jam
Freshman
I get all the news I need on the weather report.
Posts: 98 
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Post by jam on Mar 19, 2022 7:48:38 GMT -6
I’m not sure if there’s any validity to this, but has anyone noticed that since the championship site moved to Cleveland, the fates of teams outside the metro Cleveland/Buffalo areas have been doomed? There have been some exceptions along the way but with the facility and media coverage offered in Cleveland, I wonder if that is a contributing factor.
Of course that doesn’t absolve us of poor hires and coaching, but Detroit/Toledo seemed better for Ball State and others. Football championship games in Detroit allow for a more centralized location, and the playing field is somewhat leveled.
MAC powers seem happy with the East domination of basketball, and the TV exposure undoubtedly helps the recruitment ability of those teams. Also less competition from the Big Ten up in Cleveland may also be a factor.
In a perfect world, the basketball championship site would rotate between Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and Indianapolis. Oh well, let’s hire a strong recruiter and coach and start the ball rolling in the right direction. Any thoughts?
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Post by cardfan on Mar 19, 2022 8:01:56 GMT -6
Definitely makes you wonder.
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Post by coastalcard on Mar 19, 2022 8:29:05 GMT -6
With the hotel and restaurant traffic generated from the MAC tournament, I doubt the Cleveland area would be willing to let go of such a gem.
More likely is that even the MAC officers are not willing to travel to a MAC championship event.
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Post by JacksonStreetElite on Mar 19, 2022 8:40:18 GMT -6
I did a bunch of mapping a long time ago and Fort Wayne is basically fair for everyone. It’s nobody’s home court and centralized geographically.
The Coliseum is big enough to host it, and Ft Wayne probably has enough hotels to accommodate (I’m guessing).
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Post by sweep on Mar 19, 2022 8:47:34 GMT -6
Columbus Ohio is the answer. Great Arena that can be leased at a reasonable rate, and centrally located. Detroit is a hellhole that shouldn't host anything, Indy and Chicago are too expensive and I doubt either city would really want the event.
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Post by lmills72 on Mar 19, 2022 8:56:42 GMT -6
I'd prefer a site that moves or is not Cleveland, just because Cleveland isn't exactly convenient for me (and maybe fans from other schools also).
I'd hesitate to say that the site gives a definite boost to area teams unless I saw something that showed the winners were not already among the favorites entering the tournament. Yes, Buffalo, Kent and Akron have won 13 tournaments since 2000, but they've probably also been among the top teams most of those years.
And I would say it benefits the MAC to send its strongest team to the tournament and not have it upset by, say BSU or NIU, because the tournament is closer to their home.
Oh, and don't forget, we would have won the 2020 tournament ... wherever it was held.
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Post by bsu0 on Mar 19, 2022 9:34:51 GMT -6
The MAC should scrap the useless tournament, go back to giving the regular season some meaning and be (almost) unique in the nation. I know all the teams want a shot at the tournament but if they played decent basketball with good players and coaching during the regular season we could get a couple of bids for the NCAA.
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Post by sweep on Mar 19, 2022 10:06:07 GMT -6
The MAC should scrap the useless tournament, go back to giving the regular season some meaning and be (almost) unique in the nation. I know all the teams want a shot at the tournament but if they played decent basketball with good players and coaching during the regular season we could get a couple of bids for the NCAA. I would be fine with that. Let's be honest no one cares about the MAC Tournament anyway. |
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Post by 00hmh on Mar 19, 2022 10:19:40 GMT -6
All this discussion about "should" and perfect worlds? What weight does that have in the MAC?
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Post by purplecats on Mar 19, 2022 16:01:19 GMT -6
I’m not sure if there’s any validity to this, but has anyone noticed that since the championship site moved to Cleveland, the fates of teams outside the metro Cleveland/Buffalo areas have been doomed? There have been some exceptions along the way but with the facility and media coverage offered in Cleveland, I wonder if that is a contributing factor. Of course that doesn’t absolve us of poor hires and coaching, but Detroit/Toledo seemed better for Ball State and others. Football championship games in Detroit allow for a more centralized location, and the playing field is somewhat leveled. MAC powers seem happy with the East domination of basketball, and the TV exposure undoubtedly helps the recruitment ability of those teams. Also less competition from the Big Ten up in Cleveland may also be a factor. In a perfect world, the basketball championship site would rotate between Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and Indianapolis. Oh well, let’s hire a strong recruiter and coach and start the ball rolling in the right direction. Any thoughts? While I would agree that it would be nice to use Allen County War Memorial as the most centrally located venue there is shit to do in Ft Wayne for fans. I personally like the MAC tourney in Cleveland as the food is great, bars and hotels are many and walkable much in the same vein as downtown Indy. Harry Buffalo, Winking Lizard, Clevelander and others are excellent if you want to go to the tourney and be able to park and walk all weekend. My friends in Columbus keep telling me IndySux and they could do it better yet when ever we go to a game in "The arena District" it pales in comparison to Indy or Cleveland...but it is getting better so ...ya know. I am not sure what TV exposure you think Cleveland has that helps recruitment. Recruits are not like they were when Oxford got kids from the Dayton Stations, Kent and Akron from Cleveland locals and NIU from the Rockford stations but that is not how current kids grow up....not everyone watches IU on Channel 4 and grows up wanting to be a Hoosier. MAC powers do not have much to do with Akron, Kent being good enough to represent but Buffalo and Ohio are not even close being 2 hrs 57 and 3hrs 42 from each campus respectively. (I did not realize Buffalo is closer than Athens) The powers of the MAC IMHO do not care so much about who is there as they do about who will come and represent. Back in the Day the trip up to Dertroit , Toledo and Rockford was one many of us made with no question. Maybe just me but the tourney experience is a good one for many. Lesser conferences (ASUN, MEAC, MAAC, OVC, Southland etc ) are all very exciting basketball and all that attend them see very good competition. I enjoy the MAC tourney much better than those that took place in Detroit, Toledo or Rockford. Looking at Mapquest and drive times, Muncie, Mt Pleasant, Ypsi are under 4 hours. Kzoo , Athens, Oxford, Buffalo under 3 and BG, UT under 2. NIU is the outlier . Count this as one vote to keep it where it is and a challenge for the former West division to up their game and become relevant. Travel is more palatable when you have the teams we followed everywhere and anywhere they went. |
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Post by CallingBS on Mar 19, 2022 16:51:48 GMT -6
The MAC should scrap the useless tournament, go back to giving the regular season some meaning and be (almost) unique in the nation. I know all the teams want a shot at the tournament but if they played decent basketball with good players and coaching during the regular season we could get a couple of bids for the NCAA. This is the only true answer. The MAC without a doubt loses a lot of money on this tournament. The whole Cleveland thing is a joke. Same with MACC football game in Detroit. |
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Post by purplecats on Mar 19, 2022 18:09:47 GMT -6
The MAC should scrap the useless tournament, go back to giving the regular season some meaning and be (almost) unique in the nation. I know all the teams want a shot at the tournament but if they played decent basketball with good players and coaching during the regular season we could get a couple of bids for the NCAA. This is the only true answer. The MAC without a doubt loses a lot of money on this tournament. The whole Cleveland thing is a joke. Same with MACC football game in Detroit. Do you have numbers? You got me curious. With CBS and sponsors and the Cleveland Tourism Bureau do we know that there is no doubt that the MAC loses money on this? Interesting. Never thought about it and now I wonder about all the one bid conferences and their tourneys. |
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Post by 00hmh on Mar 19, 2022 19:06:04 GMT -6
MAC tourney in Cleveland probably not a lot better than Columbus, but closer for Michigan schools, and it probably makes money.
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Post by BSU Card Fan in AZ on Mar 19, 2022 19:57:11 GMT -6
Not moving. Seem married to Cleveland.
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Post by universityjim on Mar 19, 2022 20:13:58 GMT -6
I’m not sure if there’s any validity to this, but has anyone noticed that since the championship site moved to Cleveland, the fates of teams outside the metro Cleveland/Buffalo areas have been doomed? There have been some exceptions along the way but with the facility and media coverage offered in Cleveland, I wonder if that is a contributing factor. Of course that doesn’t absolve us of poor hires and coaching, but Detroit/Toledo seemed better for Ball State and others. Football championship games in Detroit allow for a more centralized location, and the playing field is somewhat leveled. MAC powers seem happy with the East domination of basketball, and the TV exposure undoubtedly helps the recruitment ability of those teams. Also less competition from the Big Ten up in Cleveland may also be a factor. In a perfect world, the basketball championship site would rotate between Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and Indianapolis. Oh well, let’s hire a strong recruiter and coach and start the ball rolling in the right direction. Any thoughts? I've thought this was a factor for a long time. |
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