Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

It is hard to say until it happens. But my guess is that attendance from other schools would increase, Minneapolis is just easier/cheaper to get to with all the flight connections.

I think as long as Minneapolis isn't hosting another conference tournament it would be a unique event.

That said, they have to put something together and who knows if they ever will. I know Fargo is going to make a run at the next opportunity to make a bid and with the Fargodome behind the bid it will be a strong one.

Minneapolis would be a disaster. Might benefit you personally, but I'm confident it will never happen. No entity in Minneapolis would be willing to take the financial gamble.

[FargoBison]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

It is hard to say until it happens. But my guess is that attendance from other schools would increase, Minneapolis is just easier/cheaper to get to with all the flight connections.

I think as long as Minneapolis isn't hosting another conference tournament it would be a unique event.

That said, they have to put something together and who knows if they ever will. I know Fargo is going to make a run at the next opportunity to make a bid and with the Fargodome behind the bid it will be a strong one.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

We have about 15,000 alumni in the Twin Cities, UND has about the same. What is your point about travel, and it isn't like going to Minneapolis from Fargo is some big deal. I'd love to see Minneapolis give it a try...in many ways it could be the best place to put it annually. I know other schools would enjoy easier travel.

If you think Sioux Falls is going to host this year after year, you are wrong. SF is just too close to USD and SDSU, plus it isn't easy to get to.

How many of those 15K alumni do you expect to show up if/when years roll around that the Bison/Sioux either aren't in the tournament or lose in the first round? How many will go to semi finals games and finals games when a team from North Dakota isn't in them? Not meant as smack, an honest question. I don't know about other fans, but it isn't my dream to watch a NCAA tournament qualifying game in an empty 15000 seat arena.

I guess I like our chances of drawing a crowd, regardless of who's playing, if the games are held in smaller cities, and IMO Sioux Falls happens to be the best suited small city in the Summit's footprint--centrally located, decent airport, interstate intersection, hotels, restuarants, etc.

I would suppose that Minneapolis to Fargo is an easy drive. Interstate all the way. Brookings or Vermillion is a bit of a pain in the butt to get to Minneapolis.

I know it isn't exactly easy to fly into Sioux Falls. Someone else mentioned that 6 of the 10 teams in the future Summit will be within a relatively easy 1 day drive.

At the end of the day, it will come down to money, and if Minneapolis, Fargo, Tulsa, Kansas City, or any other town in America wants to host, they will have to put up a better bid. If no other city does, Sioux Falls WILL host the tournament year after year.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

In your best Gene Wilder voice:

It's Alive! It's Alive!

-------

Igor: Dr. Frankenstein...
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: "Fronkensteen."
Igor: You're putting me on.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: No, it's pronounced "Fronkensteen."
Igor: Do you also say "Froaderick"?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: No...”Frederick."
Igor: Well, why isn't it "Froaderick Fronkensteen"?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: It isn't; it's "Frederick Fronkensteen."
Igor: I see.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: You must be Igor.
[He pronounces it ee-gor]
Igor: No, it's pronounced "eye-gor."
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: But they told me it was "ee-gor."
Igor: Well, they were wrong then, weren't they?

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

If you think Sioux Falls is going to host this year after year, you are wrong. SF is just too close to USD and SDSU, plus it isn't easy to get to.

Alot of it has to do with the Bids the Summit League receives, and if the SF Sports Authority has any say in it they will keep coming up with the high bids.

[FargoBison]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Not to mention that NDSU/SDSU/USD aren't all a lock to get into the tournament, and I don't think the Bison faithful travel quite so well if they don't have a team like last years. How many Bison fans would travel with 3 day hotel reservations to watch a 7 seed that will likely bounce in the first round?

The tournament in SF drew a lot of casual fans last year, and a lot of SDSU "fans" who haven't been to an SDSU game since they graduated college that probably wouldn't make the trip to Minny. I ran into several I knew at halftime in the hallways.

I don't think you draw those casual fans in Minneapolis, Tulsa, Kansas City, etc. There is just too much to do other than the event, and you'll never create the kind of buzz a smaller city can generate due to the event being under a microscope in the local media.

Now, if we could only figure out a way to gather a few fans from the other schools in the conference.

There will be more of a USD contingent this spring, with a lot more the next year.

I see ORU bringing a lot more fans (maybe 1000-1500) up this spring, especially after getting smacked in the mouth in the first round with our "home court" advantage last year.

Oakland and Western Illinois should also get decent turnout (around 500) in years where there teams are competitive.

We have about 15,000 alumni in the Twin Cities, UND has about the same. What is your point about travel, and it isn't like going to Minneapolis from Fargo is some big deal. I'd love to see Minneapolis give it a try...in many ways it could be the best place to put it annually. I know other schools would enjoy easier travel.

If you think Sioux Falls is going to host this year after year, you are wrong. SF is just too close to USD and SDSU, plus it isn't easy to get to.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

The combination of corporate sponsorship, the evolution of the SUmmit into the NCC "Phoenix", and having 6 of this conference's team within a day's drive will make this a toughy to get out of Sioux Falls.

Continue to pack it for the sessions, and the attendance will be enough to keep it in Sioux Falls.

It's in Sioux Falls for the next 3 years minimum, and then USD (and likely UND) are members, and possibility decreases even more.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Little fish in big pond if its held in Minneapolis. The conference has tried that at other venues and it doesn't seem like it ever worked very well. New attendance records were set last year in Sioux Falls so I have a tough time believing that you could add another 30-40% attendance on top of that by holding it in Minneapolis.

Not to mention that NDSU/SDSU/USD aren't all a lock to get into the tournament, and I don't think the Bison faithful travel quite so well if they don't have a team like last years. How many Bison fans would travel with 3 day hotel reservations to watch a 7 seed that will likely bounce in the first round?

The tournament in SF drew a lot of casual fans last year, and a lot of SDSU "fans" who haven't been to an SDSU game since they graduated college that probably wouldn't make the trip to Minny. I ran into several I knew at halftime in the hallways.

I don't think you draw those casual fans in Minneapolis, Tulsa, Kansas City, etc. There is just too much to do other than the event, and you'll never create the kind of buzz a smaller city can generate due to the event being under a microscope in the local media.

Now, if we could only figure out a way to gather a few fans from the other schools in the conference.

There will be more of a USD contingent this spring, with a lot more the next year.

I see ORU bringing a lot more fans (maybe 1000-1500) up this spring, especially after getting smacked in the mouth in the first round with our "home court" advantage last year.

Oakland and Western Illinois should also get decent turnout (around 500) in years where there teams are competitive.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Little fish in big pond if its held in Minneapolis. The conference has tried that at other venues and it doesn't seem like it ever worked very well. New attendance records were set last year in Sioux Falls so I have a tough time believing that you could add another 30-40% attendance on top of that by holding it in Minneapolis.

[CCdeville]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Target Center is always looking for money and attention and attendence.
I could see 10,000 at the summit league tourney at target center based on NDSU/SDSU alone being there. IUPUI, OAKLAND, et al can easily fly into minneapolis and shop at MOA and be entertained anywhere.
I really can see it at target center, timberwolves could have a game on sunday night in the middle of the tourney as well, that would be cool.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

This thread seems to have morphed into a dream (where would be a great place to go), nonsense (Las Vegas), oh wait...let's just have it in Minneapolis. And some of the posts seem to have lost sight of the facts: the Summit League is in Sioux Falls next year as part of the two-year award; the new bid is for the next two years. The only bids I'm aware of were submitted by Sioux Falls and Tulsa...and if my conversation with a member of the Board of Trustees for Oral Roberts was truthful, Tulsa isn't going to submit a bid that will beat what Sioux Falls offers.

So dreams can continue to abound, but until some place other than Tulsa and Sioux Falls submit bids (and I would assume Fargo will try the next time around as well), just get used to the fact that the tourney will be in Sioux Falls next year, and either Sioux Falls or Tulsa for the following two years...period.

[JackrabbitGuy]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

If Sioux Falls continues to produce the kind of corporate sponsorship package that it won the current bid with, I think it will be difficult to ever take this tournament away from here.

Now I don't know how that sponsorship money will continue to hold up in future Sioux Falls bids, or if other host sites will use this time to find a way to ramp up the the sponsorships they can collect.

It is the sponsorship money that drives this thing. The tournament in Sioux Falls was pretty well paid for by sponorship dollars before the first tip off, so that means more income back to the Summit League and that's really what its all about.

You could have a site that would draw a great attendance, but without the corporate partners to pay for the tournament, most of the gate and peripheral imcome would go to playing for a break even tournament. If SF can continue to offer both items, the league will find it hard to justify moving it anywhere in the near future.

[TeaJackrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

So . . . who in the Twin Cities do you think will actually prepare and submit a bid to host this tournament?

I've been busy and just jumped on this thread, but as for the above comment.......true enough. Ain't gonna happen in the cities.....I promise. I know everyone else in the conference gets balled up.......but why take it out of SF for now? Why? Screw fairness. You want it in your town, then step up. It's not about stroking everyone. No reason, as of now, that SF should worry about losing it. No reason, as of right now, the Summit should think about another destination.

Sioux Falls is KING! Bow down.

[West-River_Jack]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

So . . . who in the Twin Cities do you think will actually prepare and submit a bid to host this tournament?

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

I don't understand why some seem so anxious to move the tourney out of our own backyard.

It might be more fun to spend a few days in Minneapolis than in Sioux Falls, but the idea is to win the tournament. I like our chances a whole lot better with a major home-court advantage. We have that in SF. It won't be matched anywhere else except in Brookings, and we know it can't be there.

I'm not anxious for it to leave Sioux Falls, but just like our goal is to win the tournament, that is the goal of the 9 other conference members. I don't think there is anything wrong with speculating on where else the tournament may go if it leaves SF. Remember, I said IF it leaves Sioux Falls.