New Four Team Event

[Goose85]

Man is this a cool idea. Michigan State's AD is really creative. I'd guess TV money for these teams is not too shabby either.

Mich St., Texas, UNC, and Florida will play each other in three different locations - NY, Chicago, LA, and actually travel on the same plane and participate in activites together in each of the three cities over the period of eight days.

Now that is stepping up non conference.



http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10444857/michigan-state-north-carolina-florida-texas-new-4-team-event

[TheSultan]

That is actually really cool.

[MU/Panther]

I think this is stupid! The problem with college basketball is paying home fans/season-tickets holders are lacking any good non-conference games to see. We need H/H in the non-conference in basketball!

[MayorBeluga]

I think this is stupid! The problem with college basketball is paying home fans/season-tickets holders are lacking any good non-conference games to see. We need H/H in the non-conference in basketball!

Absolutely, whole-heartedly agree. Hizzoner hates the way college basketball has followed football by going away from non-conference home and homes, replacing them with neutral site games. We all understand tv runs the show, but it's at the expense of the fans actually, you know, paying for the tickets.

[Nukem2]

I think this is stupid! The problem with college basketball is paying home fans/season-tickets holders are lacking any good non-conference games to see. We need H/H in the non-conference in basketball!I agree. Need more home-and-home NC games as the NC "season" is becoming an extended TV event. As it is, many schools are seeing declining attendance. The made-for-TV events are going to continue to favor the elite teams, leaving others to scramble for really good games. Of course, academics are really considered in scheduling these events....:(

[Goose85]

I agree. Need more home-and-home NC games as the NC "season" is becoming an extended TV event. As it is, many schools are seeing declining attendance. The made-for-TV events are going to continue to favor the elite teams, leaving others to scramble for really good games. Of course, academics are really considered in scheduling these events....:(

Games are not while school is in session, so academics were considered.

While I agree on the home and home debate, and I'd like to see more of that as opposed to neutral site games, this is a one year deal like a tournament, and not an annual matchup.

This event would take the place of participating in a Maui Clasic or Wooden Legacy that we played in this year. I think that is why they are all scheduling one more game so this qualifies as a "multiteam" event.

Question for those who don't like it;
Why do you prefer a Wooden Legacy tournament type event over this set up?
or
Are you against any tournaments and would rather just schedule home and home games?

I would prefer this over a tournament set up. Play in NY, Chicago, LA - not bad exposure, and split the money four ways. Nice Deal.

[IWB]

Personally I would prefer the tournament set up. Why? There are a lot of MU fans that travel to Maui, Virgin Islands, Anchorage etc and spend 4 days with the Marquette Basketball team while also enjoying a little vacation.

How many MU fans would travel from LA to Chicago to New York over that same 4-5 day span? Only a very select few.

[MU/Panther]

I would take a tourney that is in one city with 3 games in 4 days.

NY to Chicago to LA is a joke! This is not the NBA and the travel is a nightmare.

[IWB]

I think they are eliminating the travel nightmare by chartering a large plane with all four teams traveling together, but yes, it would eliminate the fans.

[unclejohn]

It is clearly a made for TV event. I do not think it is any dumber than playing on an aircraft carrier. It does mean that the big school teams are becoming more and more like pros. This is more about entertainment than competition. It is a pretty good TV event, but things like this are going to leave the have-nots even further behind.

[Goose85]

My guess is recruits won't mind playing in The Garden, United Center, Staples Center once in their career.

I think it is a nice made for TV opportunity where you control your opponent. This might be more lucrative than playing in a tournament.

Would you think differently if it were MU - UCLA - Syracuse - Kansas? Syracuse sells The Garden, MU sells the United Center - UCLA sells the Staples and Kansas as an opponent sells everywhere.

[MU/Panther]

UCLA can't sell their own arena.

[TheSultan]

My guess is recruits won't mind playing in The Garden, United Center, Staples Center once in their career.

I think it is a nice made for TV opportunity where you control your opponent. This might be more lucrative than playing in a tournament.

Would you think differently if it were MU - UCLA - Syracuse - Kansas? Syracuse sells The Garden, MU sells the United Center - UCLA sells the Staples and Kansas as an opponent sells everywhere.


You have pretty much summarized why I like these type of events. I really can't relate to the ticket buyers since I am not one....

[Nukem2]

You have pretty much summarized why I like these type of events. I really can't relate to the ticket buyers since I am not one....
Hey, a couch potato...?
PS, sorry. Could not resist.

[TheSultan]

Hey, a couch potato...?
PS, sorry. Could not resist.


Yeah...pretty much.

But honestly I would rather watch on television most of the time.

[IWB]

I am not one of those travelers/ticket buyers either, but I know there is usually a pretty sizable contingent.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I think they are neat, and great promotion... I wish MU could get into something like this, they also have that NIKE tournament coming up in Portland that was put together by the Michigan St. AD also... That should be a neat tournament

[Goose85]

I am not one of those travelers/ticket buyers either, but I know there is usually a pretty sizable contingent.

I understand some fans go and really enjoy that experience, but in watching some of the tournaments this year there were a lot of empty seats in some smaller gyms.

I guess for the four teams listed, this would get more exposure and tv revenue than the likely matchups you could have in a tournament.

Wooden Classic teams were Miami, GW, MU, Fullerton, College of Charleston, San Diego St, Creighton, and ASU. When you commit to these a few years out, you never know.

Over a four year period it would be cool to do this type showcase one year, a tournament one year, and two good home and home teams in the other two years.

Players / fans may like to travel to Hawaii or the like for a tourney, ticket buyers would like to see better non conference games, and I think this traveling showcase would be good for strenght of schedule, exposure, and revenue.

[MU/Panther]

CBB needs to have better home games in the non-conference. You can't have 8 to 9 cupcakes. That is not going to sell season tickets and you will have alot of empty seats all year. Which doesn't look good on tv.

[Nukem2]

This thread is going in two directions. Yes, it's fine to have a warm weather tourney and a TV event. The real issue is the rest of the NC schedule. Too many crappy home games and lots of empty seats. Happening everywhere. Not good.

[MU/Panther]

This thread is going in two directions. Yes, it's fine to have a warm weather tourney and a TV event. The real issue is the rest of the NC schedule. Too many crappy home games and lots of empty seats. Happening everywhere. Not good.Correct! Which is not good for the game of college basketball.

[TheSultan]

Correct! Which is not good for the game of college basketball.


You know I'm not sure about that. Face it as the television contracts have increased in value, the need for fans to show up at games is less of an importance. Those four schools can do the math...they know what will be more lucrative for them.

[Goose85]

You know I'm not sure about that. Face it as the television contracts have increased in value, the need for fans to show up at games is less of an importance. Those four schools can do the math...they know what will be more lucrative for them.

Also doing it while students are not in town. If they are like MU, the student sections are a ghost town during Christmas break.

[Nukem2]

All about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Screw the fans.

[TheSultan]

All about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Screw the fans.


But see that doesn't make sense. You are screwing the fans that might go to the games, but you are appealing to the fans that watch on television.

[MU/Panther]

H/H with power schools would be good for tv.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

Also doing it while students are not in town. If they are like MU, the student sections are a ghost town during Christmas break.

Lots of schools face similar issues, in the last few years I've gotten to talking to fans from lots of programs and they all complain about the same things, and that includes Badger fans, Kansas fans, Duke fans, etc... We think it's only us because all we see on TV is the big games and arenas are always packed.