JB: "'Cuse recruits want ACC Tourney at MSG"

[Upstate]

http://zagsblog.com/articles/boeheim-syracuse-recruits-want-acc-tourney-at-msg/

“There is great momentum to get the ACC tournament to New York City and ESPN really wants it to happen,” one ACC coach told SNY.tv.

*I guess he didn't actually say that, but JB and the recruits want it, obviously.

 

[cuseinseattle]

It would be great but I think it's going to be a tough sell for the North Carolina schools that have fans who can drive to see the conference tournament now.

 

[Alsacs]

It would be great but I think it's going to be a tough sell for the North Carolina schools that have fans who can drive to see the conference tournament now.

The ACC tournament hasn't been selling out in NC anyway. If it was in NYC which is a destination city you would get ACC fans, local NYC residents, and would dominate Championship week on ESPN.

 

[Captnhowdy]

Chris McCullough, a 2014 Syracuse commit from New York City, would be a sophomore at Syracuse in the spring of 2016, the first year the ACC could potentially have its tournament at the Garden.“If the ACC tourney is in MSG I would really like that,” McCullough said. “It means I can have my family there to support me. I think it would be great if I can get a chance to play in the Big Apple.”

Is that him already committing to coming back after is freshman year?

Imagine an ACC Tournament Final Four featuring Syracuse, Louisville, Duke and North Carolina in the World’s Most Famous Arena?

That sounds like MSG's wet dream.

 

[OrangeDW]

It would be great but I think it's going to be a tough sell for the North Carolina schools that have fans who can drive to see the conference tournament now.

Agreed, but they will have to suck it up and deal with it. It will be better for the conference as a whole, and that should be the number 1 priority.

 

[StopCoolio]

I'm going to guess that Duke and UNC's(and everyone else's) recruits want the tourney in MSG too. Unless they're from that area, what 18 year old kid is going to say 'Forget MSG, I want the ACC Tourney to be held in Greensboro, NC!'? Everyone wants to play in the Garden. Coaches know this.

Greensboro is a fine enough place to hold a conference tourney but it is a fraction of what the ACC could do in MSG. There seem to be smart people running the league. It's not going to take a long time for them to figure this out and once they do it, they'll wonder why they even considered Greensboro.

 

[realorange]

I'm not sure why anyone thinks there would be more Carolina area fans at MSG than Greensboro. NYC is not the end all of destinations for everyone particularly when you look at travel, tradition and added expense involved.
There maybe some folks in the South who wouldn't want the ACC in MSG because they know it would end up being a Syracuse home game from any standpoint you wanted to look at it.

 

[cuseincincy]

I think the best thing for the conference would be rotating it. I know arenas seem to like long term contracts but that's because tis best for them. Rotating it between Atlanta, Greenboro, Charlotte and MSG would be great.

 

[jgeorge322]

I think the best thing for the conference would be rotating it. I know arenas seem to like long term contracts but that's because tis best for them. Rotating it between Atlanta, Greenboro, Charlotte and MSG would be great.

yea but having it in nyc every year would be waaaay better. just curious, have you ever been to the BET? this isn't a dig if you havent but you really cant "get it" until you go.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I think the best thing for the conference would be rotating it. I know arenas seem to like long term contracts but that's because tis best for them. Rotating it between Atlanta, Greenboro, Charlotte and MSG would be great.

NYC/MSG IS college basketball. The Friday night energy is unmatched.

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Tapatalk 2

 

[NKR1978]

I'm not sure why anyone thinks there would be more Carolina area fans at MSG than Greensboro. NYC is not the end all of destinations for everyone particularly when you look at travel, tradition and added expense involved.
There maybe some folks in the South who wouldn't want the ACC in MSG because they know it would end up being a Syracuse home game from any standpoint you wanted to look at it.

UNC had at least 7,000 fans when we played them at MSG. They will have no trouble making their presence known at the Garden.

 

[Zcuse]

Aside from the Tobacco Road schools (when it is held in NC), every school/alumni base would need to make a long road trip for any ACC Tourney destination. The North Carolina schools play in front of the their North Carolina base 20/+ times every season (and usually add more in the NCAA tourney). Programs like Duke, NC, VA, and Miami have solid fanbases in the NYC area that would love the opportunity to see them locally. If the ACC did their annual tourney in NYC, the fans from the South would find it to be an excellent annual trip (in Spring- a great time to visit the City), and it would be hard to argue that there is not a better destination for a 5 day trip among the options (for EVERY resaon except affordability).

The press coverage of their tourney would be second to none (even in a historical perspective). One more thing to consider... all of the major football bowl games will be in the South (including the ACC Championship game), so to have the hoops tourney in the North helps to give a balance for the "playoff type" games held in the South versus the North for the major sports.

IMO, ACC tourney in NYC (MSG hopefully) happens for sure. Not a matter of if, but when. ESPN wants it, and will market it, and it will be a huge success.

 

[cuseincincy]

yea but having it in nyc every year would be waaaay better. just curious, have you ever been to the BET? this isn't a dig if you havent but you really cant "get it" until you go.

Yes I've been to the BET there and had a blast. But it may surprise you that not everyone in the country are NYC centric or think that even going to NYC at any time sounds appealing. Naturally SU fans think every year in NYC would be best, for them. It would not be best for most of the rest of the conference. Once in a while on a rotating basis yes. Every year no. You have to be able to look at it from other people's perspective. Like it or not many people in other parts of the country think of NYC as a crime filled cesspool that they would never want to visit.

 

[ROCorange]

No chance MSG agrees to a rotation. If the ACC does a rotation, we would have to be at one of the lesser NYC-area arenas

 

[baggerbob]

ESPN needs a tournament to replace the Big East Tournament, and they have the money, the Garden needs teams with prestige, it will happen just a matter of when.

 

[realorange]

No chance MSG agrees to a rotation. If the ACC does a rotation, we would have to be at one of the lesser NYC-area arenas

If there choice is half full one year and sell out the next, what leverage do they have? ACC at this point has more leverage because MSG won't find any other league that will fill it.

 

[Cuseman78]

Once the Carolina schools/fans/admins get a taste of a Semifinal Friday night, there's no turning back. It's like crack. In 10 years, the ACC tourney will be in MSG annually. I can see an initial rotation, just to ease in some of the staunchest opponents, but it's a fait accompli that the tourney will be NY based.

The ACC is now truly a coastal conference, similar to the pac12 set-up. A conference which extends from Boston to Miami is going to naturally gravitate to that particular coasts premier city. It Has nothing to do with a geographical central location. You don't see the PAC 12 playing theirs in The Bay Area simply as a geographical center.

In 10 years, people are going to look back and laugh that there was ever a discussion between Greeensboro, NC and the Mecca.

 

[Trueblue25]

Chris McCullough was the last kid I thought was going to be in this article. Is he expecting to play his sophomore year?

 

[chlywtr]

I'm not sure why anyone thinks there would be more Carolina area fans at MSG than Greensboro. NYC is not the end all of destinations for everyone particularly when you look at travel, tradition and added expense involved.
There maybe some folks in the South who wouldn't want the ACC in MSG because they know it would end up being a Syracuse home game from any standpoint you wanted to look at it.

just like all of the non-carolina schools have felt for what seems like forever

 

[omniorange]

I'm not sure why anyone thinks there would be more Carolina area fans at MSG than Greensboro. NYC is not the end all of destinations for everyone particularly when you look at travel, tradition and added expense involved.
There maybe some folks in the South who wouldn't want the ACC in MSG because they know it would end up being a Syracuse home game from any standpoint you wanted to look at it.

For the record, Duke fans in the city fill up the garden more than we do in the out of conference games. We don't know yet what would happen in the post-season. And honestly, I'm not holding my breath it will happen.

Of course, I'd love for it to happen but I just not sure the ACC will actually pull the trigger on the deal.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[reedny]

Yes I've been to the BET there and had a blast. But it may surprise you that not everyone in the country are NYC centric or think that even going to NYC at any time sounds appealing. Naturally SU fans think every year in NYC would be best, for them. It would not be best for most of the rest of the conference. Once in a while on a rotating basis yes. Every year no. You have to be able to look at it from other people's perspective. Like it or not many people in other parts of the country think of NYC as a crime filled cesspool that they would never want to visit.

Maybe 25 years ago this might have been the perception. But since Jimmy Carter left office, most people that have attended games down there agree that it's been cleaned up and is now a great sports city. It's surprisingly scenic with many historic places and great architecture. There's plenty of capacity for visitors, excellent restaurants (and beer). It's a transportation hub (easy to get to), and it provides national media exposure that makes greensburo look like B-Ville. No offense, but it's time for the ACC to hold its tourney in a place that reflects the conference's national stature.

 

[SJUBall]

If there choice is half full one year and sell out the next, what leverage do they have? ACC at this point has more leverage because MSG won't find any other league that will fill it.

Why do you think the Big East won't fill it? Arena is near 20K and ticket allotments are spread out amongst member schools. Add to that corporate tickets, and everybody else and I don't think there will be much of a problem hitting benchmarks. In prior year's, lots of people have been unable to get Big East Tournament tickets. Now, it will just be different people getting them. Teams like Creighton are in the top 5 in the country in home attendance. I'd be surprised if they don't draw at least a few fans, and when St. John's, Georgetown, Nova all good, they will draw.

I think people are underestimating the ability to draw fans for these games. In addition, much of this is the espn spin machine. Wonder if Fox will have any say as I doubt they'll want their product pushed from MSG. As of now, the Big East has the contract and seems to create their own destiny as long as they draw fans, which I think they will.

 

[cto]

I'm the old lady here... and may not be alive when the ACC tourney finally gets to MSG... But, hey... if they want it to be the premier conference tourney... there is no other place they should hold it. Everyone leaves BC out of the equation. Lots of BC fans in NYC... and they were always a good draw in the BET here. Plus, Pitt and Lville have always been good draws. Add to that the mystique of Duke and UNC (and the proven drawing power of SU)... it is a fxxking no-brainer.

 

[NKR1978]

Why do you think the Big East won't fill it? Arena is near 20K and ticket allotments are spread out amongst member schools. Add to that corporate tickets, and everybody else and I don't think there will be much of a problem hitting benchmarks. In prior year's, lots of people have been unable to get Big East Tournament tickets. Now, it will just be different people getting them. Teams like Creighton are in the top 5 in the country in home attendance. I'd be surprised if they don't draw at least a few fans, and when St. John's, Georgetown, Nova all good, they will draw.

I think people are underestimating the ability to draw fans for these games. In addition, much of this is the espn spin machine. Wonder if Fox will have any say as I doubt they'll want their product pushed from MSG. As of now, the Big East has the contract and seems to create their own destiny as long as they draw fans, which I think they will.

The games will be sold out regardless. MSG needs butts in the seats. The first couple BET's will have great attendance but once the novelty wears off actual attendance will drop. And really, the thought of syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, duke, UNC, Notre Dame playing on Thursday and Friday beats anything the BE can offer.

Also, look at stubhub prices when Syracuse isn't playing.

Also, just because you're no longer on ESPN the ratings will crater. MSG will want the ACC soon enough.

 

[Alsacs]

Why do you think the Big East won't fill it? Arena is near 20K and ticket allotments are spread out amongst member schools. Add to that corporate tickets, and everybody else and I don't think there will be much of a problem hitting benchmarks. In prior year's, lots of people have been unable to get Big East Tournament tickets. Now, it will just be different people getting them. Teams like Creighton are in the top 5 in the country in home attendance. I'd be surprised if they don't draw at least a few fans, and when St. John's, Georgetown, Nova all good, they will draw.

I think people are underestimating the ability to draw fans for these games. In addition, much of this is the espn spin machine. Wonder if Fox will have any say as I doubt they'll want their product pushed from MSG. As of now, the Big East has the contract and seems to create their own destiny as long as they draw fans, which I think they will.

What you aren't getting look at the enrollments for the Catholic schools. They are all tiny except DePaul and St. John's. For the Big East to keep MSG they need bodies in the seats. Syracuse, UConn, Louisville BROUGHT the most people. Providence loves having MSG because it keeps them somewhat relevant nationally. The small schools have to get non-alum fans to go to NYC to keep the MSG relationship alive. Only Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, have creditability nationally. Butler, St. John's to a degree as well, but this conference is going to be fighting for national respect. There is a reason there is a riff right now within the conference. Georgetown is flexing its muscles at Providence, Seton Hall, and even Marquette to get the Commissioner of Georgetown's choosing and no more good old boy network like the Big East had in the past. The reason the Big East fell apart was little old tiny Providence College had too much influence and control.
InstitutionLocation Enrollment
Butler University Indianapolis, Indiana 4,667
Creighton University Omaha, Nebraska 7,730
DePaul University Chicago, Illinois 25,398
Georgetown University Washington, D.C. 16,437
Marquette University Milwaukee, Wisconsin 11,599
Providence College Providence, Rhode Island 4,585
St. John's University New York City, New York 21,354
Seton Hall University South Orange, New Jersey 9,745
Villanova University Villanova, Pennsylvania 10,482
Xavier University Cincinnati, Ohio 6,584

Only St. John's, DePaul, Georgetown pump out atleast 4,000 graduates a year. The Catholic 7 have SMALL fanbases. Creighton's home attendance is impressive, but being the best basketball program in Nebraska gets them bandwagon Husker football fans that want to root for a winner. Creighton outside of Nebraska won't travel in droves. When the Big East has sessions like this Georgetown vs. DePaul, Providence vs. Xavier in the day and Villanova vs. Seton Hall, St. John's vs.Marquette. You have to depend on Georgetown to fill the day session when they can only fill 10.5 out of 20k seats at HOME, and St. John's and Villanova to fill the night session. The Johnnies can't draw well unless Syracuse, UConn, or Duke(maybe Georgetown and Villanova as well, but only Nova brings traveling fans) are the opponent. Nova will travel well, but I wouldn't expect those 4 schools to be able to fill 75% of MSG over the course of the day.

The Big East clinging onto MSG for now, but it won't last just looking objectively. I bet St. John's moves all non-Georgetown, Villanova, and MAYBE Marquette conference home games to your on campus arena. Also, I bet the highest attendance game on St. John's schedule next year will be your "home" game against Syracuse in December, and it will probably be 50-50 Orange/Red Storm fans.