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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 7, 2018 16:33:49 GMT -6
So what was our contingent at the game, fellas? Obviously, we had the band, cheerleaders, dance team and athletics administrators, right? I understand that Phantom and Streaking Panther also made it. Was there anyone else?
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Post by Spirit of Bruce on Mar 8, 2018 15:02:36 GMT -6
Interesting questions. Personally I don't mind the city of Detroit. Watching the downtown reinvigorate is interesting and I hope the renaissance continues. But as the location for a conference tournament that was historically attendance-challenged in its earlier single-site era, it is a tragicomically terrible choice. Even the OU fans stay away. You're also right that the LCA is "too good" for the HLT, at least in regard to its size. (The Joe was also "too good" in regard to its size, but in NO other regard.) I think a VERY large majority of HL fans would agree that we should go back to campus sites for the HLT, but at this point there is no reason to believe that the HL administrators and ADs are smart enough to agree. At the least they are probably too stubborn to admit how spectacularly wrong they were. So, assuming we will continue with a single site tournament, I'm curious about possibilities. I know there has been speculation about Bankers Life in Indy. Downtown Indy is superbly well set up for such events, but that is a BIG arena. Until work and health issues prevented me from attending the last couple years, I had attended almost every Big Ten tournament from 1999 forward, including all but one, I think, in Indy. Notwithstanding the massively greater fan interest in that tournament than the HL could generate, the opening round games were often played before quarter-full houses. To say the least, we would be extraordinarily lucky just to get a championship game matchup that drew that many. In short, the HLT in Bankers Life would look like a little kid wearing Daddy's trousers. It would be as ridiculous as playing at LCA. So suggest some alternatives in the HL footprint. I think I know most of the venues, but maybe I'm missing someplace that would work both geographically and facility-wise. I've put some thought into this over the past couple weeks, and the best answer I have come up with is the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. I've been down there each time we played DePaul, and when we beat them in 2012, a small group of us we're able to take that place over simply by being loud in the upper deck due to the outstanding acoustics of the wooden ceiling. So, at that venue, at least an atmosphere could be created. In theory, anyway. |
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Post by BBFran on Mar 8, 2018 16:13:14 GMT -6
I thought about the Allstate too. The problems are that A) it's a pit; and even more important, B) it's far removed from any kind of attractive hotel/restaurant/tavern scene.
The Sears Center (is it still called that?) in Hoffman Estates might actually be better (newer, nicer area).
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Post by Cactus Panther on Mar 8, 2018 16:40:51 GMT -6
I went to a Mid-Continent Conference tournament at the then-called Horizon Arena in Rosemont in the 90's when the Panthers were a conference member (Panthers did not play because they were still transitioning to D1). Walking through the concourses reminds me of being at a business convention.
Nevertheless, it would be cool to return to the site of the Panthers' Sweet Sixteen game and play within a two hour drive for most remaining, returning or new Panther fans. Shuttles would be needed for the bars and restaurants on the other side of the freeway.
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Post by Pantherholic on Mar 8, 2018 17:07:24 GMT -6
The location of the tournament is more or less irrelevant as long as the championship is on a Tuesday night. If the league can switch it to a Sunday, attendance figures will be much larger regardless of location. My vote would be for DePaul’s new home, Wintrust Arena.
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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 8, 2018 17:12:43 GMT -6
Here's another possibility (be still, mcdade's beating heart): the soon-to-be renovated 8,500-seat Welch-Ryan Arena in Evanston, home of the Wildcats!!
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Post by BBFran on Mar 8, 2018 17:50:34 GMT -6
The location of the tournament is more or less irrelevant as long as the championship is on a Tuesday night. If the league can switch it to a Sunday, attendance figures will be much larger regardless of location. My vote would be for DePaul’s new home, Wintrust Arena. I certainly agree about the Tuesday champ game, but that's controlled by ESPN and at this point we are at the ass end of the mid/low major cohort that they exile to Monday and Tuesday night. I'll note for the record that the Tuesday night schedule did not prevent great crowds at campus site champ games -- and that made the Horizon look all the more impressive on those Tuesday nights of the past. As for the Wintrust, I spoke with a Marquette fan who attended the DePaul game there recently. He was very critical. Apparently parking was terrible, and the arena itself had very small concourses, restrooms and concession areas that created constant traffic jams. That's disappointing to hear but not terribly surprising. DePaul is a lot like us -- they can't get out of their own way. |
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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 8, 2018 18:12:30 GMT -6
You spoke with a MARQUETTE fan?!?!
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Post by Cactus Panther on Mar 8, 2018 18:45:25 GMT -6
You spoke with a MARQUETTE fan?!?! Hopefully they both walked away unharmed. |
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Post by BBFran on Mar 8, 2018 19:09:23 GMT -6
They’re a lot more humble in the wojo era. 😉
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Post by Pantherholic on Mar 8, 2018 21:14:38 GMT -6
As for the Wintrust, I spoke with a Marquette fan who attended the DePaul game there recently. He was very critical. Apparently parking was terrible, and the arena itself had very small concourses, restrooms and concession areas that created constant traffic jams. That's disappointing to hear but not terribly surprising. DePaul is a lot like us -- they can't get out of their own way. I'm not really concerned about the size of the concourses for a HL championship. The Marquette at DePaul game attendance this year was (allegedly) 9,000 so that's a number that'll never be an issue for this league. Unless the concourses are the size of Calihan Hall's hallways, there's little reason to worry. As for parking, there's a lot two blocks away that allows you to pre-purchase AND has reasonable rates. I would guess they had problems parking because they didn't plan ahead. |
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Post by GoPanthers33 on Mar 15, 2018 17:05:19 GMT -6
I really thought Wright St. had a chance to give Tennessee a game...
Another embarrassment for the Horizon League.
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