Big 12 Tournament Site

[TheGimper]

I live in the OKC area and love when the tourney is here, but they do it MUCH better in Kansas City. That's the bottom line.

Just curious, how do they do it better? It's not like what Kansas City does brings an influx of fans from schools outside the KU/KSU/ISU triangle.

 

[IndySooner]

Just curious, how do they do it better? It's not like what Kansas City does brings an influx of fans from schools outside the KU/KSU/ISU triangle.

The "scene" is 10x better. P&L being right across the street is perfect.

And, when the tourney is here in OKC, the KU and KSU fans still show up, along with a good group of ISU fans. OU and OSU fans don't show up nearly as much as KU and KSU fans do in KC. Ticket prices for the semi-finals and finals were ridiculous.

 

[MsProudSooner]

The "scene" is 10x better. P&L being right across the street is perfect.

And, when the tourney is here in OKC, the KU and KSU fans still show up, along with a good group of ISU fans. OU and OSU fans don't show up nearly as much as KU and KSU fans do in KC. Ticket prices for the semi-finals and finals were ridiculous.

Are you speaking of face value for the ticket prices or scalper prices?

I've never been to the tournament in KC, but I've been to a concert at the Sprint Center. The P&L district is nice. It's more compact than Bricktown which can be a plus or a minus.

If I had the funds to travel to the Big XII tournament every year, I wouldn't care where it was. Since I don't, I would like for it to be in my own back yard once in a while so I can see it in person instead of on TV.

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

So?

Well personally I'd like the host city to have some sort of investment and maybe treat it as something special. When there's already 200 other groups/conventions/etc in town that week you sort of get lost in the crowd.

 

[NMSooner'80]

I'm too selfish. Rotate the damn thing! It's absurd that the Kansas schools get such an advantage every year.

I also still have nightmares of the old Big 8 preseason tournament at KC. It was just three more home games for "The Big Three" (KU, KSU and Mizzou), and OU never played well in it back in my day - even in the Big 8 title season of '79.

 

[kbsooner]

Downtown OKC is evolving. Within 10-15 years the area around the Peake will not be recognizable from it's current state. The influx of new hotels alone will help what was considered one of the major issues in the past. It will surely put us more in the game to host future events once all the planned construction is completed.

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

I'm too selfish. Rotate the damn thing! It's absurd that the Kansas schools get such an advantage every year.

I also still have nightmares of the old Big 8 preseason tournament at KC. It was just three more home games for "The Big Three" (KU, KSU and Mizzou), and OU never played well in it back in my day - even in the Big 8 title season of '79.

I can remember those games back when we had Adams. Talk about getting skull banged by the refs. :ed

 

[soonerstar]

Why have the tourney in a state where no Big 12 member resides? As soon as Mizzou left, the tourney should have moved.

 

[Crimson King]

The "scene" is 10x better. P&L being right across the street is perfect.

And, when the tourney is here in OKC, the KU and KSU fans still show up, along with a good group of ISU fans. OU and OSU fans don't show up nearly as much as KU and KSU fans do in KC. Ticket prices for the semi-finals and finals were ridiculous.

Totally agree on both points, though Bricktown does offer an acceptable close to arena scene. OKC did a great job with the tourney in 2007, but seemed to lose interest in 2009, due to the Thunder I guess. And OUr fans didn't make a real good showing in 2009 even though we had Blake, an Elite 8 team, and matched up against osu.

In Dallas, there is even less general local interest and a worse close to arena scene, though the AAC is probably the nicest building of the three and it's fun to at least have some variety.

Tulsa with its new arena and no pro team to compete for local interest, should definitely bid.

BTW, Joe C's email was less than informative or insightful.

 

[WTSooner]

In Dallas, there is even less general local interest and a worse close to arena scene,

Nonsense.

The West End is how far from AAC? 5 blocks or so, if that? And I think they've built up the area between AAC and West End since I was last down there too.

 

[badger]

Just like I think it's unfair to bash Tulsa's hosting of the NCAAs a few years ago when OU and OSU were both on down years, I think it's unfair to bash KC's hosting when there were a lot of down teams in the Big 12 this year.

I think that West Virginia fans would travel if they weren't on suicide watch all basketball season (especially after their disappointing football season).

I think Texas is a fanbase of cockroaches that will go anywhere they can to wear bevo orange (unless their team is too embarrassing to support).

I thin OU needs another season or two of NCAA tourney going before more than 50 fans will dedicate to Big 12 tourney travel again.

And... I'd really like to see 12 teams back in the Big 12 again.

 

[campbest]

Nonsense.

The West End is how far from AAC? 5 blocks or so, if that? And I think they've built up the area between AAC and West End since I was last down there too.

No one goes to the West End.

 

[WTSooner]

No one goes to the West End.

Odd.

I've been there, and it was crazy-packed every time.