2015 AAC Tournament Location: Hartford, CT | Page 3 | The Boneyard

2015 AAC Tournament Location: Hartford, CT

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Husky25 said:
Exactly where in the post that you quoted did I mention Memphis? I quoted a post referring to the XL Center and I mention MSG in mine. I've been to many an early round Big East Tournament game throughout the 2000's at MSG on Wednesdays and Thursdays where the lower bowl was barely full and hardly anyone in the upper levels.

Memphis gets slighted here enough (I've probably done it myself), you certainly don't have to look for negative implications where there are none to be found.
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I meant to quote another post, my bad.

Husky25 said:
http://csnbbs.com/thread-681514.html

Doesn't appear that Memphis was an overwhelming hit. Besides if it were, why change venue?
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UofMemphis said:
Why try and spin this as some negative about Memphis? I see this as the AAC cashing in on UConn historic NCAA run and fan enthusiasm...didn't over 150k show up for the parade?

Memphis has hosted 7 conference tournaments since 2005
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I was there a month ago. The problem isn't Memphis, it's the conference.
 
I didn't slight Memphis. "Memphis fans" did. I just linked it and made an observation of fact.
UofMemphis said:
I meant to quote another post, my bad.
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Memphis for a 4 or 5 day stay is infinitely more fun than Hartford. Attendance sucked but it is one of Americas great music and southern cooking cities. Thrilled it will here tho.
 
Not a huge fan of this move.

I think playing in the conference tournament on a neutral court can serve as excellent preparation for the NCAA's. It certainly did for us in all our deep runs. Playing on our home court? With SMU likely the only other top 20 team in the league next year? Hopefully it will be a useful exercise run for the real tournament. But I worry it won't be.
 
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The AAC wasn't happy with Memphis.

Not sure why, but apparently they had no chance at the tournament this year.

I would have given Philly a shot, but what do I know.
 
UofMemphis said:
Why try and spin this as some negative about Memphis? I see this as the AAC cashing in on UConn historic NCAA run and fan enthusiasm...didn't over 150k show up for the parade?

Memphis has hosted 7 conference tournaments since 2005
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300k is over 150k, yes;)
 
To chime in with my 5 smart phones it is my belief that this is a desperate move by the AAC to attract one thing, FANS and increase revenue. Uconn draws and we can be assured if our Huskies were to get knocked out in the early round the DUMP will be empty for every subsequent game. Do I like the choice, YES. But I am being biased because I will be there just to watch the games and see our Huskies.

How I remember the old days when Morehead State was in the NCAA tourney and it was held in Hartford. I believe it was the first game and one side of the old Civic Center chanted, We Want, while the other side chanted More Head
 
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I wonder what a ticket package will cost? We sit in the low 200s for the regular season at XL, so I'm thinking those types of seats or even in the 100s. Wonder also if season ticket holders will get some sort of discount and first crack at the Tourny packages?
 
John said:
I wonder what a ticket package will cost? We sit in the low 200s for the regular season at XL, so I'm thinking those types of seats or even in the 100s. Wonder also if season ticket holders will get some sort of discount and first crack at the Tourny packages?
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It actually crossed my mind to purchase season tickets or a mini plan in order to get "preferential treatment." Something tells me that it won't work that way necessarily. I'd bet allotments will be sold based on donor class as opposed to ticket purchases.
 
I love that fact the tourney will be in Hartford next year. There are several things to do in the surrounding area. That said, if you can't have fun in Memphis you should probably just crawl into a 6x6 hole and call it a career.

The bigger reality is conference tourneys rarely, if ever, sell out the majority of their games. We have a tilted perspective because we had the best tourney played in the best venue for years. It was also an easy place for most conference members to travel. And while memories always tend to remember the positive, the early rounds of the BEAST Tourney weren't always at capacity. The issue is simple, if your team is a real contender and you are a die-hard fan, you will probably try to save your money for the NCAA Tourney. Now that we are in a conference that is so geographically diverse, I doubt any location will draw large crowds.
 
This is not going to be a successful tourney. Hartford offers nothing in terms for people wanting to visit. No one wants to travel 15-25 minutes to go to places in West Hartford, Glastonbury or the surrounding areas. Casinos are 45 minutes away.. the bar areas and food around the Civic Center is nothing to write home about.

Memphis was an infinitely better place to host the tourney. The city and area is just a better place for entertainment, food, culture, music etc. If you want to gamble take the 45 min drive to Mississippi and you can play single deck or double deck blackjack instead of 6-8 deck shoes

The only people excited about this are UConn fans. Other fans will have little desire to come ot Hartford in March for the AAC bball tourney.

New Orleans, Memphis, Orlando are all much better host cities. Hell even Houston would be a better option.
 
methodology said:
This is not going to be a successful tourney. Hartford offers nothing in terms for people wanting to visit. No one wants to travel 15-25 minutes to go to places in West Hartford, Glastonbury or the surrounding areas. Casinos are 45 minutes away.. the bar areas and food around the Civic Center is nothing to write home about.

Memphis was an infinitely better place to host the tourney. The city and area is just a better place for entertainment, food, culture, music etc. If you want to gamble take the 45 min drive to Mississippi and you can play single deck or double deck blackjack instead of 6-8 deck shoes

The only people excited about this are UConn fans. Other fans will have little desire to come ot Hartford in March for the AAC bball tourney.

New Orleans, Memphis, Orlando are all much better host cities. Hell even Houston would be a better option.
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I always have a ball downtown Hartford. Also, 45 minutes is not a long drive to people who live in larger states. My friends in Georgia drive 50+ just to go to work each day. My Cali friends.....it takes them 45 minutes to realize they are in a moving car.
 
MilliniumPrince said:
I always have a ball downtown Hartford. Also, 45 minutes is not a long drive to people who live in larger states. My friends in Georgia drive 50+ just to go to work each day. My Cali friends.....it takes them 45 minutes to realize they are in a moving car.
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I agree 100%. It is so overstated how boring Hartford is. There are plenty of places to eat and drink, decent hotels downtown and in the burbs and other attractions and cities not that far away, if people want to make the trip here and then explore the wider region, that's great. If they want to come and stay downtown for a few days, they will also be able to have a good time.
 
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I think this is good and I'm happy it's here. Not just because I can go to it but because people who come here can go to either casino, go to boston, New York City, or other places and events.
 
I live in NC. Hartford 10X Greensboro home of the ACC tournament.
 
methodology said:
This is not going to be a successful tourney. Hartford offers nothing in terms for people wanting to visit. No one wants to travel 15-25 minutes to go to places in West Hartford, Glastonbury or the surrounding areas. Casinos are 45 minutes away.. the bar areas and food around the Civic Center is nothing to write home about.

Memphis was an infinitely better place to host the tourney. The city and area is just a better place for entertainment, food, culture, music etc. If you want to gamble take the 45 min drive to Mississippi and you can play single deck or double deck blackjack instead of 6-8 deck shoes
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Saying that West Hartford, Glastonbury, and other surrounding areas are 15-25 minutes away is like saying that Hartford is 5-6 hours away from New York City. The Airport is 25 minutes from Hartford. Colchester is 25 Minutes from Hartford. Southington is 25 minutes from Hartford. Willington is 25 minutes from Hartford. West Hartford, East Hartford, Glastonbury etc. all share a border with Hartford and none of them takes more than 10 minutes, from downtown to any door.

Why is it acceptable to travel 45 minutes to Mississippi to gamble, but not down to Mohegan?
methodology said:
The only people excited about this are UConn fans. Other fans will have little desire to come ot Hartford in March for the AAC bball tourney.

New Orleans, Memphis, Orlando are all much better host cities. Hell even Houston would be a better option.
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Hartford is far from perfect. Outside of Downtown, Hartford Proper and the surrounding 'burbs are a terrible walking environment, getting from point A to point B. There is no light rail and public transportation is entire comprised of city busses and taxis. If a visitor wants to do anything outside the immediate downtown area, they are probably going to have to rent a car. It is what it is. However, visitors to a number of other prominent - and larger - cities (e.g. Kansas City, Denver, and Pittsburgh) have to rent a car as well.

I think it is fair to say that the city and it's offerings is an afterthought. Memphis is, by many a measuring stick, a "better" city than Hartford. But judging from what Memphis fans said about the attendance of Tournament games in Memphis, the city itself did not attract basketball fans. I don't know if it was by design (I.e. closing a deck or section), but Memphis' lone game only sold 13,000 tickets for an arena with a capacity of over 18,000 (72.2% capacity) and the Tournament as a whole sold only 71% of the arena's capacity. IF the tournament experiences the same attendance at the Civic Center, the arena will be at least 79% filled (capacity is 16,294, but I would expect it to decrease given planned seating renovations.). Basketball attracts basketball fans.
 
Husky25 said:
Saying that West Hartford, Glastonbury, and other surrounding areas are 15-25 minutes away is like saying that Hartford is 5-6 hours away from New York City. The Airport is 25 minutes from Hartford. Colchester is 25 Minutes from Hartford. Southington is 25 minutes from Hartford. Willington is 25 minutes from Hartford. West Hartford, East Hartford, Glastonbury etc. all share a border with Hartford and none of them takes more than 10 minutes, from downtown to any door.

Why is it acceptable to travel 45 minutes to Mississippi to gamble, but not down to Mohegan?


Hartford is far from perfect. Outside of Downtown, Hartford Proper and the surrounding 'burbs are a terrible walking environment, getting from point A to point B. There is no light rail and public transportation is entire comprised of city busses and taxis. If a visitor wants to do anything outside the immediate downtown area, they are probably going to have to rent a car. It is what it is. However, visitors to a number of other prominent - and larger - cities (e.g. Kansas City, Denver, and Pittsburgh) have to rent a car as well.

I think it is fair to say that the city and it's offerings is an afterthought. Memphis is, by many a measuring stick, a "better" city than Hartford. But judging from what Memphis fans said about the attendance of Tournament games in Memphis, the city itself did not attract basketball fans. I don't know if it was by design (I.e. closing a deck or section), but Memphis' lone game only sold 13,000 tickets for an arena with a capacity of over 18,000 (72.2% capacity) and the Tournament as a whole sold only 71% of the arena's capacity. IF the tournament experiences the same attendance at the Civic Center, the arena will be at least 79% filled (capacity is 16,294, but I would expect it to decrease given planned seating renovations.). Basketball attracts basketball fans.
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Most places are 15-25 minutes to get to in the surrounding areas. If there is no cars and no traffic then yes its 10 minutes. I mean sometimes it takes 15 minutes just to drive from the Civic Center up Albany to Uhart because of traffic.

I only mentioned the Mississippi casinos because people were saying they can go to foxwoods or mohegan, which are 45 min away in CT, or go to Boston, NYC, Springfield, the surrounding areas, etc. That right there shows that Hartford is not the place to host the tourney. People saying they can travel to all these places outside of the immediate downtown area where the tourney will be hosted. Who wants to be in Hartford with the weather in March as compared to other southern locations and then have to have a car and travel anywhere from 15 min to 2 hours in order to go see places or do things to entertain them.

The conference is what hurt attendance. Had nothing to do with Memphis. The fanbases are so spread out with this conference and there is no history or rivalries. Hartford will see the same issues and probably worse if UConn, god forbid, bows out of the conference tourney early.

I believe someone else mentioned it in this thread. UConn fans were spoiled by the BE tourney, some even consider it a better tourney then the NCAA. It was held in the greatest city in the world and played at the basketball mecca with all the amenities any fan could desire within the city limits. That's why it was so successful but even the BE tourney failed to sell out the early rounds and non marquee matchups.
 
So these renovations will be completed by the time the season kicks off in November? It looks nice enough, but I'm sure the concourses will still be way too small and the bathrooms inadequate, etc

xl-center.jpg
 
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TateisGreat said:
After the 2nd day there really wasn't much to do. I think they should do it in Florida but that's my opinion
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You get your wish...2016 in Orlando (with option for 2017)

Orlando's Amway Center:
ORLANDOAR_0243_PPT.jpg
 
I think the nightlife in Hartford will be fine. I just don't know what people are going to do during the day. If you don't have a car then you can go to the Connecticut Science Center.....and then....I have no idea.
 
Robertelamin said:
I think the nightlife in Hartford will be fine. I just don't know what people are going to do during the day. If you don't have a car then you can go to the Connecticut Science Center.....and then....I have no idea.
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Never been...but I would want to see the Capital building, drive to storrs and visit your Campus...see the ESPN set up in Bristol
 
Robertelamin said:
I think the nightlife in Hartford will be fine. I just don't know what people are going to do during the day. If you don't have a car then you can go to the Connecticut Science Center.....and then....I have no idea.
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Wadsworth, Old State House
 
I used to live in Manchester. It took ten minutes to get downtown and park. I now live in Northern Middlesex County, 10 minutes from a divided highway. I can get to East Hartford in under 25 minutes. Traffic is terrible during rush hour to be sure, but not really unlike any other capital city.

While visitors may check out Blue Back Square, I don't buy many people going to NYC or Boston unless 1) It was already in the itinerary, 2) their team bows out early and/or 3) they flew into those cities and therefore have time to spare until they fly out. There just seems to be too many logistical nightmares that can pop up.

The BB HOF or Mohegan are really the only major OOT attractions that can be done in under a day.

Hey, It could be exactly the way you say, but I think the conference will provide good basketball when all is said and done and the city will put on a good showing.

As an aside, I really wish that fans, especially UConn fans, would stop comparing the AAC Tournament to what the Old Big East tournament used to be. No tournament held in New York City will ever approach that again. It was a perfect storm of circumstances that no longer exists, nor will exist in the future in any way, shape, or form. According to Forbes, the 2014 New Big East charged the most money per ticket on average ($181) than any other Conference and neither their final, nor any other game, remotely came close to selling out. You cannot say that Memphis was not a reason the AAC Tournament did not live up to expectations while stating New York is a contributing factor the the Old Big East's success. The Old Big East was successful because of good basketball, not city.
 
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Robertelamin said:
I think the nightlife in Hartford will be fine. I just don't know what people are going to do during the day. If you don't have a car then you can go to the Connecticut Science Center.....and then....I have no idea.
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Catch a flick at Spotlight, tour the Mark Twain and Stowe Houses, etc. It would be nice to have the Downtown shuttle running up Farmington Ave. and into West Hartford Center though. Maybe they can make that happen.
 
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