Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan probably all have large alumni clubs in the NYC area, but the fans from back home definitely would spend more money on the NYC site than Indy or Milwaukee or even Chicago.
Absolutely Terry, that was my point. A trip there from the Midwest would be much more expensive.! There has to be a point where fans will no longer support the cost of travel, hotels and expensive restaurants.
I read somewhere that the B10's plan is to rotate the championship sites with Indy and Chicago being the primary locations. Since the B10 has 3 East Coast teams, my understanding is that every three to four years they will have the tourney at a major East Coast city. That seems fair especially compared to the Big East which has 5 Midwestern schools but holds its tournament in New York.
Well Oklahoma continued it's downward spiral last night, losing to Oklahoma State, yet people are saying they are still in the tourney. It's based on their early season play where they had some really good wins. I sort of get it, in the NFL or NBA or MLB if you have a terrific start but crash in Sept but still have a good enough record to get a WC entry you are in, doesn't matter that you finished badly. Longhorns got a big win last night vs Iowa State, again without Mo. Bamba, next up is #2 seed Texas Tech. They will likely be without Mo Bamba again. Not sure if we need to win or not, naturally it would be better if we did and then we'd be in no doubt. But might make it even if we lose. Irish in a similar position, got a big win last night and they are right there but really need to beat Duke or at least play them to the wire to have a real shot.
Alabama knocks off Texas A&M...at the buzzer, guy went the length of the court in about 3 secs for the winning basket. That happens all the time and I always wonder how the heck the other team can't stop the guy, they don't want to foul him to put him on the line for the winning free throws...so maybe they are too cautious.
Reason # 1439 why we should fire Billy Kennedy. You have 4 seconds left and there's ONE GUY you don't want to have the ball... oh he got it... well there's one guy you absolutely double and make him pass... oh he got within shooting range... well you contest the shot... All this after a FREAKIN' TIMEOUT! We suck. :x
So while waiting for the big games tonight. ..Watch this highlight reel of a soph girl from Edina Mn, Paige Beuckers. What court presence, reminds me of Pistol Pete. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NEpdrog6lTs?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe>
WOW! Terry, your comparison of that HS sophomore to Pete Maravich is accurate. We'll be hearing more about her. I watched some of the Alabama-Auburn game. That Sexton kid is a player.
ACC got 9 teams in the tournament the most of any league. SEC was next with 8 teams, the Big 12 got 7 and the Big East got 6. Big 10 only got 4 and the Pac 12 only got 3 teams.
I wonder how the Power5 teams like ND, USC, Penn State and Neb, Stanford, etc...players would vote if they had a choice to just end their season and watch the NCAA with the rest of us or play for a somewhat meaningless NIT championship. Where crowds will be thin and they'll play midweek games that won't be seen by very many.
If they are going on to the NBA they may not to want to risk injury but otherwise it seems like it would be more opportunities to play basketball games. How tough can that be?
I don't know, you're right it's more basketball. But I wonder if they are worn out and really aren't that interested in more basketball right now and would rather have the time off to focus on academics and get back to basketball in the summer. It does seem like football players for the most part love going to even the most insignificant bowl game, which has always been surprising to me. But they do get a SWAG bag/or gift certificates when they go to those games. Bottom line is that they don't really get to choose anymore that's for sure. I know before all the contracts that conferences made with the bowls to provide teams, that teams actually declined to go to a bowl. I know the '96 Notre Dame team at 8-3 voted not to go to a bowl. You can't do that anymore.