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Big Sky Tournaments Headed to Reno?

S

Skippy

Active member
A lot of speculation on various message boards that it will be announced today that both the men's and women's Big Sky basketball tournaments will be going to Reno for the next three years.

http://www.ktvq.com/story/28886272/big-sky-tourney-headed-to-reno" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Big Sky Conference will have an official announcement this afternoon at 3PM Mountain time on this.

If it's Reno, which I heard it was going to be, at the women's tournament in March, I think that's a good move. At least it's going to be fair to all the athletes. It's a neutral site which beats the heck out of holding it at a current Big Sky school's location.

The other question is going to be, if all the teams will get in. That I don't think is a good idea since I think getting to a post season tournament should be a reward for a job well done, not a birth right. We'll see.

And if all teams go, they may have to start the tournament earlier that week since so many teams will be at the same location. You can only play so many games in a single day. That could cause an issue for teams on the road the final week of the regular season having to get back home and immediately have to get back on a bus or plane and get to Reno....but overall I think having it in Reno (if in fact this is true) is a good deal.

PBP
 
It will be interesting to see how they format it. If they take all 12 men's and women's teams, will they play the women the first three days and the men the second three, or will they intersperse men's and women's games, thereby requiring the final two men's and final two women's teams to be in Reno for up to six days?
 
Excellent! I hope it IS Reno. If for no other reason than to piss off these kind of asshats.

Re: Big Sky Tournament in Billings

Postby ameriCATS on Wed Jan 28, 2015 1:21 pm

I think that if the tournament is held in any other location besides Billings the attendance will be a total joke. MSU and UM are the kings of the Big Sky in terms of attendance and revenue. Even though we suck this year their will be a whole lot more MSU fans at the tournament then their would be if the Cats were contenders and the game was in Reno or wherever and I would say the same for UM as well that they would draw more in Billings on a down year than Reno or wherever on a good year. Their is no other team in the conference that you can say that about, except if it is in Ogden and they are a little down.

The Big Sky Conference doesn't care if your bored or not between games, they just care that you have bought tickets to be at the games. And they will get the most people at the games if it is Billings. If the Big Sky Conference wants to make money they need to cater to the Montana schools. This will be huge for college basketball in Montana if this happens and I believe it will help the Conference to start becoming a better rated conference with basketball as a higher priority at both Montana schools.

Win-win for the Big Sky. More revenue from the tournament and a step in the right direction in terms of elevating college basketball in Montana for the two schools that run the conference.
Click to expand...

http://bobcatnation.com/bobcatbb/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=35263" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
It's my understanding that like in the Godfather, Reno made the Big Sky "an offer they can't refuse..."

PBP
 
It's official...Reno it is.

BIG SKY, RENO ANNOUNCE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS AGREEMENT

OGDEN, Utah (April 24, 2015) – The Big Sky Conference and the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority announced Friday a three-year agreement that will bring the league’s basketball championships to Reno, Nev.

Starting in 2016, the Big Sky Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be played downtown at the Reno Events Center. The REC was constructed in 2005 and can accommodate roughly 5,000 fans in a basketball configuration.

Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton and Deputy Commissioner Ron Loghry traveled to Reno on Friday for an on-site announcement.

“This was an exhaustive process,’’ said Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton. “Reno, as a city, and the folks that we worked with did a spectacular job in representing their community. We’re extremely excited about going to Reno for our championships. I used to travel to Reno often, and one thing that always impressed me about the community is it’s a lot like the communities we have in the Big Sky. It’s a very similar feel. I know we’re going to be welcomed. The coaches and the fans attending are going to feel very good about coming to Reno.”

All 12 men’s and all 12 women’s teams from the conference will participate in the championship. The dates and tournament format will be announced at a later date.

“It is a great honor for Reno to be chosen as the host city for the Big Sky Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship for the next three years,” said Reno Tahoe USA President and CEO Christopher Baum. “We’re looking forward to providing a modern, neutral, high capacity playing facility for this prestigious sporting event, and we eagerly anticipate hosting the thousands of athletes, coaches and spectators it will draw through 2018.”

Moving to a predetermined, neutral site for its men’s and women’s basketball championships ends more than two decades of the Big Sky Conference awarding its conference tournament to the regular-season champion. The league has also limited the number of participants in the championship. In 2015, the top eight men’s and women’s teams qualified.

The Big Sky Conference announced in 2014 that it would accept bids from cities interested in hosting the tournaments. Seven communities submitted bids to host either the men’s or women’s tournaments, or both. Five finalists were selected by a committee comprised of a university president, two athletics directors, a senior woman administrator, a faculty athletic representative and an outside consultant. The committee toured each city and venue in February and March, and then forwarded a recommendation to conference administrators and university presidents.

“Our committee looked at a number of different criteria,’’ said Big Sky Deputy Commissioner Ron Loghry, who spearheaded the year-long process. “Finding a neutral home for our championships was one of, if not the most important, pieces of the puzzle. All of the cities we visited did a tremendous job showcasing their cities and venues.

“Our committee is confident Reno provides us the best opportunity to showcase our men’s and women’s basketball programs in a neutral, predetermined setting,’’ Loghry added. “Our student-athletes and coaches will have a great experience, as will our fans, who will be able to enjoy all there is to do in the Reno Tahoe area.’’

PBP
 
Neutral site, it will certainly be.
Better get those reservations for next Spring made soon. The Big Sky fans will just be packing the highways and airports for Reno! :lol:
 
From what I've heard the city of Reno made the Big Sky such a good offer monetarily and involving hotel rooms for teams that if they don't draw well it will still be worth it. The conference will be coming out ahead as far as the bottom line is concerned. Again that's just what I've heard but I suspect there's a lot of truth to it, only a real financial guarantee would make the presidents approve such a venture.

Bottom line, it's fair to the athletes, that's the most important thing in my opinion (as opposed to letting Ogden or Missoula have it for three years) and everyone knows where they are going far enough ahead of time to make good travel arrangements saving all schools a LOT of money.

Win / win situation in my mind.

PBP
 
Skippy said:
It will be interesting to see how they format it. If they take all 12 men's and women's teams, will they play the women the first three days and the men the second three, or will they intersperse men's and women's games, thereby requiring the final two men's and final two women's teams to be in Reno for up to six days?
Click to expand...

Brad:

Fullerton did say that the tournament would now start on Monday and end Saturday but no other details were offered in the story I read.

PBP
 
Yeah, to me that is the next big question: will they alternate men's and women's play, or have the men or women play the first three days, followed by the other tournament the next three.
 
They can also split things up, meaning play two men's AND two's women's games on Monday, Tuesday and so forth.

PBP
 
Top 4 regular season finishers get a first round bye, so each W and M play 4 first round games, 4 second round games, 2 third round and 1 championship game.....so 4 womens on Mon, 4 mens on Tues, 4 women on Wed, 4 men on Thurs, 2 women and 2 men on Fri and 1 women and 1 men championship on Saturday....thats my guess.....
 
sacstateman said:
Top 4 regular season finishers get a first round bye, so each W and M play 4 first round games, 4 second round games, 2 third round and 1 championship game.....so 4 womens on Mon, 4 mens on Tues, 4 women on Wed, 4 men on Thurs, 2 women and 2 men on Fri and 1 women and 1 men championship on Saturday....thats my guess.....
Click to expand...
That means you are keeping the teams in Reno twice as long as you would if you played the women the first three days and the men the final three. (Or vice versa.) More cost and more missed class time. We shall see.
 
I think this is actually better for attendance than giving the regular season winner the right to host. Now fans can plan ahead and book flights and hotels in order to watch some great basketball for a week. Before now fans had to wait until the last week to try and plan a trip to Sacramento, Missoula, Portland, Pocatello, or North Dakota even. This will draw a larger crowd from all the participating schools... Which now includes even the cellar dwellars...
 
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