rusty X

The tournament held in Dayton is starting to look very good now. Even the commentators on ESPN, when talking about highlights, remarked about the empty arena. The visuals sure did not help. I can not recall ever seeing highlights of any serious tournament when the area behind the goals was an ocean of empty seats.

Since the theory is that a conference makes money with a post season tournament, well, the A-10 sure is not making that a reality.

I wish I was able to get up there to see it. It woud be like having a command performance, sort of like when Prince Charles and his friends had the Rolling Stones play at one of his castles. (I think I am showing my age with that memory)

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If you want to run with the big dogs, you've got to get off the porch.

ChrisGags

On 950am sportstalk in Philly last night they were talking about this topic. Only Dayton can host and sell out....or the Palestra. But the A-10 wants to go to big arenas and can't sell well which included the Spectrum in Philly and now Cincy. Maybe AC will do better, but the best move might just be going back to Palestra where it is tight and there is lots of energy in the building. As the one commentator put it, take a step backwards and make it an exciting fan filled tourney again to move forward.

WH

I'd be curious to hear from Philly fans why they think the A-10 doesnt want to do the Palestra.

Blue Dog

I saw some comments from Bruno about this last year. Not about the Palestra, but about the importance of amenities for corporate sponsers at the tournament. Which is a laugh considering what a dump US Bank is.

They were talking about hospitality suites, buffets, etc etc which I guess there is no room for at the Palestra. These things aren't about the fans anymore, it's all about the sponsers.

One huge problem at US Bank is the 16,500 seats. Last year when X played the Hawks there were around 10,000 there and it was still completely empty behind both baskets. Watching it on tv you'd have thought that nobody was there.

SDW

Does anyone know what the AC site holds?

Corporate sponsorship and money or not, the A-10 leadership needs to realize that these televised empty arena games are doing more harm to the league than good.

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Spider Fever...it's spreading.

PVP

Who knows. When is the last time it was at the Palestra - 1996? We ask the same question every year. The Palestra just makes sense for this league. The only ticket that was really difficult was the semifinal.

I am interested in the concept of Atlantic City. Philly teams, GW, Fordham, URI and UMass all within a fairly easy drive. Hopefully Atlantic City acts as a destination trip for other fans within the league.

Mik

10,000. However, it does have the capacity for the corporate functions the A-10 desperately wants.

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FlyingElvis

I'm a little curious what X fans think the attendance would be like if the tourney was held at Cintas. Is there enough parking in the area to accomodate daytime tourney games? I heard that may be a problem. I am a little partial to having it on home courts of teams that draw decent numbers. I think the Palestra would work well also. What about Charlotte and St. Louis? Would they draw well? The empty stadium spectacle on ESPN is embarrassing.

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"US Bank Arena can't be that bad" "Top Flyght"

"A school is a school. The name on the jersey doesn't make the player because on draft day you don't go up and take your jersey up there when you get drafted. They don't say this jersey did this for you, you do the work yourself. You make the jersey."

DebataRam

I for one know that if it was at AC right now, I would be in a car at the end of work on the craps table s by 4:00 and then hit the double header, then to play some poker at the Borgata this evening. Ohh, it would be nice! I think it also raises the potential to get students to the game in Ohio only Dayton and Cincinnati students will go. In AC the possibility of having busing to the games from the local universities greatly improves.

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2004-2005 Overall A-10 Pick Champion
2005-2006 Overall A-10 Pick Champion

jimbo65

Watched the double header last night and the X game looked deserted though the crowd was respectable. Watched FU and it looked pretty much the same but it was deserted. Heck the pigeon didn't even swow up last night.

If/when FU beats X this evening, the final may not draw flies. If 8,000 at X v Ch looked empty, what will a final without X look like.

RF1

I will repost a post I made regarding this topic on another thread:

There have been some rumblings in Rhode Island that the soon to be renovated Dunkin Donuts Center (DDC) may make a bid for the tourney after the two year run in AC. Providence College has successfully run a PR campaign to get the state to spend 100 million to purchase it from the city and renovate the building (convenient for PC since their team plays there). One argument that has been used to justify this project is that a newly renovated building will attract big events. Since I expect that this endeavour (DDC purchase & renovation) will be a big money loser and the DDC will be very hardpressed to get events such as the NCAA's, I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a bid. There was some discussion on the local sports radio station about trying to get the A-10 tourney just this past Wednesday.

If the DDC does make a pitch for the A-10 tourney, I hope URI is in no way financially connected. The A-10 tourney has only really succeeded in Dayton. Part of the reason it did well in Dayton was that both fairly local teams UD and X were good at the time. The rabid loyal fanbase of UD and college basketball in that area was also another reason. I don't mind URI assisting the DDC in some logistical matters and mailing its season ticket holders A-10 Tourney data but I want URI to have absolutely no financial liability. I would want a relationship similar to what Xavier had in Cincinatti.
My reasons for this are that I am not confident that the tourney would succeed in Providence from an attendance perspective. If URI and UMass were good (very big ifs) at the time, it would certainly make things easier but this is not guaranteed. I also don't think the local college basketball fan would embrace the tourney as they more closely follow the Providence based Big East after having been indoctrinated by the local media for the last 25 years.

The DDC might not be bad for the tourney in some respects. It is not nearly as big as the US Bank Arena and Spectrum as the capacity is just over 13,000. The arena in well located in the downtown district close to the hotels, shopping, dining, bars, and entertainment establishments. The Amtrak station is blocks from the arena and it will soon be connected to the airport which is less than 10 miles from downtown. Providence also has route 95 which cuts through the city downtown and goes right by the back of the DDC.

rusty X

In anticipation of a terrific Xavier team next year, which airport is the most convenient to AC? Which large airports would be suitable?

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If you want to run with the big dogs, you've got to get off the porch.

GW Dawgs

AC has an airport, but not sure of the level of service. They do have direct flights from CVG though!!Philly's about an hour away (maybe a little more from the airport).

xu1990