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BSC Tourney to Las Vegas?

M

martymoose

Moderator
Staff member
Early in discussions, but I'm not sure I like this.

I get the logistical part, but I do like the thought of giving the reward of playing at home to the program that wins the regular season conference. On the flip side, scheduling a trip to Vegas when I know that we're going to be in it ahead of time will be less expensive and I'm sure if we exit the tourney early I could probably find something fun to to there. :-) Probably beats booking travel to Cheney, WA on five days notice...

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/sports/bobcats/article_28f31d9e-e3d2-11e3-959e-0019bb2963f4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
I think its a win all around for the conference moving to Vegas, it would we bring much needed exposure to the conference. Some of these schools in the conference are really remote and offer little in way of entertainment outside of basketball. No disrespect to no one, but if you could choose your preferred destination …Boseman……Odgen…….??????……..Las Vegas. I'm choosing Las Vegas. I'm from California and for my travel dollars I want more bang for my bucks!
 
They don't call it Sin City for nothing. I'm sure there is a much, much, much better place in the world to go than the city of utter decadence. I would find it fitting if Vegas were nuked off the face of the earth, cursed city that it is. Like something you scrape off your shoe.


Nuke Las Vegas after evacuated.

Where is a place is that is a popular vacation destination, would make a favorable showcase city, warm during early spring and not Las Vegas?

How 'bout Disneyland? They'd probably prefer a better conference, but what if we got there first? Sounds like a job for Denny Ferguson.
 
Timmydeedo said:
I think its a win all around for the conference moving to Vegas, it would we bring much needed exposure to the conference.
Click to expand...

No it wouldn't. Not when the Pac-12, WAC, and Mountain West are going on simultaneously. It would get lost. To be honest, it gets lost anyway, but to be lost in the host city is worse.

Now, if the Pac-12 comes to their senses and gets the heck out of there, I actually would reconsider. However, the new arena being built out back of the New York New York casino... I'm kind of thinking the MGM arena (where the Pac-12 plays now) is probably going to be phased out soon and the Pac-12 will end up at the new arena. The Grand Garden is kind of old by now... which is to say that I remember seeing arena football in there when I was taking my World Cup break 20 years ago. (Crap. That was 20 years ago.)

So the real problem: Thomas & Mack has the Mountain West thanks to UNLV. Pac-12 ties up the Grand Garden. The WCC plays early at the Orleans (which is otherwise the right size for the Big Sky tournament) and the WAC starts when they finish. Now if the WAC goes away (I'm surprised they're still alive as a conference) and the Orleans is willing, maybe? Mandalay Bay is probably too rich for our blood. So I think that leaves us with...

http://www.southpointarena.com/arena.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Basically, that's quite south of the Strip. There's worse ideas.

What if you stay with a bit of the theme, but try to stand out... why not Reno?

http://www.silverlegacyreno.com/entertainment/reno-events-center/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At least there, you don't get drowned by all the other options at the site. Also of note, a D-League team plays in the building, so they know the setup.

Now I could get wacky here since I started in on the D-League.

http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/index.aspx?page=1917" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe Santa Cruz as a site is a way to go. But note the arena... only a few million because it's basically an aluminum shack with drywall and a fabric roof. Is there another city with easy flights just looking to build one of these?

Oh, BTW, memo for Broadway: Disneyland is taken. Or, more to the point, the nearby Anaheim Convention Center is where the Big West gathers.
 
Sorry about that. Your Reno idea was spot on.

It is kind of like a Las Vegas, Jr. without all the hyper-craziness of Las Vegas. It has a more earthy feel and is a viable vacation destination. Average temps in February/March are with highs in the 50s and lows around 30, so it is workable to visit Lake Tahoe in addition to Reno venues.

Lawlor Events Center, UNevada Campus
 
When I suggested Reno on other forums I was attacked and accused of wanting a "home court advantage" for Sac State. That was not my intent. I simply thought the BSC may get a better deal from a Reno casino sponsor instead of trying to compete with the Pac12, WWC, et al. I still think Reno is a viable location. The Weber people think Salt Lake City is a neutral site (cough cough).
 
Weber would have huge advantages in Salt Lick City: geographic proxemity and cultural affinity. Such a biased recommendation favoring them utterly is thus not supportable in the least.

Reno is close to Sacramento but I don't see it as any particular advantage to Sacramento. The cities do not have much in common with one another except that Reno offers hospitality to many visitors from Sacramento.

It is also a favored destination of Portlanders and, I'm sure, many other college towns from around the league. Weber may be the only one to object to such as site as it is unquestionably Second City to Sin City.

Weberites, though, would have the option to focus their attention on the shows and the great outdoors of the nearby Lake Tahoe area as opposed to the gambling, drinking, shows and cavorting of Reno, going there strictly for the games.

That way, everyone should be happy as everyone can have the kind of fun that suits them best, free of undue cultural constraints. Everyone can act accordingly to the dictates of his or her conscience.

 
I really like the Reno idea! It too also offer more exposure and families something to do. I mention in an earlier post about more exposure and was rudely challenged. But really Odgen vs Las Vegas or Reno! No brainer.The Big Sky as a whole is an isolated D-1 league with 1 NCAA bid, that compounded more when you go play the conference championships in these hidden obscure towns……NOT CITIES. Major Media areas equal EXPOSURE & NEW DISCOVERY. If the conference don't change we will continue to get our token bid and thrown in the fire as a #16 seed. With the right marketing strategy we could become a conference similar to the Mountain West with multiple bids.
 
I realized that it's a bidding process, but three of the five possible locations could be a home court for a Big Sky school? So much for a neutral location. :-\

Billings, Mont. (Rimrock Auto Arena)
Missoula, Mont. (Dahlberg Arena)
Reno, Nev. (Reno Events Center)
Ogden, Utah (Dee Events Center)
Spokane/Cheney, Wash. (Spokane Arena/Reese Court)

http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2015/2/12/MBB_0212152335.aspx?path=mbball" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
martymoose said:
I realized that it's a bidding process, but three of the five possible locations could be a home court for a Big Sky school? So much for a neutral location. :-\

Billings, Mont. (Rimrock Auto Arena)
Missoula, Mont. (Dahlberg Arena)
Reno, Nev. (Reno Events Center)
Ogden, Utah (Dee Events Center)
Spokane/Cheney, Wash. (Spokane Arena/Reese Court)

http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2015/2/12/MBB_0212152335.aspx?path=mbball" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Click to expand...

Billings & Ogden are only bidding for the men's tournament. Missoula is only bidding for the women's tournament.

The school presidents can also vote to keep things the way they are (the best option, IMO).
 
mvem said:
The school presidents can also vote to keep things the way they are (the best option, IMO).
Click to expand...

That's cool optics-wise... but also increasingly expensive. Arranging flights the previous summer knowing you are going is far less expensive than having no more than 4 days to make arrangements.

Of course, if you work for an airline on commission, I understand...
 
Pounder said:
mvem said:
The school presidents can also vote to keep things the way they are (the best option, IMO).
Click to expand...

That's cool optics-wise... but also increasingly expensive. Arranging flights the previous summer knowing you are going is far less expensive than having no more than 4 days to make arrangements.

Of course, if you work for an airline on commission, I understand...
Click to expand...

And of course not knowing which podunk town to go to adds to the equation as well. I can still fly to Hawaii cheaper than anywhere in Montana, for sure. Flying to Billings for my uncle's funeral on a bereavement fare still hit me for $1000 roundtrip. Give me a few weeks to set it up and I can get it down to around $400.
 
bigskyconf said:
Pounder said:
mvem said:
The school presidents can also vote to keep things the way they are (the best option, IMO).
Click to expand...

That's cool optics-wise... but also increasingly expensive. Arranging flights the previous summer knowing you are going is far less expensive than having no more than 4 days to make arrangements.

Of course, if you work for an airline on commission, I understand...
Click to expand...

And of course not knowing which podunk town to go to adds to the equation as well. I can still fly to Hawaii cheaper than anywhere in Montana, for sure. Flying to Billings for my uncle's funeral on a bereavement fare still hit me for $1000 roundtrip. Give me a few weeks to set it up and I can get it down to around $400.
Click to expand...

What I take from this is that we need to hold the men's BSC tourney in Hawaii every year. :D

I can get on board with that. ;-)
 
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