Ensor on MAAC Tourney Returning to Albany (TUC)

[IndianSaint]

www.nycbuckets.com/2014/04/maac-rich-ensor-albany-tournament-2015/

"Ensor said that the experience in Springfield, a three-year tenure that ended in some of the lowest attendance numbers in the past decade, taught the conference a lesson about neutral site tournaments"

[gorvy]

Although this idea was ill-advised from the get-go, at least they got paid a guarantee.

[SIENA1971]

This is the best outcome of the MB era

[siena77]

The bigger the fool, the harder the fall.

[hoopjunkie]

Oh, so because he says, "I screwed up" he gets a pass? When everyone on this board predicted disaster for this move? He should be fired since he can't do his job better than 50 posters on this board.

[DelmartianEd]

I'm not sure that we'd do better going back out on the market for another commissioner. Ensor is actually fairly close to the Siena program. The problem is that he's got 10 other bosses, and we haven't figured out a way to fire another college's president.

[Tony]

Apr 21, 2014 13:52:30 GMT -5 DelmartianEd said:

I'm not sure that we'd do better going back out on the market for another commissioner. Ensor is actually fairly close to the Siena program. The problem is that he's got 10 other bosses, and we haven't figured out a way to fire another college's president.

Agreed it was the presidents that wanted it moved..as soon as Springfield put up the guarantee money - MAAC presidents moved tournament in a heart beat- Only reason why its coming back is Albany is only place they can make any money.

[SIENA1971]

Also doesn't bide well to have a couple thousand in stands for conference championship game on national TV .... MAAC schools try to leverage athletics to recruit students ... Small crowds do nothing to enhance those marketing videos they show

[hooligan]

I'm happy to have the tourney back at home. In a few years if the rest of the maac demands Ensor move the tourney I would like to see the meadowlands explored (if the izod center is still around) 5 maac schools are within an hours drive and 4 schools are within a 2-3 hour ride. Only the buffalo schools have to travel far. I think the njsea still runs the facility and I think they would be willing to cut a deal just to get a couple of thousand of folks into the facility to buy concessions.

My preference is to stay in Albany but if it has to move east Rutherford might not be a bad alternative.

Do you think if the maac moved the tourney to Atlantic city more people would attend due to ac being a better destination than Springfield, Bridgeport, buffalo, Albany or Trenton? I know it's not a maac hot spot but I don't think it would be a disaster like Springfield.

[DelmartianEd]

Albany and Springfield are both planning casinos. Atlantic City is obsolete and storm-prone.

[Tony]

Apr 21, 2014 20:18:59 GMT -5 hooligan said:

I'm happy to have the tourney back at home. In a few years if the rest of the maac demands Ensor move the tourney I would like to see the meadowlands explored (if the izod center is still around) 5 maac schools are within an hours drive and 4 schools are within a 2-3 hour ride. Only the buffalo schools have to travel far. I think the njsea still runs the facility and I think they would be willing to cut a deal just to get a couple of thousand of folks into the facility to buy concessions.

My preference is to stay in Albany but if it has to move east Rutherford might not be a bad alternative.

Do you think if the maac moved the tourney to Atlantic city more people would attend due to ac being a better destination than Springfield, Bridgeport, buffalo, Albany or Trenton? I know it's not a maac hot spot but I don't think it would be a disaster like Springfield.

Problem is other than Siena MAAC programs dont draw-- MAAC tried playing in Rutherford in late 80's when LaSalle was good and even then they couldn't draw- outside of a few die hard fanatics for every other MAAC school- nobody cares about MAAC basketball-- no public interest and other than Siena no MAAC programs support the MAAC tournament in any type of numbers to make conference work-- if the tournament isn't in Albany the only other option for MAAC presidents is like most low major conferences back to campus sites

[hockeyguy]

I know it didn't work in the past but maybe with the addition of Quinny and Monmouth in place of Loyola (who didn't travel at all) maybe a place like Izod could work, although it is another expensive venue but it does offer NYC for downtime distraction. If Fairfield gets their act together, they along with Quinny and Iona make a good base for Bridgeport. Siena and Marist are the two best travelling teams and it isn't a bad trek for either team, so that might be an alternate site (then we can bitch about Fairfield having home court advantage). I like the fairness of a true neutral site but if the only way to get fans and excitement back into the tournament is to hold it at the TUC, so be it.

[SaintsFan]

Apr 22, 2014 6:06:42 GMT -5 hockeyguy said:

I know it didn't work in the past but maybe with the addition of Quinny and Monmouth in place of Loyola (who didn't travel at all) maybe a place like Izod could work, although it is another expensive venue but it does offer NYC for downtime distraction. If Fairfield gets their act together, they along with Quinny and Iona make a good base for Bridgeport. Siena and Marist are the two best travelling teams and it isn't a bad trek for either team, so that might be an alternate site (then we can bitch about Fairfield having home court advantage). I like the fairness of a true neutral site but if the only way to get fans and excitement back into the tournament is to hold it at the TUC, so be it.

All you need to do is look at advertised attendance figures for each team. No place outside of Albany will be successful. NONE. There is absolutely no reason to experiment. It will fail and I am so certain I would wager ANY amount. The whole discussion is pointless and a complete waste of time.

[psycholojets]

The big east tournament was at msg for years. I don't remember reading about the other schools b-tching that it was St. John's home court. I assumed that was because msg offered a higher profile and prestige that made it worth while. I think playing the maac tourney at the tuc performs the same function.

I think there should be a rotation because it helps the league to have it in different cities. Two at the tuc one in Bridgeport, two at tuc and one in buffalo or the izod center...
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[MTS]

Apr 22, 2014 10:01:13 GMT -5 psycholojets said:

The big east tournament was at msg for years. I don't remember reading about the other schools b-tching that it was St. John's home court. I assumed that was because msg offered a higher profile and prestige that made it worth while. I think playing the maac tourney at the tuc performs the same function.

I think there should be a rotation because it helps the league to have it in different cities. Two at the tuc one in Bridgeport, two at tuc and one in buffalo or the izod center...
Sent from my SPH-L710 using proboards

Agreed. And the American (and CUSA in the past) was at Memphis...now those are/were multiple bid leagues but still were played on the home court of one of the conference's teams. As long as Siena is in the MAAC the TUC should always be in the mix to host the MAAC tournament. I'm not saying every year but at least every other year. It makes too much sense. Siena won the 2008-2010 because we were clearly the best team. We would have won those titles on the moon. Did home court help? Sure but you kind of "earn it" when you finish 1st anyway.