Props To The MAC Tournament

[Hail Red & White]

Did anyone catch the MAC title game Saturday night? Having watched it as part of Championship Week for the past few years, I think Cleveland has done as great, if not a better job hosting it, as St. Louis has done with the Valley. The stands are always full, regardless of who's in the title game, and the fans are really into the action. It seemed like a great atmosphere as opposed to the Atlantic-10. If Xavier had not played in the final, the arena in Cincinnati may have been half full for a Fordham-St. Joe's title match.

[saluki_in_ohio]

Did anyone catch the MAC title game Saturday night? Having watched it as part of Championship Week for the past few years, I think Cleveland has done as great, if not a better job hosting it, as St. Louis has done with the Valley. The stands are always full, regardless of who's in the title game, and the fans are really into the action. It seemed like a great atmosphere as opposed to the Atlantic-10. If Xavier had not played in the final, the arena in Cincinnati may have been half full for a Fordham-St. Joe's title match.

It helps that many of the MAC schools are in Ohio. The MAC finalists (Toledo and Kent St.) are within easy driving distance to Cleveland. Cleveland is a natural location for the MAC tournament, as St. Louis is a natural location for the MVC.

[Aargh]

Cleveland is a natural location for the MAC tournament, as Kansas City is a natural location for the MVC.

Fixed it.

[MSNSaluki]

kansas city is a natural for the valley tournament ...
if you are from wichita or omaha.

[unipanther99]

kansas city is a natural for the valley tournament ...
if you are from wichita or omaha.
Or Cedar Falls, Des Moines, or Springfield.

[Nyghtewynd]

Cedar Falls and Springfield have nothing to do with it. Springfield is the same distance between STL and KC, and to STL is the much easier drive. Cedar Falls is probably a shorter drive to STL now with the "completion" of the Avenue of the Saints.

[bigbearfan]

i live in KC. its 2 maybe 2 1/2 at most to springfield. its about 3 to st. louis from springfield.

[Nyghtewynd]

You must do really well at not hitting lights. It's pretty much three for me in either direction, but to STL you don't hit lights in every two-horse town in western Missouri.

[MSU Bleeds Maroon]

Kansas City? Might as well move back to Tulsa. Hey, why not a tournament in the Quad Cities or Indianapolis?

St. Louis is the best possible location. If OGU Fan can't handle the drive, I hear the Mid-Continent is taking applications.

[unipanther99]

Ummm.. the Avenue of the Saints is not complete. We are waiting for our Friends in Missouri to finish up their part.

Definitely an easier drive to KC from Cedar Falls... Hwy. 20 over to I-35 and a straight shot.

I really don't know how you get to St. Louis from Des Moines. I'm sure there are a few gravel roads involved in that route.

[DawgFan]

Cleveland does a nice job with the MAC. That said, the MVC tournament is less expensive and slightly better run. It also draws slightly better in recent years.

The Gund, Q, Loan Center Arena, house of LeBron, is configured slightly different than Savvis Center. More like United Center in Chicago with three levels. The first two levels in Cleveland have fewer rows of seats and are fuller, but the top level is virtually empty and the attendance is not as great in Cleveland.

[Nyghtewynd]

The Avenue is complete enough. There's about a fifteen-mile stretch that's still two-lane, but the rest is four-lane divided highway from about Iowa City to St. Louis. I always had to drive over to Columbia and go north to get from the STL to Des Moines, but the Avenue cut almost an hour off of my last trip. It helps a lot.

[doinit salukistyle]

oh, all this crying about KC, hmmm springfield makes no difference, creighton draws a lot of fans either way, as of now I don't think drake would draw a lot of fans either way...

so wsu and uni benefit, while evansville, indiana state, Illinois State, Southern Illinois, and Bradley all suffer....seems fair.

mark my words, attendance will dip if it goes to Kansas City, end of discussion.

[wushockduke]

I think St. Louis is the best place for the Valley tournament. I doubt it will ever move anytime soon, which is fine.