Maybe a move for 2019 BSC Tourney

[fanofzoo]

I am good with SLC.

 

[putter]

I agree with WildCatFan... SLC would be easy to get to for almost all the teams with direct flights. IF the UofU would agree to it you could use the Huntsman Center rather than be in Ogden...

 

[WILDCATFAN]

I agree with WildCatFan... SLC would be easy to get to for almost all the teams with direct flights. IF the UofU would agree to it you could use the Huntsman Center rather than be in Ogden...

personally I think the maverick Center would be ideal. The Arena can hold 12,500 for basketball, there are plenty of hotels, restaurants and bars within walking distance and is only a hop, skip and jump away from the SLC airport.

I really hope that the Big Sky looks real closely at the possibility of the Maverick Center

 

[footballdood]

I agree with WildCatFan... SLC would be easy to get to for almost all the teams with direct flights. IF the UofU would agree to it you could use the Huntsman Center rather than be in Ogden...

personally I think the maverick Center would be ideal. The Arena can hold 12,500 for basketball, there are plenty of hotels, restaurants and bars within walking distance and is only a hop, skip and jump away from the SLC airport.

I really hope that the Big Sky looks real closely at the possibility of the Maverick Center

SLC would be a fantastic and under the radar choice. Everything is super easy to get to downtown and it's not an expensive place either. Reno would still be my top choice (assuming the locals get their butts in the seat) but if it had to move I would prefer SLC over most other places.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

From what I am hearing currently, is that Reno, Spokane, and Billings are the places that have put together a package to host both tournaments for the next contract period. My gut tells me that Reno is probably still the front runner.

 

[grizzlyjournal]

"In my honest opinion and it is going to be VERY unpopular on this site. But the ideal place to host the tournament is Salt Lake City. It's a city that is literally dead center in the geography of the conference, is by average the closest City to every Big Sky school and is cheap and easy to get to." -- Quote by WILDCATFAN

Contrary to your intro, Wildcatfan, SLC would be an excellent tourney site. Though my preference is Spokane, I believe that Boise and Salt Lake City also offer the best combo of proximity and facilities. Any of these three cities is a LOGICAL choice over Reno for many reasons. I didn't add Billings, simply because I don't know whether Billings can handle travel issues like SLC and Boise. I'd sign a fan petition of some kind favoring those 3-4 sites over Reno.

Add-on: I'm a veteran and have traveled to Salt Lake City several times for care at the excellent VA med center there. I've always found all facilities (hotels, restaurants, etc.) to be excellent and the people of SLC welcoming. I seriously considered going to Reno both last year and this year but found it prohibitively out of reach (travel and lodging in particular). If the tourney were in SLC this week, I'd be there right now.

 

[Jaredkuehn]

Geographically, and from an accessibility standpoint, SLC is the obvious choice. Selfishly, I don't like the proximity to Weber St. But I'm not sure how much of a factor that would really be for the BSC. As noted, the best alternatives to Reno are going to favor SOMEBODY.

 

[AZDoc]

In my honest opinion and it is going to be VERY unpopular on this site. But the ideal place to host the tournament is Salt Lake City. It's a city that is literally dead center in the geography of the conference, is by average the closest City to every Big Sky school and is cheap and easy to get to.

A list of potential host cities

City - Total amount of miles from each School - average travel for each school

Salt Lake City UT - 5,182 - 471
Boise ID - 5,330 - 484
Spokane WA - 6,369 - 579
Billings MT - 6,879 - 625
Reno NV - 7,575 - 688
Denver CO - 8,673 - 788
Phoenix AZ - 9,864 - 896

"But Wildcatfan SLC would favor Weber too much, it's not Neutral enough."

Just like Spokane would favor EWU and Idaho, Boise would favor both Idaho's, Billings would favor the Montana's, Reno already favors Sac but their fans don't care enough to go, Denver would favor UNC and Phoenix would favor NAU. It doesn't really matter where the tournament is moved in the Big Sky since any location would most likely favor someone. So why not favor the biggest and most dedicated basketball fan base?

In my opinion SLC would be the best spot for the tournament, however if not SLC I would be ok with Boise ID........if they were interested. Wherever it gets moved it should at least get moved to a state that actually has a Big Sky presence.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Boise would be 2, Billings/Spokane #3.

 

[WILDCATFAN]

"In my honest opinion and it is going to be VERY unpopular on this site. But the ideal place to host the tournament is Salt Lake City. It's a city that is literally dead center in the geography of the conference, is by average the closest City to every Big Sky school and is cheap and easy to get to." -- Quote by WILDCATFAN

Contrary to your intro, Wildcatfan, SLC would be an excellent tourney site. Though my preference is Spokane, I believe that Boise and Salt Lake City also offer the best combo of proximity and facilities. Any of these three cities is a LOGICAL choice over Reno for many reasons. I didn't add Billings, simply because I don't know whether Billings can handle travel issues like SLC and Boise. I'd sign a fan petition of some kind favoring those 3-4 sites over Reno.

Add-on: I'm a veteran and have traveled to Salt Lake City several times for care at the excellent VA med center there. I've always found all facilities (hotels, restaurants, etc.) to be excellent and the people of SLC welcoming. I seriously considered going to Reno both last year and this year but found it prohibitively out of reach (travel and lodging in particular). If the tourney were in SLC this week, I'd be there right now.

Honestly I can say I expected more on here to hate on my idea, not agree with it.

 

[fanofzoo]

"In my honest opinion and it is going to be VERY unpopular on this site. But the ideal place to host the tournament is Salt Lake City. It's a city that is literally dead center in the geography of the conference, is by average the closest City to every Big Sky school and is cheap and easy to get to." -- Quote by WILDCATFAN

Contrary to your intro, Wildcatfan, SLC would be an excellent tourney site. Though my preference is Spokane, I believe that Boise and Salt Lake City also offer the best combo of proximity and facilities. Any of these three cities is a LOGICAL choice over Reno for many reasons. I didn't add Billings, simply because I don't know whether Billings can handle travel issues like SLC and Boise. I'd sign a fan petition of some kind favoring those 3-4 sites over Reno.

Add-on: I'm a veteran and have traveled to Salt Lake City several times for care at the excellent VA med center there. I've always found all facilities (hotels, restaurants, etc.) to be excellent and the people of SLC welcoming. I seriously considered going to Reno both last year and this year but found it prohibitively out of reach (travel and lodging in particular). If the tourney were in SLC this week, I'd be there right now.

Honestly I can say I expected more on here to hate on my idea, not agree with it.

Easy to get to, one day drive and relatively inexpensive, what's not to like.

 

[Grisly Fan]

"In my honest opinion and it is going to be VERY unpopular on this site. But the ideal place to host the tournament is Salt Lake City. It's a city that is literally dead center in the geography of the conference, is by average the closest City to every Big Sky school and is cheap and easy to get to." -- Quote by WILDCATFAN

Contrary to your intro, Wildcatfan, SLC would be an excellent tourney site. Though my preference is Spokane, I believe that Boise and Salt Lake City also offer the best combo of proximity and facilities. Any of these three cities is a LOGICAL choice over Reno for many reasons. I didn't add Billings, simply because I don't know whether Billings can handle travel issues like SLC and Boise. I'd sign a fan petition of some kind favoring those 3-4 sites over Reno.

Add-on: I'm a veteran and have traveled to Salt Lake City several times for care at the excellent VA med center there. I've always found all facilities (hotels, restaurants, etc.) to be excellent and the people of SLC welcoming. I seriously considered going to Reno both last year and this year but found it prohibitively out of reach (travel and lodging in particular). If the tourney were in SLC this week, I'd be there right now.

Honestly I can say I expected more on here to hate on my idea, not agree with it.

Just as long as there is a good supply of meth then most of eGriz will be good with SLC.

 

[rocklobster]

How about the old system?! I liked it! We're not the ACC! We don't travel well. I liked the reward for winning the BSC!

 

[mtgrizfankb]

The netual site is a joke all together. The bigsky has to be losing a ton of revenue in reno

 

[putter]

I have never heard of the Maverick Center. 12,500 is a nice size arena. With the ability to drive to the tourney for fans of Weber, ISU and SUU the conference may draw more fans and area SLC basketball fans will already be familiar with those teams

 

[IdaGriz01]

I have never heard of the Maverick Center. 12,500 is a nice size arena. With the ability to drive to the tourney for fans of Weber, ISU and SUU the conference may draw more fans and area SLC basketball fans will already be familiar with those teams.

Over the past four or five years, the three big Utah schools (Utah USU, BYU) have played the following Big Sky BBall teams: WSU (many times), ISU (several times), SUU (several), UC-Davis (several), Sac State, NAU, MSU and UM ... and I may have missed a few others. So the fans are at least somewhat familiar with the Big Sky. "Their" teams might be playing, or would have played, in or near Las Vegas ... which is not a hard trip, but could have you on the road for several days and many are likely to stay home. And Salt Lake is more of a basketball city than anything I've heard about Reno. So there's a better chance to get "just fans" into the seats.

Last but not least, travel is way easier into Salt Lake than it is into Reno.

 

[The_Real_Chief]

I have never heard of the Maverick Center. 12,500 is a nice size arena. With the ability to drive to the tourney for fans of Weber, ISU and SUU the conference may draw more fans and area SLC basketball fans will already be familiar with those teams.

Over the past four or five years, the three big Utah schools (Utah USU, BYU) have played the following Big Sky BBall teams: WSU (many times), ISU (several times), SUU (several), UC-Davis (several), Sac State, NAU, MSU and UM ... and I may have missed a few others. So the fans are at least somewhat familiar with the Big Sky. "Their" teams might be playing, or would have played, in or near Las Vegas ... which is not a hard trip, but could have you on the road for several days and many are likely to stay home. And Salt Lake is more of a basketball city than anything I've heard about Reno. So there's a better chance to get "just fans" into the seats.

Last but not least, travel is way easier into Salt Lake than it is into Reno.

I'd prefer Butte over SLC.

 

[The_Real_Chief]

I can't fathom how Fresno is any better option than Reno.

Almost agree. But, the stadium in Fresno would look better and I suspect the population is a lot more inclined to view this as a bigger deal than Reno. It is a nice drive up from LA, the Coast, SF, Sacto. I think there is a lot of community spirit in Fresno that would support it as it is one of the few places in California that is not booming, plus 65 degrees or more. But, I like Reno as a destination. Prefer it over Las Vegas, actually.

I would love to have the tournament in Fresno! Bulldog fans would welcome the tournament.

Sounds like Fresno is a lot like Billings