Move the Tournament Around Again

[Crimson King]

Looks like the Big 12 is contracted through 2018 in KC. That will mean 9 years in a row at the Sprint. Contrast that to the 7 years prior to 2010, when it was in Dallas 3 times, OKC twice, and KC twice (granted KC was in the process of building a new arena).

I'll be the first to say KC does a great job with the tournament, it's still a big deal there, and the P&L district is probably the top gathering district of the 3 sites. But the conference really needs to start moving the tournament around again.

The DMN indicated that Dallas was bidding for it in 2019-20. Hopefully other cites are also. Tulsa with its new arena would be foolish not to. Although the Thunder appeared to affect OKC tourney interest in 2009, obviously it would be to OUr advantage to have it there again also.

 

[WTSooner]

I think it should move around. I don't care if KC puts on the best show, it isn't fair, and one team shouldn't have that kind of advantage. It's better for the conference as a whole to have it move around. KC. Oklahoma (OKC or Tulsa). And Dallas. That would be a nice rotation.

 

[Sooner04]

I would love to see it in OKC once every three or four years with all the others going to Kansas City. KC does a fantastic job with all facets of the tournament, and it's something I look forward to attending every year.

Dallas had their chance, and it simply did not compare to the atmosphere in Kansas City. P&L is awesome.

1. Kansas City (far and away the best)
2. Oklahoma City (solid job)
3. Dallas (and a distant third at that)

 

[CoachTalk]

TULSA! BOK center!

 

[Zimwillett]

I would love to see it in OKC once every three or four years with all the others going to Kansas City. KC does a fantastic job with all facets of the tournament, and it's something I look forward to attending every year.

Dallas had their chance, and it simply did not compare to the atmosphere in Kansas City. P&L is awesome.

1. Kansas City (far and away the best)
2. Oklahoma City (solid job)
3. Dallas (and a distant third at that)

Agree that KC does a great job with this tournament. However, since 1977 they've hosted the Big 8/12 men's basketball tournament 34 times (including this year), so they've had a lot of practice at getting it right.

Now that the base of the conference is more to the south, it's time to start spreading this around. I'd even be in favor of giving somewhere like San Antonio a shot. It's just not fair to play this 40 miles from KU's campus every single year.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

TULSA! BOK center!

I don't get the hype with the BOK. chesapeake arena is a lot nicer. The BOK does get great gigs though

 

[jackson_supersooner]

My question is can we even have it in OKC? I guess if the thunder scheduled around it and had road games from Tuesday until Sunday? I just don't know if they would even be open to that.

 

[jackson_supersooner]

TULSA! BOK center!

I would be down for that. I feel like it would be a lot easier to land
Then the Chesapeake arena. Only problem is it goes from being an OVERWHELMING sooner home crowd to a more SLIGHTLY OSU based crowd (Stillwater closer to tulsa)

 

[BoulderSooner]

I don't get the hype with the BOK. chesapeake arena is a lot nicer. The BOK does get great gigs though

this ..

 

[Zimwillett]

My question is can we even have it in OKC? I guess if the thunder scheduled around it and had road games from Tuesday until Sunday? I just don't know if they would even be open to that.

Easily. It's a 4 day tournament---Wednesday-Saturday. The Thunder have a 3 game road swing (March 25-29) coming up that has them out of town for longer than that and they're not even needing to schedule around anything.

Edit: Strike that---they are scheduling around the NCAA Women's regional. So yes, it can be easily done.

 

[thebigabd]

Dallas..... every year.

 

[Sooner04]

I'd be willing to bet that the KC-heavy rotation is the conference's appeasement to KC for the uprooting of everything Big 8 southward to Dallas and the state of Texas.

And I'm 100% on board with Tulsa getting a shot. From what I've read, artists enjoy coming to the BOK because scheduling is much easier AND the place is notorious for fantastic acoustics. I know that doesn't have a thing to do with basketball, but that's why they get the big gigs.

I say give Houston a shot before it returns to Dallas. San Antonio would be out of luck unless they held it in the Alamodome. The SBC Center is in the middle of nowhere.

 

[jackson_supersooner]

Easily. It's a 4 day tournament---Wednesday-Saturday. The Thunder have a 3 game road swing (March 25-29) coming up that has them out of town for longer than that and they're not even needing to schedule around anything.

Edit: Strike that---they are scheduling around the NCAA Women's regional. So yes, it can be easily done.

Ok cool got ya! Thanks for the insight.

 

[thebigabd]

I'd be willing to bet that the KC-heavy rotation is the conference's appeasement to KC for the uprooting of everything Big 8 southward to Dallas and the state of Texas.

And I'm 100% on board with Tulsa getting a shot. From what I've read, artists enjoy coming to the BOK because scheduling is much easier AND the place is notorious for fantastic acoustics. I know that doesn't have a thing to do with basketball, but that's why they get the big gigs.

I say give Houston a shot before it returns to Dallas. San Antonio would be out of luck unless they held it in the Alamodome. The SBC Center is in the middle of nowhere.

If Tulsa can host a US Open or PGA Championship (a global, professional event), they can host a basketball tournament.

That being said... weather this time of year will be better the further south you go. Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio are ideal.

 

[Zimwillett]

If Tulsa can host a US Open or PGA Championship (a global, professional event), they can host a basketball tournament.

That being said... weather this time of year will be better the further south you go. Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio are ideal.

Also, Tulsa is hosting NCAA First and Second Round games in 2017. I'd say that's a good sign they're conference tournament ready.

 

[Sooner24]

Never, ever, ever again in Dallas. There is ZERO interest in the tournament there. Worst city they have ever had host. Unfortunately they have the nicest arena of the three that have hosted.

 

[thebigabd]

Never, ever, ever again in Dallas. There is ZERO interest in the tournament there. Worst city they have ever had host. Unfortunately they have the nicest arena of the three that have hosted.

Some towns just aren't college towns... I lived in Denver for 7 years and never got the impression anyone in Denver gave a damn about college sports. They care about Broncos, Avalanche, Rockies, Nuggets, Weed, X-Games, Hiking, and Biking (in that order).

 

[Max Power]

Move it to Vegas, because you know Vegas

 

[oketex]

I know from watching the Women's games they need to move it back to OKC where they will have more than 500 people in the stands. I agree the, move the men's tourny around.

 

[Sooner04]

It would be great if, when they do move it back to OKC, they also move the women to the same weekend. In 2007, a ticket to the women's championship game was a tougher ticket than any men's session the entire weekend.

That may no longer be possible with how the women's NCAA is scheduled, but who knows.