Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

[Hammersmith]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Just to straighten out a couple things...

Yes, a tourney in Fargo would have to go in the Fargodome. However, the court would not go in the middle of the floor with 20,000 seats surrounding it. Here's a picture of how the FD would likely be configured for the tourney(approx 9,000 seats):



A heavy, black curtain would be lowered behind the movable stands, isolating the other portion of the main floor. A benefit to having the tourney in Fargo would be the large number of basketball courts available within just a couple hundred yards. At least two courts could be set up behind the curtain. Two more could go in the BSA across the street. If the new BB addition is built onto the Fargodome, one or two more practice courts could go there. If that weren't enough, the BBF(volleyball facility) is close by, the wellness center could be used, and there's even a high school several blocks away. Almost every Summit team could have its own practice court if they wanted. I'm not saying the tourney would come to Fargo just because we've got a lot of practice courts nearby, but it is something that I don't believe any other city has.

I wouldn't be surprised if the tourney rotation ends up: SF-Fargo-SF-Tulsa. The only problem would be whether the other schools would accept the tourney being in the Dakotas six years out of eight.

[sfjacksfan99]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Just to straighten out a couple things...

Yes, a tourney in Fargo would have to go in the Fargodome. However, the court would not go in the middle of the floor with 20,000 seats surrounding it. Here's a picture of how the FD would likely be configured for the tourney(approx 9,000 seats):

Thank you for answering my initial question. My question was not that it should be at the Fargodome, it has to be at the Fargodome or some other basketball gym other than BSA. Obviously BSA is a better arena to watch a bb game in. Hopefully the Fargodome would be better than the worst gym in the US to watch a college basketball game in...the Dakotadome.

I do think Fargo would be a great host for the tournament with the excellent sports following the Bison have and many Jacks fans within driving distance who tend to be very good followers of their team in the postseason.

[TeaJackrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Good stuff Hammer, I figured the Fargodome would have some type of setup like that. I would have no problem with it being in Fargo every couple of years. They discussed it on the radio today how they were sure that Fargo would put in a bid for it and of course the local radio boobs just think it's great that Fargo has 18,000 seats, not thinking for a second that 14,000 of those seast would be empty.

[zooropa]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Well the local 'boobs' can't be expected to have the slightest idea what's going on with the Fargodome if they don't even know who Ben Woodside is (BTW: I'll be at the early game Sat. night precisely to watch the only player in the tournament--aside from maybe Keith Benson--that's got a chance to earn a living off what he does on the court).

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Re: Fargo-- I don't see, if it came down to configuration and configuration alone, the Fargodome winning out over the Arena. The big curtain with additional practice courts on the other side of it...... Not exactly, IMO, what the Summit is looking for.

But if the Fargodome gets the arena addition that's being discussed....

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Re: facility rotation--I don't put much stock in the Quad Cities because of how poorly WIU supports its home games. Oakland/Auburn Hills also seems a bit iffy, in terms of attendance.

KC--now there's a possibility--provided that the Big 12 & Valley tournaments are a suitable distance away. But I think UMKC needs to improve fan support before their bid merits attention.

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In short, I think right now, only Tulsa & Sioux Falls have facilities and fan support.... Fargo has fan support and plans for facilities, and Kansas City and the Quad Cities have facilities and no fan support.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

The sponsorship numbers in today's Argus should be a good indicator of whether Sioux Falls can keep the tourney. Best corporate sponsorship number before Sioux Falls: $55,000.

Sioux Falls corporate sponsorship dollars for the tourney? $292,000

No doubt Fargo could potentially match that, and if it can't be in Sioux Falls, Fargo would be fine with me.

Quad Cities? Ugh.

[SturgisJeff]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Well the local 'boobs' can't be expected to have the slightest idea what's going on with the Fargodome if they don't even know who Ben Woodside is (BTW: I'll be at the early game Sat. night precisely to watch the only player in the tournament--aside from maybe Keith Benson--that's got a chance to earn a living off what he does on the court).

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Re: Fargo-- I don't see, if it came down to configuration and configuration alone, the Fargodome winning out over the Arena. The big curtain with additional practice courts on the other side of it...... Not exactly, IMO, what the Summit is looking for.

But if the Fargodome gets the arena addition that's being discussed....

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Re: facility rotation--I don't put much stock in the Quad Cities because of how poorly WIU supports its home games. Oakland/Auburn Hills also seems a bit iffy, in terms of attendance.

KC--now there's a possibility--provided that the Big 12 & Valley tournaments are a suitable distance away. But I think UMKC needs to improve fan support before their bid merits attention.

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In short, I think right now, only Tulsa & Sioux Falls have facilities and fan support.... Fargo has fan support and plans for facilities, and Kansas City and the Quad Cities have facilities and no fan support.

Oakland draws real well, especially for its men's team. The O'Rena usally has a pretty big crowd in it. The majority of students that attend OU are commuters living in the southeast Michigan, Thumb, and central Mich area. The Palace of Auburn Hills would probably do what they do for the Detroit Shock games and curtain off the upper bowl seating leaving courtside and lower bowl cutting the seating in half to around 10,000.
It's a real nice arena, and they sell beer. Plus its a four hour drive from FW, five hour drive from IUPUI, nine from WIU, 15 from SDSU, 16 from NDSU. Forever from SUU.

[EQguy]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Sioux Falls corporate sponsorship dollars for the tourney? $292,000

Well, the gauntlet has been thrown down as to what it is going to take to get the tourney away from Sioux Falls. This can only be good for all those involved.

Just imagine how many more sponsorships might come along once USD is in the league. It may be tough to take it away from Sioux Falls after that.

[Hammersmith]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

No Fargo in this round of bidding. I missed the article written in early February that said the Fargodome is booked for the next several years. The Red River Valley Sportsmen's Show and the North Dakota Class A State Basketball Tournament have both the first and second weekends in March tied up for at least three more years. The Sportsmen's Show is a big annual moneymaker for the FD(I was there yesterday) and Fargo can't pass up a state tourney whenever it's available. It should cycle to one of the other ND cities eventually, and then Fargo can bid on the Summit tourney.

As for the Fargodome as a BB venue, it's fine if there are at least 6,000 fans. If less than that, it sucks. The curtain isn't a bad thing. I've been in the FD when it's up several times. During NDSU graduation, it splits the floor around the 50 yard line(if the turf were down). As the commencement band, we were able to warm up our instruments on one side of the curtain, and it couldn't be heard on the other. The curtains are also used to create a much smaller theater environment along the east sideline. It's not a bad configuration. And as JimmyJack said, Fargo can come up with the money if that's what it comes down to.

[NightHawk78]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Some thoughts:

1) I can't see the Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls for more than four years; it simply isn't fair to the rest of the conference to have one city/school dominate the tournament. Both ORU teams won three of the last four tournamants (held in Tulsa).

2) That said, Sioux Falls likely will be on a regular-cycle to host, particularly after USD joins the conference (just a matter of when, not if). Sponsorship dollars and attendance don't lie and Sioux Falls has that category covered quite well.

3) Kansas City has the geography and facilities, but UMKC has a light fan base and the event can easily get overshadowed by the Big XII and the Missouri Valley.

4) The Quad Cities may have been OK a dozen years ago, but the league has changed dramatically since then. WIU has weak support and residents may be more likely to ignore the tournament. (I'm sure there are more Hawkeye and Illini fans there than WIU backers; if WIU can improve its fan base, it would be OK to have the tourney there.)

5) Fargo would be fine if they could ever get their facilities squared away.

6) The tournament would likely be overshadowed in the Detroit or Indianapolis areas.

7) Tulsa makes it the Oral Roberts Invitational and I've read how some schools are not that fond of ORU . . .

Finally, would the Summit League consider separating the mens and womens tournaments? I would like that separation because the current format automatically places the womens tournament as the undercard with all of the afternoon games. The other upside to this plan is that Sioux Falls likely would host one of the tournaments almost every year.

[valleyrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Well, the gauntlet has been thrown down as to what it is going to take to get the tourney away from Sioux Falls. This can only be good for all those involved.

Just imagine how many more sponsorships might come along once USD is in the league. It may be tough to take it away from Sioux Falls after that.

With current economic conditions, I'm not betting that those numbers will increase. I think there is also the possibility that sponsers wanted to wow the league in the first year. We will see though.

[SturgisJeff]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Some thoughts:

1) I can't see the Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls for more than four years; it simply isn't fair to the rest of the conference to have one city/school dominate the tournament. Both ORU teams won three of the last four tournamants (held in Tulsa).

2) That said, Sioux Falls likely will be on a regular-cycle to host, particularly after USD joins the conference (just a matter of when, not if). Sponsorship dollars and attendance don't lie and Sioux Falls has that category covered quite well.

3) Kansas City has the geography and facilities, but UMKC has a light fan base and the event can easily get overshadowed by the Big XII and the Missouri Valley.

4) The Quad Cities may have been OK a dozen years ago, but the league has changed dramatically since then. WIU has weak support and residents may be more likely to ignore the tournament. (I'm sure there are more Hawkeye and Illini fans there than WIU backers; if WIU can improve its fan base, it would be OK to have the tourney there.)

5) Fargo would be fine if they could ever get their facilities squared away.

6) The tournament would likely be overshadowed in the Detroit or Indianapolis areas.

7) Tulsa makes it the Oral Roberts Invitational and I've read how some schools are not that fond of ORU . . .

Finally, would the Summit League consider separating the mens and womens tournaments? I would like that separation because the current format automatically places the womens tournament as the undercard with all of the afternoon games. The other upside to this plan is that Sioux Falls likely would host one of the tournaments almost every year.

The only thing Detroit has going on this time of the year is a car show downtown that doesnt draw much. All the big things are done. Only conflict would be with the Detroit Pistons and their schedule. And hey, when the Jacks aren't playing why not see the Red Wings.

[NightHawk78]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

The only thing Detroit has going on this time of the year is a car show downtown that doesnt draw much. All the big things are done. Only conflict would be with the Detroit Pistons and their schedule. And hey, when the Jacks aren't playing why not see the Red Wings.

Doesn't Michigan and Michigan State dominate the sports coverage in the Detroit Media (or at least what's left of it)?

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

In a word YES

From the attendence article by TV at the ARGUS LEader

Sioux Falls shattered conference sponsorship records prior to the Summit League basketball tournament and attendance records during the event. Yes, the city was successful in its first foray into hosting an NCAA Division I tournament.


The four men's sessions drew a total of 17,682 fans, the most since 1994.


The four women's sessions attracted 16,999 fans, more than doubling the previous mark of 7,037 that was set in 2007 in Tulsa, Okla.

http://www.argusleader.com/article/2...40/1002/SPORTS

[Hammersmith]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Despite one of the comments to the article, the size of the arena did hamper the attendance. I think there were at least two sections that would have had greater attendance if the building could have handled it. The men's final would have also been a near sellout had the blizzard not stranded Bison fans in Fargo. If you waited until Tuesday morning to make your decision, there was no way to get to Sioux Falls short of a snowmobile. Of course, having almost the perfect scenario play out sure didn't hurt matters. Out of 14 games, a Dakota school played in 10 of them(the max). The only way it could have been better was if the NDSU women and the SDSU men had made it to the finals for a double-Dakota showdown.

[TeaJackrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Friend of mine said that before the game started ESPN and the Summit told and/or let fans sit down behind the two benches b/c they it to be filled up back there, have the appearance of a full arena.

So when you watch these Conference Championship games where there is few people in the stands (like last nights Mont State-Portland State game) you know there really isn't ANYBODY there! I thought the Summit Championship games looked just fine on TV and better than most of these other small-mid major games and early round BCS conference games.