B1G to announce at 1pm B1G Tournament moving to DC in 2017, NYC in the future
I hate this conference more and more with every move they make.
Also: shit
Delany wouldn’t be specific, but he acknowledged that the league also will look to play its men’s basketball tournament in the New York area
“This is the next major step,” Delany said. “There will be other major steps to be announced over the next couple of months.”
For those that are complaining about this, keep in mind that for the year that the tourney is played in NYC, this move effectively turns the BTT into a Michigan home game. The reality in NYC and metro-NYC is that of all of the B1G schools, Michigan has by far the largest and most passionate fanbase. I have attended the games that our team played at MSG and Barklays for the past two seasons, and the crowd at both games was heavily weighted with Michigan fans. Other than Rutgers (not exactly a basketball power), I don't see any team taking more than 1/3 of the tickets in a game against Michigan.
When Michigan played Rutgers in the NIT final at MSG (2004, I believe), the number of Michigan fans was impressive. Michigan more than held its own.
Bringing the games to NYC will help UM because of the huge alumni base out here, but when you are basically moving a midwest conference tournament to the former Big East sites, you're missing the point entirely.
The Big East and the A10 tournaments are both held in NYC right now. I was in NY last year during the tournaments. So I believe the Big East will stay in NYC - so it must be the A10 that will be tossed. So that means that the BTT will be actually in Brooklyn at Barclays. If you have been to Barclay's you will know that there is quite a difference than having it there, and having it at MSG.
The 30 minute subway ride from Manhatten isn't the biggest diference. I love Brooklyn for what it is ... but a bustling tourist area is not what it is.
Go Blue!
The A10 isn't going to be tossed that easily....it's ensconced in the Barclay's in 2015, 2016, and 2019 through 2021. Part of the concession of giving up 2017 to the ACC was getting three years in Barclay's when the ACC was done with it. If I were them I wouldn't take kindly to another big conference coming in and saying "we want the stadium" and at a minimum they'd be looking for concessions out the wazoo.
The ACC inquired about the possibility of moving the A-10 to the early tournament week but the Barclay's refuses to kick the Nets out for two full weeks.
have actually been to these locations. I have not been to DC, but I've been to every other place being mentioned. From my experience - Indy is better choice from a Gameday experience than any other site. If you haven't been there - why assume you know what its like. The 2 Final Fours I've attended there have been incredible .... the entire downtown is one huge tailgate and when its gametime EVERYONE walks to the stadiums - no need for cabs or busses or subways. It so easy !
Chicago - great city - but neither Soldier Field or the United Center is anywhere close to downtown.
NYC - great place and venues for BB - but a long way for Michiganders and expensive.
Maybe Delany's a genius ... but I doubt it.
Go Blue!
I don't like it, but it's the Reality of BIG TEN getting BIG GER!
Trying go for a third of the country now!
SEC down south; BIG 12 in middle and PAC 12 out west
BIG EAST and ACC will become lesser...
BIG TEN will be BIG TWENTY soon.
JUST WIN GO BLUE!
I work in DC and live in Arlington, I should be thrilled at the fact that this is happening, yet, I'm not. DC is an East Coast city that is the most insulated place in the country culturally. It's nearly 1000 miles from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska.
I've loved college sports my whole life. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older and more removed from college (I'm 30) or if it's the continuous commercialization of Michigan under Brandon and the Big Ten under Delany, but I find myself moving away from liking college sports.
I like college sports because it's sports played between institutions with similar academic outlooks and traditions, mostly within the same region. It serves as a connection between alumni that came before and future students yet to come. But now, it feels like the atheletic wings of these insitutions are focused on money the way pro leagues are. I have four pro teams to root for, I don't need a 5th.
And it's just going to get worse.
Really, if Jim Delaney wants to mark out new territory, can't he just hike his leg and whiz on a fire hydrant?
eh, NBD. It's rotating- and probably should be rotated b/t Chicago, Indi, NYC, DC, M-SP/Milwakee & Detroit
it's a good move to expand the reach of the conference.
Sucks.
+1 Interesting
Late to the party and only came here to say who the hell is making these decisions?
I do not understand having a "conference" tournament 10+ hours away from most schools in said conference and I really do not understand that the conferences marquee Bowl game features a cross country hike to California. #tradition I suppose. Fuck. This. Shit.