Reno- BSC:Conference officially starts the Spin

[WeberSki]

What a disaster..


http://www.standard.net/Weber-State/2016/01/26/Big-sky-conference-basketball-tournament-update.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Webergrad02]

I thought this story started out great. Brandon stated the question we all have been wondering since day one.
"While all preparations are on schedule, including a new basketball floor with the league’s logo at midcourt, the biggest unknown factor for the conference has been the same since the announcement of bringing their tournament to Reno -- will enough fans make the trip to a neutral site?"

But then it falls back into fluffy pancake mode as the only quotes and sources are people that work for the conference. The great question you ask never gets answered . The last three paragraphs are an advertisement for Reno.

If you want to know if enough fans will make the trip, talk to the freaking fans. Quotes from the fans, ticket office and Wildcat club would be great for a story like this. There is a line about how each school has an allotment and are using them differently. How about reporting on how we are using our allotment?

Questions I would ask Ron or Doug
What are schools doing to get students there?
What was the conference and Renos goal for attendance?
Why when I type #roadtoreno into Instagram do I see a bunch of beef cake weight lifters?

 

[ajwildcat]

So they are going to have what is called "Reno Nights". So what exactly is this? Will there be a sign when you drive into the DEE that Says Welcome to Reno "The Crappiest Little City in the World" :-D
Also are men encouraged to dress like pimps while the women dress like Bunnies at the Bunny ranch?
I better gather up my spare change so that I can play the slots that have to be in the DEE as part of Reno night. :lol:

p.s. this post is all in good fun, I DO NOT need any calls or emails from the WSU administration about this post thanks. :thumb:

 

[Webergrad02]

So they are going to have what is called "Reno Nights". So what exactly is this? Will there be a sign when you drive into the DEE that Says Welcome to Reno "The Crappiest Little City in the World" :-D
Also are men encouraged to dress like pimps while the women dress like Bunnies at the Bunny ranch?
I better gather up my spare change so that I can play the slots that have to be in the DEE as part of Reno night. :lol:

p.s. this post is all in good fun, I DO NOT need any calls or emails from the WSU administration about this post thanks. :thumb:

The least they could do is have officer Dangle for the half time show on "Reno Night"

 

[weberwildcat]

“Reno itself is selling tickets. Wrapping your arms around how many we’ve sold, I don’t want to say that we don’t have any idea, but tracking that is a little cumbersome.”

is that code for 0?

“There’s so much to do there,” Communications Director for Women’s Basketball Jon Oglesby said. “Depending on how the weather is

:rofl:

 

[weberwildcat]

Questions I would ask Ron or Doug
What are schools doing to get students there?

this question alone to the 12 schools would be very interesting. for obvious reasons we have little faith in big sky schools to show up when many of them have no one at the home games.

realistically would just all the families showing up from the 24 teams be enough?

 

[ajwildcat]

So they are going to have what is called "Reno Nights". So what exactly is this? Will there be a sign when you drive into the DEE that Says Welcome to Reno "The Crappiest Little City in the World" :-D
Also are men encouraged to dress like pimps while the women dress like Bunnies at the Bunny ranch?
I better gather up my spare change so that I can play the slots that have to be in the DEE as part of Reno night. :lol:

p.s. this post is all in good fun, I DO NOT need any calls or emails from the WSU administration about this post thanks. :thumb:

The least they could do is have officer Dangle for the half time show on "Reno Night"

:rockon: :rockon: :rofl:

 

[oldrunner]

So far, the marketing has been crappy. We don't have the actual schedule. We don't have the hotel rates. We don't have the single game ticket prices.

How can you be asked to buy something with no information. I'm sorry, but 'Road to Reno' doesn't mean anything to me. I need specifics.

That article was the first attempt at giving a little information and yet it failed to give me anything concrete, to make a decision on. We have the name of a hotel, but not the cost or what the alternatives are. There is no way that I will watch 50 games, so a tournament pass is out of the question. I'm not paying for something I won't use. Also, I'm not going to reserve hotel rooms for 5 or 6 nights when I might actually only need 1 or 2 nights. If they are wanting me to book more than one night, the rates better be darn low. Likewise on the tournament pass. If it is the cost of 3 individual games, then I might consider it, otherwise, NO. Right now, I can't plan anything. I don't have enough information.

I know that I want to see the Wildcats play. We will see what the options are. The longer they take to give specifics, the less people they will have in the stands, at the hotels, in the eateries, in the casinos, at the brothels, around town, and spending money. If they want to maximize the money they get from me, I will need specifics, and soon.

 

[WeberSki]

The most important thing Weber fans can do is not support the Big Sky Conference with any of what you are mentioning Olds. This format has ruined the only good part of the Big Sky, and that was the regular season Champ Hosts. The Big Sky Conference needs to lose money, Reno needs to lose money, The schools need to lose big money through their required allotments & expenses so they put the same kind of pressure on the conference to kill this thing as Sac, Idaho, North Dakota did to go to this neutral all in ridiculous tournament.

 

[WeberSki]

Anyone else see that the MW recently voted to allow only 8 teams in the league tournament. Why? The cost was too much to take on, and that was the MW, a perennial Top 10 bball conference in Las Vegas hosted by a member school. It's as if the Big Sky is a decade behind.


http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaab/eye-on-college-basketball/25419080/mountain-west-makes-smart-play-to-only-have-8-teams-in-league-tourney" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



But the really good news is the strong stance the league took when it came to its conference tournament. Unfortunately, too many leagues in D-I allow everyone into their league bracket in March, record be damned. The MW voted to only include its top eight (11 teams occupy the conference) into the bracket. It's the right move, a move that makes bracketing and scheduling easy, plus brings a bit more credibility to the proceedings. Conference championships should never have been an automatic for any league.

"The decision by the Board to feature the top eight men's and women's teams in the MW Basketball Championships is consistent with a broader Mountain West Conference initiative emphasizing performance-based competitive excellence," Thompson said.

The regular season would be improved if all leagues followed the Mountain West's decision and opted to only invite its top eight teams. Conference chases would take on serious stakes, and college hoops is always in need of ways to bring urgency and increased competitiveness to its regular season.

 

[WeberSki]

One of the biggest reasons given by the Big Sky to go to Reno with all teams was to give enough time for travel arrangements for fans. 6 weeks to go, & it sounds like they've sold no tickets. So much for that one.

 

[SWeberCat02]

The MW decision wasn't popular with head coaches and it's mainly head coaches that have driven the Big Sky to do what it's doing with it's tournament. I wish the conference wouldn't give the coaches so much say in how the conference is ran, especially since the coaches are a big part of why the conference is so bad. How about they get their teams out of the RPI 300s before they start requesting things.

 

[n.ogdencat]

Why would Weber market "Road to Reno" if the administration doesn't market its own product to the people of Northern Utah? Hell, athletics can't even market to its students. I'm pretty sure this article from Garside might be the bulk of Weber's efforts to get fans to the Reno.

Sure, we have tickets. That should be enough. This is just a part of Ron's marketing genius. Here are some more examples of his marketing abilities:

"Something is happening, somewhere, at a certain time. Yes, there is possibly a price, depending on whether or not you visit a local business that could possibly have a ticket waiver. We don't really want you to know. Not knowing only increases a chance at a sellout. In an effort to do the bare minimum, I've placed signs strategically about Weber State sports in unique locations around campus, you probably won't see them or understand them, but they are there in an attempt to answer some of the above questions you might have (there aren't that many, because a bunch are still in the trunk of my car. I'm going to put them up on Friday, after a home game, but before another one. At least I got one of two. That is better than my usual none). Sure SUU is coming to town this week. What they are a rival? Lets hide the time and date from fans and potential fans so that we can keep the Dee as empty and barren as possible. We shouldn't tell anyone or get any sort of excitement going on campus. We might have to do work at the game telling students to sit down and behave themselves.

Oh...my favorite Ronism on Marketing goals? There are 12K seats at the Dee? Lets cover 8K of them so it looks more full. We do it for football, we might as well do it for basketball too. That is easier than actually selling a product and actually getting butts in the seats. I might have to talk and be personable.

YIKES...

 

[PURPLEFORLIFE]

What a disaster..


http://www.standard.net/Weber-State/2016/01/26/Big-sky-conference-basketball-tournament-update.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What will Idaho State do? That floor looks to big for them. Won't they get winded too fast? IT HAAAAS to be equal, not that an entire season has already been played, might as well redo the floor so that it is as big as the the Reed. That is only fair. Wasn't that the whole purpose behind the tournament? Has to be neutral and fair! Everyone gets a ribbon? Everyone is a winner, even the teams that haven't won for three weeks. They deserve another shot? :roll: Even after an entire season has been played and the conference should want to show their best side in the Dance, by doing everything possible to ensure the best team represents, the tournament is all that matters. What a scam, why doesn't the Foolerton do something to improve the falling RPI's of the conference?

 

[baller]

I guess I am the only poster on this blog that thinks the Conference/Schools are doing the Reno thing because they are trying to raise the profile of the teams and the conference. Why doesn't anyone here consider that if, instead of bitchin' about Reno, buy in to participating and getting all your friends to participate! What a novel idea, fans working to make something that could be good for Conference schools a success.

It seems to me that the reasons you don't support the Tournament being located in Reno are: (1) you are a cheap bastard and don't want to spend a dime to help your team; (2) you are to old and broke to travel further than to your local church or Smith's Food King; (3) you think that places like Missoula and Ogden are the cats meow and Reno can't stack up against them; (4) you are so myopic that you think that everything you could ever want in life is found within a mile of your house; (5) you want the advantage over other conference schools of having the tournament on your home court because you believe that in most years Weber will host; (6) you find something to bitch about no matter what decisions the Conference and your school make. In other words, you would rather be a part of the problem rather than the solution.

The Tournament, no matter how much bitching goes on, is contracted to be held in Reno for the next 3 years. So get over it. Buy into making it a successful tournament that helps your school and the Conference raise their profile.

Don't be like the "athletic department" who seems to think that mediocrity is good enough. Being the biggest fish in the small pond (BSC) is at best mediocrity in the eyes of the rest of the basketball world. Lets do something to try to change that. Step out, take some chances! Try to make things better... Most of all just "quit ur bitchin' and get'er done"!

 

[heyoh22]

What happened to the revenue that the hosting team always had to pay the Conference, over $100,000 I believe? When Weber hosted in 2014, and attendance was not very large, I expect the school lost $.

Does each of the 12 teams have to kick in to the Conference to fund the events?

This doesn't seem to pencil out, on a variety of fronts.

 

[Webergrad02]

I guess I am the only poster on this blog that thinks the Conference/Schools are doing the Reno thing because they are trying to raise the profile of the teams and the conference. Why doesn't anyone here consider that if, instead of bitchin' about Reno, buy in to participating and getting all your friends to participate! What a novel idea, fans working to make something that could be good for Conference schools a success.

It seems to me that the reasons you don't support the Tournament being located in Reno are: (1) you are a cheap bastard and don't want to spend a dime to help your team; (2) you are to old and broke to travel further than to your local church or Smith's Food King; (3) you think that places like Missoula and Ogden are the cats meow and Reno can't stack up against them; (4) you are so myopic that you think that everything you could ever want in life is found within a mile of your house; (5) you want the advantage over other conference schools of having the tournament on your home court because you believe that in most years Weber will host; (6) you find something to beotch about no matter what decisions the Conference and your school make. In other words, you would rather be a part of the problem rather than the solution.

The Tournament, no matter how much bitching goes on, is contracted to be held in Reno for the next 3 years. So get over it. Buy into making it a successful tournament that helps your school and the Conference raise their profile.

Don't be like the "athletic department" who seems to think that mediocrity is good enough. Being the biggest fish in the small pond (BSC) is at best mediocrity in the eyes of the rest of the basketball world. Lets do something to try to change that. Step out, take some chances! Try to make things better... Most of all just "quit ur bitchin' and get'er done"!

Yup you pretty much are the only one that feels that way. Even Olds who was optimistic at first is seeing through this crap.

I think this is the ultimate Reno slogan. We all know that the Big Sky can't come up with something unique.

 

[Skippy]

What happened to the revenue that the hosting team always had to pay the Conference, over $100,000 I believe? When Weber hosted in 2014, and attendance was not very large, I expect the school lost $.

Does each of the 12 teams have to kick in to the Conference to fund the events?

This doesn't seem to pencil out, on a variety of fronts.

"Each university in the conference has a responsibility to take care of an allotted amount of tickets for the tournament, and are independently determining how to use them."

I believe the above is code for: "each university is stuck with kicking into the kitty X amount of money. If they sell the tickets, they get to keep the revenue. If they don't, they're still going to have to reimburse the conference that amount of funding."

 

[Webergrad02]

What happened to the revenue that the hosting team always had to pay the Conference, over $100,000 I believe? When Weber hosted in 2014, and attendance was not very large, I expect the school lost $.

Does each of the 12 teams have to kick in to the Conference to fund the events?

This doesn't seem to pencil out, on a variety of fronts.

"Each university in the conference has a responsibility to take care of an allotted amount of tickets for the tournament, and are independently determining how to use them."

I believe the above is code for: "each university is stuck with kicking into the kitty X amount of money. If they sell the tickets, they get to keep the revenue. If they don't, they're still going to have to reimburse the conference that amount of funding."

Being in the know, do you know how large that allotment is?

I think it would be hard for North Dakota to sell the same allotment as Sac or Weber. How do our friends to the North feel like the conference is handling the marketing of the tournament? Remember Fullerton told us all that it was the conferences job to get bodies in Reno and the schools were not going to have to worry about it as much.

 

[Skippy]

What happened to the revenue that the hosting team always had to pay the Conference, over $100,000 I believe? When Weber hosted in 2014, and attendance was not very large, I expect the school lost $.

Does each of the 12 teams have to kick in to the Conference to fund the events?

This doesn't seem to pencil out, on a variety of fronts.

"Each university in the conference has a responsibility to take care of an allotted amount of tickets for the tournament, and are independently determining how to use them."

I believe the above is code for: "each university is stuck with kicking into the kitty X amount of money. If they sell the tickets, they get to keep the revenue. If they don't, they're still going to have to reimburse the conference that amount of funding."

Being in the know, do you know how large that allotment is?

I think it would be hard for North Dakota to sell the same allotment as Sac or Weber. How do our friends to the North feel like the conference is handling the marketing of the tournament? Remember Fullerton told us all that it was the conferences job to get bodies in Reno and the schools were not going to have to worry about it as much.

I do not claim to be "in the know," nor do I have a clue as how much each school is going to have to come up with to support the tournament. But I believe the host teams used to be required to come up with $160 K to help defray travel costs for the tournaments under the old format. Multiply that by two to cover both men and women's tournaments, and an educated guess would be that each school is going to have to put up between $20 and $25 K to finance the tournament.