Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Nidaros]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

TV mentioned yesterday in the Stu program, that the tourney was in a high school facility and because of that they could not sell beer.

[filbert]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Where did they play the games at in Tulsa? I know I watched the title game on TV, but I can't remember. Did Terry V say something about it being held at a High School? If so it was probably Tulsa Union?

Does Tulsa still have that old and big, round arena located on the fairgrounds, not far from the AAA baseball stadium and the huuuuuge convention center?

Yes, it was at Union.

[TeaJackrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Where did they play the games at in Tulsa? I know I watched the title game on TV, but I can't remember. Did Terry V say something about it being held at a High School? If so it was probably Tulsa Union?

Does Tulsa still have that old and big, round arena located on the fairgrounds, not far from the AAA baseball stadium and the huuuuuge convention center?

[TeaJackrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

[quote]Regarding Fargo, would it be held at the Fargodome? Because isn't it a rule the tournament can't be held in a home team's gym?
[quote]

The only problem with the Fargodome is it's so big and even a bigger crowd than SF would seem alot less b/c there would be so many empty seats. This is my fear when SF gets a new 15,000+ seat arena. The atmosphere that is enjoyed at the Storm, Stampede and Skyforce (the first two especially) is gone and you look around and it seems empty.

That said, I used to live in the Fargo area, and, if anyone in the Summit can do a better job than SF it's Fargo.

[TeaJackrabbit]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

This is purely conjecture on my part, but I wonder if some within the Summit are wary of leaving the tournament in the same city for too long. The first couple years in Tulsa were really great too, but attendance and community support began to flag after that. I wonder how long a community can maintain a high level of excitement before the event becomes routine? I wouldn't be surprised if the tourney would rotate(two years each) between Sioux Falls, Tulsa, Fargo, and/or Quad Cities. (Not saying it would be a formal rotation.)

A great point and probably one of the biggest reasons why it won't be in SF year after year. I would argue that if there is one place in the US of A where this tournament wouldn't get old, it is Sioux Falls. Look at the Skyforce and how they stood the test of time. And imagine if SDSU started marketing the school and the athletic programs here in the SF area, how much better the tournament would be. I think it was a no-brainer that they would schedule a game this year and next year over the holidays at the Arena to get the team accustomed to the Arena, not to mention fire up the SF fanbase.

[filbert]

Re: Will Summit tourney stay in Sioux Falls?

Personally, I don't think the Fargodome (or any football facility) would be a superior tournament basketball venue. They're just too darned big, especially if you're talking about putting the championship games on an ESPN network and want to show a good crowd to the national audience.

I'd expect the Summit League tournament to skew towards facilities seating less than 8,000 because it's just a much better environment if you put 3,000 in that size facility vs. one that seats 10,000 or more.