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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on May 5, 2015 17:30:36 GMT -6
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Post by MKEPanthers45 on May 5, 2015 19:26:19 GMT -6
Would not be a fan of this.
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Post by parkerj on May 5, 2015 19:59:28 GMT -6
Ugh...neutral site conference tournaments are the worst! Can't wait for the pathetic 12 person court rushes to be shown on ESPN.
I'm also not sure about calling it "neutral" when it's right in Detroit & Oakland's back yards.
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Post by panther9193 on May 5, 2015 20:11:44 GMT -6
If the conference is looking for a way to drive as many fans away from the conference tournament as possible, this would be a great start.
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Post by ghostofdylan on May 5, 2015 20:41:29 GMT -6
Why not just move it to Las Vegas?
Suddenly, the Horizon League looks like a short, stocky, slow-witted bald man.
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Post by BBFran on May 5, 2015 20:55:53 GMT -6
Dear God, why would the Horizon want to return to the humiliation of UIC vs. Loyola before 38 people (ushers included) in Cleveland? The revised HL tournament was, as noted, a stroke of genius. EVERY mid-major conference should use some variation of it. I have been to HL conference tournament semis and finals in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Valparaiso. The crowds at those games exceed by a factor of 5 to 100 what you would see at a neutral site that happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. For that matter, let me be blunt -- a Horizon League FINAL at the Joe between Oakland and Detroit-Mercy would be lucky to draw 5,000 people. Put any other teams in that game and there almost is no attendance bottom.
Moreover, the argument that the HL system stacks the deck for the conference champ has not really proven true. Butler over Milwaukee in Milwaukee. UIC over Milwaukee in Milwaukee. Milwaukee over Green Bay in Green Bay. Detroit over Valpo in Valpo. But you know what all of those games DID have? Fans in the stands and a great atmosphere on national TV for the conference!!!
And we are supposed to attract new teams to the conference with this insanity? I am honestly dumbfounded.
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Post by ghostofdylan on May 5, 2015 21:17:51 GMT -6
Totally agree.
How many fans will turn out if Oakland or Detroit aren't involved? The title game is on a Tuesday, after all.
Why not just hang a "condemned" sign on the door?
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Post by ghostofdylan on May 5, 2015 21:51:53 GMT -6
Five years in Detroit?
What is the league thinking?
What is our athletics administration thinking?
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SRT4driver
Junior
We Are MILWAUKEE! And I'm all about accountability, unlike '5th Placer' Jeter apologists.
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Post by SRT4driver on May 6, 2015 0:44:27 GMT -6
I sure hope that someone with a position of power in athletics is reading this and realizing just how big of a mistake this is, for so many reasons. What in the world is the benefit? We already know that there WILL be plenty of downsides (it's called experience).
Are those in charge really this shortsighted and/or forgetful?
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Post by panther9193 on May 6, 2015 5:50:54 GMT -6
This idea is SO bad on the surface, I can't see how seven of the nine schools would vote for it! Looking at many of the teams' message boards, I cannot find one comment in favor of this move. The Horizon League and its member schools can't be that tone deaf...can they? If it happens, it shows me that most of the school administrations (including Milwaukee) really don't care about athletics in general since they would kill off the one great idea the conference had ten years ago for its only sport that has the possibility of being profitable...and turn off its entire fan base in the process.
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Post by Pantherholic on May 6, 2015 6:45:06 GMT -6
Several thoughts in no specific order:
1) WTF is wrong with 7 of the 9 ADs?! (I'm assuming they're the ones who voted)
2) Is the Joe even going to be around in 5 years? It's supposed to be torn down after the Wings' new arena is completed in '17.
3) As a Wings fan I demand I be allowed to bring in an octopus for any/all games!
4) We need to let Amanda Braun know how we feel about this. Whether it's sending her a letter including all of us or we each contact her individually we have to let her know how bad of an idea this is. I honestly don't think she realizes how few people will go and how terrible this will look on TV.
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Post by ghostofdylan on May 6, 2015 7:14:56 GMT -6
This is actual audio obtained from this week's high-level administrative meetings ...
Valpo rep: "What are we doing? What in God's name are we doing!?!"
UIC official: "Can we change the subject please?"
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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on May 6, 2015 7:32:42 GMT -6
The Big Ten Hockey Tourney was a major flop in Detroit. What do you think the HL will be.  Every person on here is 100% with it, saying this is a terrible idea. |
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Post by ghostofdylan on May 6, 2015 11:15:17 GMT -6
Great insight all around and especially from the Valpo board (thanks, Valpo95!):
The cumulative attendance for the 2015 Horizon League tournament was 15,669. Joe Louis Arena will seat about 22,500 for basketball. So you could fit the crowds from all nine tournament games inside this new "destination venue" with thousands of seats to spare.
Now, who still thinks this is a good idea?
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Post by Pantherholic on May 6, 2015 11:37:45 GMT -6
Unless this was done to appease expansion candidates I really don't understand the move. The OVC plays at a neutral venue in Nashville so maybe this was done for them? There's clearly no financial value for moving the games.
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