Why is no one at the AAC Men's B-ball tourney?

[Ha Who]

This tournament should not have been bid on. I sensed immediate disaster when Hartford got it. Like it or not the base is not large enough or into hoops enough to overcome the league. UCONN could only look bad and just gives other P5 conferencs free ammunition to justify leaving the Huskies behind

 

[jibsey]

This Tourney could be held on the Island of BJ's and no one would show. It's not Hartford's fault no schools in this conference have fans.

I don't know where this magical island is, but I do know where it isn't. My hometown.

 

[John]

This tournament should not have been bid on. I sensed immediate disaster when Hartford got it. Like it or not the base is not large enough or into hoops enough to overcome the league. UCONN could only look bad and just gives other P5 conferencs free ammunition to justify leaving the Huskies behind

Well. to be fair to Hartford - UConn fans are used to Big Time College Basketball, and this conference and conference tournament are not that.

 

[Ha Who]

Well. to be fair to Hartford - UConn fans are used to Big Time College Basketball, and this conference and conference tournament are not that.

You made my point. Who pushed for this bid?

 

[Dooley]

This tournament should not have been bid on. I sensed immediate disaster when Hartford got it. Like it or not the base is not large enough or into hoops enough to overcome the league. UCONN could only look bad and just gives other P5 conferencs free ammunition to justify leaving the Huskies behind

I sense where you're coming from but disagree about the ammunition point. MSG was never packed to the rafters for the Wednesday or even Thursday unless UConn or Syracuse were playing in most years. The old Big East dregs like Seton Hall, Providence, DePaul, USF, BC, Miami, VT, etc never drew anyone on any day of the week that they played. I don't think poor attendance to an AWFUL game between two garbage AAC programs with losing records has any impact on UConn whatsoever. And if UConn loses tonight and the rest of the games are sparsely attended, that reflects more on the AAC than UConn. Nobody anywhere gives a hoot about this craptastic conference unless, of course, you are stuck playing in it during some sort of power conference purgatory sentence. After Memphis lost last year, there were empty seats galore for all remaining games in their building.

 

[Dooley]

You made my point. Who pushed for this bid?

But I agree 10000% with this. We are an outlier location in a God-awful conference with no fans. The only games that were ever guaranteed to be well attended were the ones UConn played in. If UConn loses tonight, the only people inside the XL this weekend will be the remaining schools' pep bands, cheerleaders and mascots.

 

[John]

I sense where you're coming from but disagree about the ammunition point. MSG was never packed to the rafters for the Wednesday or even Thursday unless UConn or Syracuse were playing in most years. The old Big East dregs like Seton Hall, Providence, DePaul, USF, BC, Miami, VT, etc never drew anyone on any day of the week that they played. I don't think poor attendance to an AWFUL game between two garbage AAC programs with losing records has any impact on UConn whatsoever. And if UConn loses tonight and the rest of the games are sparsely attended, that reflects more on the AAC than UConn. Nobody anywhere gives a hoot about this craptastic conference unless, of course, you are stuck playing in it during some sort of power conference purgatory sentence. After Memphis lost last year, there were empty seats galore for all remaining games in their building.

How was the attendance last year in Memphis? Just curious, don't really recall anything one way or another.

 

[mets1090]

How was the attendance last year in Memphis? Just curious, don't really recall anything one way or another.

After Memphis lost, ticket holders for the upper deck were told to "sit wherever" because the upper deck was closed due to lack of attendance.

 

[James]

I was barely excited to watch us play usf, buying tickets and going? tonight and the rest of the tourney should be much different IMO. As far as infrastructure i'm not really sure what hartford is that bad at? its not a huge city so public transport isn't strong, but getting to and from the arena is very easy. You could also get a hotel out of downtown in farmington/west hartford and make a ten minute drive on 84.

 

[sanchez42885]

Not to mention they didn't price it to sell to the casual fan. Tonights tickets are $50 min after fees for garbage seats. Tomorrow's price point even higher. Did we even sellout in Hartford once this year?

 

[Ha Who]

I sense where you're coming from but disagree about the ammunition point. MSG was never packed to the rafters for the Wednesday or even Thursday unless UConn or Syracuse were playing in most years. The old Big East dregs like Seton Hall, Providence, DePaul, USF, BC, Miami, VT, etc never drew anyone on any day of the week that they played. I don't think poor attendance to an AWFUL game between two garbage AAC programs with losing records has any impact on UConn whatsoever. And if UConn loses tonight and the rest of the games are sparsely attended, that reflects more on the AAC than UConn. Nobody anywhere gives a hoot about this craptastic conference unless, of course, you are stuck playing in it during some sort of power conference purgatory sentence. After Memphis lost last year, there were empty seats galore for all remaining games in their building.

Good point. Maybe I am mad that I didn't take this afternoon off to watch a couple of games.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

Too many negative posts on this board of late: A few of the Pros about a first round low attendance game if you ever decide to go in the future: Free on street parking, $16.00 lower level tickets from easyseat purchased at 5pm, no issue picking them up at 6:30 next door to XL (no line at all). Bars outside XL were fairly sparse, easy food/booze, served in seconds. Moved from our decent lower level corner seats to 5th row from the floor excellent center seats once we got inside. Zero line issues getting beer inside, free AAC tourney shirts from Buick. We kicked their from the tip off and needed that type of win badly. Good time for those who went.

 

[zls44]

I enjoyed my $65 all-session ticket at center court (move down, plenty of room!).

 

[Dogdeacon]

They could have put this tournament in 55 different cities better than Hartford and the attendance would have been worse. UConn is the best draw, so the tourney in in Hartford. UConn is the best postseason performing team and has the most fans so they thought Hartford gave the conference the best chance to sell the most tickets. Sadly given the sad state of the conference the tourney is over-priced and the arena is too big. The best chance to sell the most tickets were Storrs or the Mohegan but due to unfair advantage for UConn & gambling neither of those were likely to get picked.

 

[FartMan69]

Where is this magical island?

Dude if i knew I wouldn't be spending my time in this dump.

 

[John]

They could have put this tournament in 55 different cities better than Hartford and the attendance would have been worse. UConn is the best draw, so the tourney in in Hartford. UConn is the best postseason performing team and has the most fans so they thought Hartford gave the conference the best chance to sell the most tickets. Sadly given the sad state of the conference the tourney is over-priced and the arena is too big. The best chance to sell the most tickets were Storrs or the Mohegan but due to unfair advantage for UConn & gambling neither of those were likely to get picked.

gambling shouldn't be a factor, the ladies had thiers down there.

 

[The Funster]

This Tourney could be held on the Island of BJ's and no one would show. It's not Hartford's fault no schools in this conference have fans.

checking Zillow for house prices and I'm not finding this Isle. Can you provide more info?

 

[FartMan69]

checking Zillow for house prices and I'm not finding this Isle. Can you provide more info?

Behind the BK on the Berlin Tpke. Next to the dumpster, you'll hear a flattering siren song.

 

[ASweet3781]

Smu and temple have a pretty good showing. If temple and uconn advance they should have a good crowd tomorrow.

 

[Dogdeacon]

gambling shouldn't be a factor, the ladies had thiers down there.

I think the $ volume bet on women's games is about 1/10,000th. And the conference is shaky enough, one nasty rumor about gambling and it'd tumble down like the house of shards it is.

 

[whaler11]

I think the $ volume bet on women's games is about 1/10,000th. And the conference is shaky enough, one nasty rumor about gambling and it'd tumble down like the house of shards it is.

The WAC, WCC and Pac 12 all play in casinos. Pretty sure not an issue.

 

[Husky25]

They could have put this tournament in 55 different cities better than Hartford and the attendance would have been worse. UConn is the best draw, so the tourney in in Hartford. UConn is the best postseason performing team and has the most fans so they thought Hartford gave the conference the best chance to sell the most tickets. Sadly given the sad state of the conference the tourney is over-priced and the arena is too big. The best chance to sell the most tickets were Storrs or the Mohegan but due to unfair advantage for UConn & gambling neither of those were likely to get picked.

Women's tournament was at Mohegan. Gambling should not be an issue. It isn't in the PAC 12. It is not the Conference's responsibility to be morality police for visiting basketball fans. The Tournament is not at Mohegan, because the arena is set up for concerts this weekend (OTOH Who know when those tours were booked?). I would have loved the Tourney at Mohegan. I work 6 miles away!!!

 

[huskypantz]

This Tourney could be held on the Island of BJ's and no one would show. It's not Hartford's fault no schools in this conference have fans.

Would like more info on said island.

 

[Husky25]

They could have put this tournament in 55 different cities better than Hartford and the attendance would have been worse. UConn is the best draw, so the tourney in in Hartford. UConn is the best postseason performing team and has the most fans so they thought Hartford gave the conference the best chance to sell the most tickets. Sadly given the sad state of the conference the tourney is over-priced and the arena is too big. The best chance to sell the most tickets were Storrs or the Mohegan but due to unfair advantage for UConn & gambling neither of those were likely to get picked.

It doesn't matter what the disparity in dollar volume is between bets placed on mens and womens basketball. Mohegan only accepts wagers on contests run by equines.

 

[TheChamps990411]

I think a lot has to do with the teams playing on Thursday.
Which one of those teams doesn't belong?

Im not talking about the tournament im talking about being in this league PERIOD! For 25 years i enjoyed games against schools like Georgetown,Syracuse,ST. Johns,Pitt,Villanova,Louisville etc. Now we have games against Ucf,Usf,Tulsa,SMU and so on. Just depressing.