New Red Wings Stadium to host NCAA tourney in 2018
The new Red Wings Stadium will host 1st and 2nd round tourney games in 2018. I still don't get why Detroit hasn't taken the initiative to get the Final Four or the Regional Finals back at Ford Field especially with both Michigan and MSU both playing well simultanesouly.
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/2014/11/17/ncaa-basketball-to…
November 17th, 2014 at 1:51 PM ^
IIRC, Detroit has submitted bids to host a Final Four in the last couple of years and the NCAA did not even make them a finalist. That suprises me because I think Detroit has done a superb job with the national stage the last decade or so, and like you said, Michigan and MSU are both at a high level with a great chance to be in the Final Four in the next few years.
November 17th, 2014 at 3:14 PM ^
Two reasons why Detroit hasn't been a finalist:
- The NCAA wants to rotate Final Four sites around the country. They just announced five Final Four sites, all in different areas.
- For HQ reasons and others, the NCAA has a long-term agreement with Indianapolis to play Final Fours at Lucas Oil Stadium every 7-8 years or so. This drastically decreases Detroit's chances, after the first point is considered.
November 17th, 2014 at 5:24 PM ^
I'd sort of buy that, but San Antonio will be hosting two years after Houston does.
More likely it's just that it's still really hard to sell Detroit to fancy high-rolling people who make these decisions and/or influence the decisions with huge wads of advertising dollars.
November 17th, 2014 at 7:55 PM ^
Yeah, Texas gets an embarrassment of riches (Dallas, of course, just hosted). But it's worth noting that the article says that when Arizona hosts, it will be the first western city to host since Seattle... in 1995. Given that Indy is a doable drive from Detroit, it could be a lot worse.
November 17th, 2014 at 1:51 PM ^
Bankruptcy is probably the main thing. Now that the process is over and there is some semblance leadership at City Hall, you might see them go after the final. But, the Wings stadium will surely be a big draw for those two rounds.
November 17th, 2014 at 1:54 PM ^
*Second and Third rounds.
/awaits neg bomb
Really, this is nice to see the NCAA Tournament back in MI. I hope The Palace gets to host again. That was fun and it's literally 10 minutes away from me. I mean, that's where my HS graduation was at.
Hopefully the new Detroit arena will host a Frozen Four. The last time a Frozen Four was in Detroit was in the 1990s.
November 17th, 2014 at 1:56 PM ^
Actually the NCAA announced today that these will be called first and second rounds going forward.
November 17th, 2014 at 1:58 PM ^
Glad they did that. I always thought calling it the "First Round" when 60 teams don't play in it was kind of silly.
November 17th, 2014 at 1:59 PM ^
someone caught a clue over there. That was the most confusing naming convention ever. EVAR.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:03 PM ^
Really? Interesting. Thanks, I didn't even hear about that until just now.
I wonder if they'll rename the First Four? I'd rename it the Opening Round.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:01 PM ^
The worst possible spot for a 1st and 2nd round matchups. No bars or anything to do outside the arena. This is a way better option for metro Detroit hosting.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:08 PM ^
This could be the bitter man inside me who has to contemplate a 50 minute drive to see anything - hoops or otherwise - at the Palace, but for me, the major issue with The Palace is that it is in the outer reaches of what would be consider Metro Detroit by most people, so not exactly centrally located for anyone around here who wants to see the Pistons (or indeed whoever is playing the Pistons), much less for an event like the NCAA Tournament. Actually having such an event in the city of Detroit makes it much more accessible for folks in the area as well as for people coming into to see it.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^
As I was reading it I really began to wonder whether or not hosting basketball events is a way for Red Wings brass to prove to Pistons ownership to get the Pistons downtown where they belong. Maybe Im way off but all this chatter of moving the Pistons to downtown will eventually result in it
November 17th, 2014 at 3:18 PM ^
I think the Pistons will eventually move downtown. Not sure how long it's gonna take(my guess is sometime between 2020-2025), but Gores will end up flipping the team for profit. Gilbert could sell the Cavs before that, allowing him to buy the Pistons. I've even heard some rumors that Tom Wilson(who now works for Ilitch) could come into play.
BTW-The new arena will have an underground practice rink(see above) so it will be a lot easier to have both teams playing there.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:28 PM ^
basketball game. It meant getting home around midnight. and Troy's a northern 'burb. Folks in Detroit, the Points or, god forbid, downriver are looking at well over an hour. On the upside, they've done a great job catering to the throngs coming from Holly and Ortonville.
November 17th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
I'm not a metro Detroit native. Many years ago I referred to Auburn Hills as "the suburbs" to a college friend from Grosse Pointe Woods and she scoffed incredulously. Apparently rural area starts around 12 Mile and anything north of Square Lake is just desolate wilderness.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
I agree.
The arena itself is nice, but couldn't ask for a worse location.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
Agreed. I'm all for Wolverine Devotee having a convenient way to get there, but for the 99% of people that are going out of their way for the regionals, the Palace offers little to nothing in the way of "game-day" experience.
It's fun to show out-of-towners downtown Detroit and change their view of the city. Once the Wings stadium is open it'll just be that much better on gamedays in the D. Can't wait.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^
Ford Field hosted the Frozen Four in 2010
November 17th, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
I was thinking of an arena Frozen Four, but you're right.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:33 PM ^
To be honest, Ford Field is a pretty horrible venue. Yes, it's right downtown which is awesome, but the stadium itself is a piece of garbage. Especially for being only like a decade old.
November 17th, 2014 at 10:08 PM ^
Most nfl stadiums are especially the new ones
November 17th, 2014 at 2:43 PM ^
The new Wings arena should really take a shot at a Frozen Four soon. They can only put it Minneapolis so many years
November 17th, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^
New Detroit arena will be in the mix to host many events
• On the importance of hosting the Big Ten hockey tournament in 2015 and again in 2017: "We are Hockeytown. Our legacy is important in the world of hockey. To get (the Big Ten tournament) off the ground, you need to be in big-time hockey cities, college hockey cities, big-time professional hockey cities, amateur, it's all here. We're sort of the center of that universe. It was a real exciting for us to get this, especially coming out of the blocks."
• On sharing it with St. Paul, MInn., where the inaugural tournament was held last year: "The preference is always to have it yourself, if you could. We're talking to the Big Ten about 2018, because the four years will be up. The new facility will be open, the whole (arena) district will be open, and the city will be dramatically different. It's dramatically different than two years ago, when we were first awarded this tournament. It's much more exciting here, much more vibrant. As a lot of the college kids come here -- and this tournament will grow and grow and grow -- everyone is going to see this as a fun opportunity and part of the college experience, and our city is going to have much more to offer."
• On the possibility of hosting other NCAA tournaments, such as wrestling and the college hockey Frozen Four: "All kinds of NCAA events."
November 17th, 2014 at 7:47 PM ^
That will come. The big obstacle to the state of Michigan (which has seven D-1 hockey teams) hosting a Frozen Four has always been the lack of an appropriate facility. Some philistines howled about Ford Field hosting it, but it was a well-done event with only a grandstand setup flaw harming the view, and it was the only way that the FF was going to come to Michigan with the Joe being the dump that it is. Now, Detroit is back in play for the big events.
The Frozen Four has not been in Minneapolis in decades; it has visited St. Paul occasionally, but not as often as you'd think. The Xcel Energy center is still probably the nicest hockey arena in the country, but occasions of it hosting the Frozen Four are actually quite rare, particularly when you consider how huge the college hockey fanbase is in this part of the country.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
b/c the red wings stadium will be directly across the street from where i live
November 17th, 2014 at 2:59 PM ^
The NCAA changed it today. http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/sports/college/Philadelphia-to-host-…
November 17th, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^
Frozen Four was at Ford Field in 2010.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:00 PM ^
Superbowl not that long ago, The Ryder Cup, The PGA Championship, playoff baseball the past several years...what am I missing? Detroit has done its part and done it well...
November 17th, 2014 at 2:18 PM ^
2005.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:03 PM ^
Hopefully I'm back in Michigan by 2018 and I can't enjoy the new arena for some games. If not, Wichita is getting games in 2018. Win win!
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November 17th, 2014 at 2:08 PM ^
I was thinking the same thing. I hope to move back to A2 by then too. I miss so many things about the area and Red Wing games are a big part of it.
November 17th, 2014 at 2:40 PM ^
Hopefully this is just the start of a lot of basketball to be played in this stadium (hint: Pistons)
November 17th, 2014 at 4:14 PM ^
b/c a big fat red wings logo on the roof would make it awkward to use as a venue for two sports teams.
November 17th, 2014 at 4:46 PM ^
The roof will be LED-lit and can change colors and display images.
November 17th, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^
Nice!
November 17th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^
Here's the DDA Board Presentation, which was done before the groundbreaking. It has lots of renders and info.