would be equally rational for the West.

Top team in each division gets a bye, and first round starts Tuesday with 2v7, 3v6 and 4v5 at both sites. Wednesday is divisional semi-final, Thursday is divisional final, and then... the capper... one or the other uses Friday as a travel day, and the conference final takes place on Saturday, alternating each year between Atlanta and Dallas.

That is actually an interesting idea.

[luvherd]

Better than UTEP.

[miltonherdfan]

as for the low turnout when tournament was in MEM . . . dude, some of us just don't have that kinda $ to drop when we're all but guaranteed to be blown outta the gym!  i know you do & that's cool, but most of us are in a position where we like a return on our investment.  i'm sure i'm not the only one on here that's just a Herd fan -- i don't care about USM, UAB, UTEP, or any other team in our conference.  when the herd's done, i'm done.  i don't pay to go watch a movie i'm 99% sure i'm not gonna like or a concert i'm 99% sure i'm not gonna enjoy, & i'm not gonna drop that kinda change to watch bad basketball.  3 seasons ago was an absolute miracle & nobody saw that coming.  i've been to MEM, i've seen & done whatever else is there that i'd care to see & do.  if the herd doesn't have a snowball's chance at making the trip worthwhile, i'm not driving 18 hrs to watch us get blown out by some school half the country doesn't even know exists.  i could've seen that here in hgtn all season long.  by the time conference tourn rolls around, i'm done w/embarrassing losses, i'd had my fill by then.

i agree w/notion that Hgtn should be bidding for this.  for the naysayers, i'd like to know who all these people are that won't be able to find lodging?  where have they been for the last several yrs' tourns?  MEM is gone now.  who's going to bring this great following that we won't have room for?  we've got at least 9 nice hotels b/w south point & b'ville, & that's not incl the "motels" off 29th St exit (red roof, days inn) or ashland or Teays Valley.  you'll be able to hear a pin drop in that 17k-seat arena in birmingham.  like andy said, a rockin' 9k-seater looks & sounds a WHOLE lot better than an empty 17k-seater.

[k00laid]

How big is the big sandy arena?  I wonder if this was in mind when the city just dropped the money for a new basketball floor.

[elginherd]

as for the low turnout when tournament was in MEM . . . dude, some of us just don't have that kinda $ to drop when we're all but guaranteed to be blown outta the gym!  i know you do & that's cool, but most of us are in a position where we like a return on our investment.  i'm sure i'm not the only one on here that's just a Herd fan -- i don't care about USM, UAB, UTEP, or any other team in our conference.  when the herd's done, i'm done.  i don't pay to go watch a movie i'm 99% sure i'm not gonna like or a concert i'm 99% sure i'm not gonna enjoy, & i'm not gonna drop that kinda change to watch bad basketball.  3 seasons ago was an absolute miracle & nobody saw that coming.  i've been to MEM, i've seen & done whatever else is there that i'd care to see & do.  if the herd doesn't have a snowball's chance at making the trip worthwhile, i'm not driving 18 hrs to watch us get blown out by some school half the country doesn't even know exists.  i could've seen that here in hgtn all season long.  by the time conference tourn rolls around, i'm done w/embarrassing losses, i'd had my fill by then.

i agree w/notion that Hgtn should be bidding for this.  for the naysayers, i'd like to know who all these people are that won't be able to find lodging?  where have they been for the last several yrs' tourns?  MEM is gone now.  who's going to bring this great following that we won't have room for?  we've got at least 9 nice hotels b/w south point & b'ville, & that's not incl the "motels" off 29th St exit (red roof, days inn) or ashland or Teays Valley.  you'll be able to hear a pin drop in that 17k-seat arena in birmingham.  like andy said, a rockin' 9k-seater looks & sounds a WHOLE lot better than an empty 17k-seater.

Milton,

I do think H-ton WOULD support the tourney better than any other town in the league. I do agree that H-ton has two venues of appropriate size for the 'crowds' that would attend. (And I also think that the locals would attend more games that don't involve the Herd than is the case anywhere else in the league when the local team is not playing.)

I strongly disagree about the availability of decent hotels/motels. Both the downtown hotels suck....big time. The ones off the 16th street exit, don't suck but I wouldn't stay at any of them again. In fact the only one we've stayed at that was well run was the Red Roof off 29th street. At least, in our experience, they are clean and the staff friendly and accommodating. All the others, where we've stayed, have ranged from horrible to disappointing.

[herds]

Is Huntington willing to front the $1,000,000 required to host?

Also are urban universities like UNT, UTEP, Charlotte, UAB, ect. willing to travel to a small town like Huntington when there will likely be larger cities bidding?

Finally, will any school vote to bring the tourney to a place that only has 2 daily flights to one location and three day a week vacation service to three other locations in South Carolina and Florida

[_sturt_]

Nice thing about Atlanta is that, with Mizzou and TAMU now in the SEC, there's an opening/opportunity b/c they've moved to Nashville for now... Dallas, too, is open, with the Big XII doing their shindig in KC for now.

Someone may argue that you're taking what is a five-day occupancy of an arena and expanding it to two three-day events plus a championship game--seven total.

I would counter in a couple of veins... first, the increased accessibility has to have an effect on attendance, and second, it can't hurt that you're not just creating some media buzz in one major market, but two. Plus, if the Hawks' and Mavs' arenas are too pricey, there are a few other arenas in both of those towns that could have interest.

[W0lfman]

Bring it to Charlotte. That's my vote.


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[elginherd]

Is Huntington willing to front the $1,000,000 required to host?

Also are urban universities like UNT, UTEP, Charlotte, UAB, ect. willing to travel to a small town like Huntington when there will likely be larger cities bidding?

Finally, will any school vote to bring the tourney to a place that only has 2 daily flights to one location and three day a week vacation service to three other locations in South Carolina and Florida

The flight situation is, very likely, a deal killer along with the (for the most part) very crappy hotel situation. Both are a shame...because once the people were in town, they would find it a very convenient & friendly host town.

[elginherd]

Bring it to Charlotte. That's my vote.


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Charlotte has a lot to offer. I have just absolutely hated having to navigate around any part of it whenever I had business there.

[goherd24]

Didnt done deal say it was going to be in louisiana? Lol

[sardistim]

Charlotte has a lot to offer. I have just absolutely hated having to navigate around any part of it whenever I had business there.

With the new uptown arena (where the Bobcats/Hornets play) there's no navigating to do.  Get an uptown hotel room and walk for three/four days.

[luvherd]

Charlotte would be perfect.

[Big City]

Bring it to Charlotte. That's my vote.


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Charlotte or Nashville would work

[Herdmeister]

That is actually an interesting idea.

I have been to the tournament every year and believe me, at a neutral site, the league would lose a million dollars a year. There would be nobody there. Only home team fans show up in any numbers at all. The exception was that Memphis would take a couple thousand fans to anywhere they played. Most others have less than 200 at most

[_sturt_]

I think we're essentially saying the same thing. The league is... and always has been... far too spread out to hope to find a neutral site that's going to attract enough fans to be adequate.

So... keeping status quo, as I said, is just refusing to acknowledge that the old model isn't working and that it needs replaced. You're relying on one school to pull the weight, and if that one school doesn't deliver the goods, it's not going to be pretty because it's too inconvenient for far too many to travel.

By going to two divisional sites, it still might not bring-in a big presence from every school, but you at least reduce travel to something everyone with a real fan base can accommodate.

Not satisfied? Want another solution? One that's almost bound to be an attendance success? Here's one.

Division champs get the privilege of hosting the divisional rounds. I think you'd still want to have a travel day and then play the championship game in Birmingham for several reasons. But if you want a lively atmosphere, that would seem to be about as close to an SoCon/Asheville scenario as we could hope to get.

I still prefer the earlier one, though... again, mainly because you create a stronger impression of your conference to outsiders if you're playing in the South's most major markets Atlanta or Dallas... and even better both Atlanta and Dallas... than to be just as likely to be playing in Bowling Green, KY and Reston, LA.

[luvherd]

I would let the regular season champ host.

[Herdmeister]

I would let the regular season champ host.

Not enough time to get hotel rooms, flights etc.

[Herdmeister]

I think we're essentially saying the same thing. The league is... and always has been... far too spread out to hope to find a neutral site that's going to attract enough fans to be adequate.

So... keeping status quo, as I said, is just refusing to acknowledge that the old model isn't working and that it needs replaced. You're relying on one school to pull the weight, and if that one school doesn't deliver the goods, it's not going to be pretty because it's too inconvenient for far too many to travel.

By going to two divisional sites, it still might not bring-in a big presence from every school, but you at least reduce travel to something everyone with a real fan base can accommodate.

Not satisfied? Want another solution? One that's almost bound to be an attendance success? Here's one.

Division champs get the privilege of hosting the divisional rounds. I think you'd still want to have a travel day and then play the championship game in Birmingham for several reasons. But if you want a lively atmosphere, that would seem to be about as close to an SoCon/Asheville scenario as we could hope to get.

I still prefer the earlier one, though... again, mainly because you create a stronger impression of your conference to outsiders if you're playing in the South's most major markets Atlanta or Dallas... and even better both Atlanta and Dallas... than to be just as likely to be playing in Bowling Green, KY and Reston, LA.

But with a minimum bid of $1 million, the league can do ok the way it is. No neutral site city would bid anywhere near that amount for it.