MAACachusett's Last Year

[SaintMisbehavin]

This will be the last year that the MAAC tournament is held in Springfield, MA. Regardless of whatever guarantee money that was given to the league, the decision to hold a traditionally 1-bid conference basketball tournament in a geographical desert in relation to the conference's school footprint always seemed like backwards thinking to me.

I've never attended a tournament game in Springfield because quite frankly I found the decision to put the tournament there an insult to Siena fans and the MAAC in general. I understand the league's knee-jerk reaction to relocate the tournament away from Albany after it's three straight MAAC titles won on their home court (which clearly had more to do with talent level than tournament location, but I digress). But, the new location chosen seemed to be one that is JUST close enough to Siena, the only team with fans that travel well, that it would rely on that fanbase to make the new location successful. They essentially said to Siena no, you can't have the tournament, but you're the only fan base that makes this tournament successful, so please follow us wherever we choose.

Given that this is the last year of the tournament in this uninspired location, ending a horrible experiment, I feel less trepidation over attending to support Siena in that it won't give the MAAC attendence figures to suggest this location was a good idea. It was clearly not. To be clear, I'm not suggesting that Albany should automatically host the tournament every year. But, if the conference does choose elsewhere after the TUC's next stretch of playing host, the least it could do is choose a location that's convenient for fans of the entire league. I'm not sure if other school's fan bases were incensed at the Springfield tournament location, but in my opinion they should.

[DelmartianEd]

I didn't go to the '13 or '11 PIGs, but I went to the quarterfinal games all three years and I went to the semifinal game in '12. I didn't get any hotels in Springfield. All the downtown locations book up quick, and once you have to get back on the road, you honestly might just as well go back to Albany. It wasn't too bad driving back and forth two days in a row in '11, even though Jimmy's team knocked us out of the tournament. If you're anywhere near I-90, it's a really easy drive. I wouldn't mind doing it three days in a row if it meant the team was playing three days in a row. I didn't buy any all-session passes in Springfield (that's what my friends and I would do in Albany). The first year I bought tickets ahead of time, but found it was entirely unnecessary. The arena is small enough that there aren't bad seats, and attendance is bad enough that there are plenty to choose from. In the three years, I didn't necessarily sit in the actual seat I paid for. So I'd encourage Siena fans to show up, get the cheapest walk-up tickets available, and go home; repeat if necessary.

[SaintsFan]

Mar 3, 2014 10:05:37 GMT -5 DelmartianEd said:

I didn't go to the '13 or '11 PIGs, but I went to the quarterfinal games all three years and I went to the semifinal game in '12. I didn't get any hotels in Springfield. All the downtown locations book up quick, and once you have to get back on the road, you honestly might just as well go back to Albany. It wasn't too bad driving back and forth two days in a row in '11, even though Jimmy's team knocked us out of the tournament. If you're anywhere near I-90, it's a really easy drive. I wouldn't mind doing it three days in a row if it meant the team was playing three days in a row. I didn't buy any all-session passes in Springfield (that's what my friends and I would do in Albany). The first year I bought tickets ahead of time, but found it was entirely unnecessary. The arena is small enough that there aren't bad seats, and attendance is bad enough that there are plenty to choose from. In the three years, I didn't necessarily sit in the actual seat I paid for. So I'd encourage Siena fans to show up, get the cheapest walk-up tickets available, and go home; repeat if necessary.

Ill sit out Saturday. Head down Sunday. I sooooo hope we get to give the finger to the MAAC front office in the next year or so.

here is a question...
if Siena WERE to go to the A10 but stay a year... does the MAAC still hold the tournament in Albany?

[SaintMisbehavin]

Mar 3, 2014 10:38:32 GMT -5 SaintsFan said:

Mar 3, 2014 10:05:37 GMT -5 DelmartianEd said:

I didn't go to the '13 or '11 PIGs, but I went to the quarterfinal games all three years and I went to the semifinal game in '12. I didn't get any hotels in Springfield. All the downtown locations book up quick, and once you have to get back on the road, you honestly might just as well go back to Albany. It wasn't too bad driving back and forth two days in a row in '11, even though Jimmy's team knocked us out of the tournament. If you're anywhere near I-90, it's a really easy drive. I wouldn't mind doing it three days in a row if it meant the team was playing three days in a row. I didn't buy any all-session passes in Springfield (that's what my friends and I would do in Albany). The first year I bought tickets ahead of time, but found it was entirely unnecessary. The arena is small enough that there aren't bad seats, and attendance is bad enough that there are plenty to choose from. In the three years, I didn't necessarily sit in the actual seat I paid for. So I'd encourage Siena fans to show up, get the cheapest walk-up tickets available, and go home; repeat if necessary.

Ill sit out Saturday. Head down Sunday. I sooooo hope we get to give the finger to the MAAC front office in the next year or so.

here is a question...
if Siena WERE to go to the A10 but stay a year... does the MAAC still hold the tournament in Albany?

Essentially the TUC would become the new MAACachusetts...an hour and a half away from the closest school, in the wrong direction. I'm assuming they must have some sort of out clause in the contract should Siena leave the conference, and I'd think they would have to at least explore the option of terminating it to show that they have faith in the remaining members of the league at that point.

Hell, hold it at Quinnipiac's facility. It's super nice and their fans don't seem to support their team in droves, I don't think you'd get hoardes of complaints from the other MAAC schools.

[glen]

Springfield may have worked out had Siena continued the upward trajectory. Unfortunately for all we crashed and burned. I believe had the 3 years in Springfield coincided with the Fran years we'd be looking at that as a permanent location. The fans would have traveled and it would have been a 2nd home court for Siena. I'm glad our crash coincided with this scam so we get the full benefit of the TUC next year.

In truth, I wouldn't mind the tournament hosted at any home court with 8K or greater capacity. If that excludes some schools well then tough poop.

[SaintsFan]

Mar 3, 2014 11:06:40 GMT -5 glen said:

Springfield may have worked out had Siena continued the upward trajectory. Unfortunately for all we crashed and burned. I believe had the 3 years in Springfield coincided with the Fran years we'd be looking at that as a permanent location. The fans would have traveled and it would have been a 2nd home court for Siena. I'm glad our crash coincided with this scam so we get the full benefit of the TUC next year.

In truth, I wouldn't mind the tournament hosted at any home court with 8K or greater capacity. If that excludes some schools well then tough poop.

we will have to agree to disagree on that one. Siena being down hurt attendance but it had failed at every other venue.... Springfield is/was no different. If you dont care about money... hold it anywhere. If you want attendance and the feel of a large conference - hold it at the TUC

[billmurray]

Mar 3, 2014 9:18:40 GMT -5 SaintMisbehavin said:

This will be the last year that the MAAC tournament is held in Springfield, MA. Regardless of whatever guarantee money that was given to the league, the decision to hold a traditionally 1-bid conference basketball tournament in a geographical desert in relation to the conference's school footprint always seemed like backwards thinking to me.

I've never attended a tournament game in Springfield because quite frankly I found the decision to put the tournament there an insult to Siena fans and the MAAC in general. I understand the league's knee-jerk reaction to relocate the tournament away from Albany after it's three straight MAAC titles won on their home court (which clearly had more to do with talent level than tournament location, but I digress). But, the new location chosen seemed to be one that is JUST close enough to Siena, the only team with fans that travel well, that it would rely on that fanbase to make the new location successful. They essentially said to Siena no, you can't have the tournament, but you're the only fan base that makes this tournament successful, so please follow us wherever we choose.

Given that this is the last year of the tournament in this uninspired location, ending a horrible experiment, I feel less trepidation over attending to support Siena in that it won't give the MAAC attendence figures to suggest this location was a good idea. It was clearly not. To be clear, I'm not suggesting that Albany should automatically host the tournament every year. But, if the conference does choose elsewhere after the TUC's next stretch of playing host, the least it could do is choose a location that's convenient for fans of the entire league. I'm not sure if other school's fan bases were incensed at the Springfield tournament location, but in my opinion they should.

I haven't gone to Springfield either because I disagreed with the venue given its non MAAC affiliation. Even if Siena had been competitive I wouldn't have gone. It was a stupid idea and was destined to fail. Now that the MAAC presidents have seen the light and the borne the embarrassment of he failed MAACachuetts experiment, I am going to make the drive over on Saturday and any subsequent dates as Siena advances. This team deserves all the support the Siena fan base can give them and I would encourage other fans to make the trip as well. Go Saints.

[psycholojets]

I hope the saints make it to Sunday afternoon so that I can make it. I would have attended previously if we were competitive.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using proboards

[Deleted]

Ahhh, working this weekend........... Ironically in Mass.

[Tony]

Mar 3, 2014 10:38:32 GMT -5 SaintsFan said:

here is a question...
if Siena WERE to go to the A10 but stay a year... does the MAAC still hold the tournament in Albany?

Good question- the TUC has an "out" clause should Siena move to another conference. Not sure if the MAAC has an out clause. But where could the MAAC move the tournament? after the debacle attendance wise in Springfield no major venue would touch the MAAC. But my guess is they would probably like to "cash" in on Siena fans one last time-- after Siena leaves the MAAC will be similar to other low majors and have games at highest seed to have a few fannies in the stands

[MTS]

I just hope we don't get banned from next year's tournament in our own building if we're announced to the A-10 within the next six weeks

Loyola wasn't last year but you never know with the MAAC. They do strange things when Siena is involved. Of course that is ridiculous in itself - Siena has done a lot of good things in their 25 years in the MAAC.

[th24]

I would be more worried about the MAAC attitude toward Siena! The MAAC is going to more than little pissed when agreement is made between Siena and the A10! 

[sienasaint3]

I dont get where the A10 speculation on here comes from other than just general hope.

[gorvy]

Mar 3, 2014 12:58:10 GMT -5 billmurray said:

Mar 3, 2014 9:18:40 GMT -5 SaintMisbehavin said:

This will be the last year that the MAAC tournament is held in Springfield, MA. Regardless of whatever guarantee money that was given to the league, the decision to hold a traditionally 1-bid conference basketball tournament in a geographical desert in relation to the conference's school footprint always seemed like backwards thinking to me.

I've never attended a tournament game in Springfield because quite frankly I found the decision to put the tournament there an insult to Siena fans and the MAAC in general. I understand the league's knee-jerk reaction to relocate the tournament away from Albany after it's three straight MAAC titles won on their home court (which clearly had more to do with talent level than tournament location, but I digress). But, the new location chosen seemed to be one that is JUST close enough to Siena, the only team with fans that travel well, that it would rely on that fanbase to make the new location successful. They essentially said to Siena no, you can't have the tournament, but you're the only fan base that makes this tournament successful, so please follow us wherever we choose.

Given that this is the last year of the tournament in this uninspired location, ending a horrible experiment, I feel less trepidation over attending to support Siena in that it won't give the MAAC attendence figures to suggest this location was a good idea. It was clearly not. To be clear, I'm not suggesting that Albany should automatically host the tournament every year. But, if the conference does choose elsewhere after the TUC's next stretch of playing host, the least it could do is choose a location that's convenient for fans of the entire league. I'm not sure if other school's fan bases were incensed at the Springfield tournament location, but in my opinion they should.

I haven't gone to Springfield either because I disagreed with the venue given its non MAAC affiliation. Even if Siena had been competitive I wouldn't have gone. It was a stupid idea and was destined to fail. Now that the MAAC presidents have seen the light and the borne the embarrassment of he failed MAACachuetts experiment, I am going to make the drive over on Saturday and any subsequent dates as Siena advances. This team deserves all the support the Siena fan base can give them and I would encourage other fans to make the trip as well. Go Saints.

This is my approach as well

[Deleted]

It is interesting to read the fans that won't go because the tournament is in Springfield and not Albany. Does that mean they would never support the team if and when we move to the A10 or another conference? Seems to be self-serving act and not one of support for the team. Springfield is a lot easier (and cheaper) than a weekend in Brooklyn, for example.