BOk Center lands basketball tournament?

[sgrizzle]

Just a rumor at this point, but here goes:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/oct/12/c-usa-tourney-could-move-tulsa-09/

quote:

C-USA tourney could move to Tulsa in '09

By Dan Wolken

Originally published 10:54 a.m., October 12, 2007
Updated 10:54 a.m., October 12, 2007

Conference USA officials and athletic directors left Memphis on Thursday. They may have taken the league's basketball tournament with them.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the 2009 C-USA men's basketball tournament is likely headed to Tulsa pending approval by the league's school presidents. The tournament has been played at FedExForum for the past three years and will be there again in 2008.

Though there has been growing sentiment among league coaches to hold the tournament on a neutral floor rather than at the University of Memphis' home court, there is a legitimate question whether the tournament can succeed financially at another location.

Moving the tournament to Tulsa in 2009 could be especially risky from an attendance and media coverage standpoint, given that Oklahoma City will be hosting the Big 12 Tournament at the same time some 107 miles away.

Proponents of moving the tournament out of Memphis could point to the opening of Tulsa's new downtown arena, the Bank of Oklahoma Center, in 2009 and the fact that Memphis will host NCAA South Regional games in 2009 as possible reasons for moving the tournament.

[sgrizzle]

Rumor grows legs:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?articleID=071013_2_B3_hThem48573

quote:
Report: Tulsa to host C-USA tournament

by: ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer
10/13/2007

The men's tournament will likely be held in the BOK Center in March '09.

The BOK Center appears to have its first major college sporting event on the schedule.

The Conference USA men's basketball tournament is likely destined for Tulsa in March 2009, CBSSports.com reported on Friday.

The University of Tulsa and Tulsa Sports Commission declined to comment, saying that negotiations are still ongoing to bring the tournament to town. Four other schools -- Memphis, Alabama-Birmingham, Houston and UTEP -- have also submitted bids to host the tournament.

"There's still five of us that put in bids and the league is trying to negotiate contracts with some of us for 2009-10," TU athletic director Bubba Cunningham said on Friday afternoon. "Until those contracts are signed, we won't have an official announcement."

Cunningham said it could take as long as a month to get a signed agreement.

The BOK Center will seat about 17,500 for basketball games. It is scheduled to open in September 2008.

The FedExForum in Memphis has been the site of the C-USA tournament the past three years and has been a revenue maker for the league, mainly due to the success of the host school.

Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson is quoted on the CBSSports Web site that he's "fighting the move."

"We, of course, think it needs to stay right here, but (five cities) put their own pitches in and it will go to the presidents in the next two or three weeks," Johnson is quoted as saying.

". . . there's just a sense (among other league schools) that we've had it here too much."

Conference USA spokesperson Courtney Morrison-Archer didn't comment on the proposed move. Shortly after Tulsa submitted its bid to host the tournament earlier this year, C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky had positive things to say about the city.

"The community embraces Conference USA and really supports the University of Tulsa," Banowsky said. "My sense is there would be a ton of support (for a men's basketball tournament) here in Tulsa."

Tulsa has hosted many dif ferent basketball tournaments during the past 15 years, including the Western Athletic Conference tournament and the NAIA national tournament. At the conclusion of this season, it will wrap up a four-year partnership with the Summit League (formerly Mid-Continent Conference) tournament.

Tulsa Sports Commission director Mike Dodson said Friday his group has proved itself as a successful host to large events.

"The Sports Commission is an experienced organization that has hosted the WAC and Summit League Tournaments," Dodson said. "We have a high level of confidence should Conference USA or another major sports event ever come to the BOK Center that we can execute and deliver a first-class experience for the student-athletes and participants."

The Sports Commission also bid to bring the Big 12 Tournament to Tulsa in 2008-11, but it is going to Kansas City (2008, 10-11) and Oklahoma City (2009).

The 2009 C-USA Tournament is tentatively scheduled to be played on the same dates as the Big 12 event in Oklahoma City.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

Rumor grows legs:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?articleID=071013_2_B3_hThem48573

quote:
Report: Tulsa to host C-USA tournament

by: ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer
10/13/2007

The men's tournament will likely be held in the BOK Center in March '09.

The BOK Center appears to have its first major college sporting event on the schedule.

The Conference USA men's basketball tournament is likely destined for Tulsa in March 2009, CBSSports.com reported on Friday.

The University of Tulsa and Tulsa Sports Commission declined to comment, saying that negotiations are still ongoing to bring the tournament to town. Four other schools -- Memphis, Alabama-Birmingham, Houston and UTEP -- have also submitted bids to host the tournament.

"There's still five of us that put in bids and the league is trying to negotiate contracts with some of us for 2009-10," TU athletic director Bubba Cunningham said on Friday afternoon. "Until those contracts are signed, we won't have an official announcement."

Cunningham said it could take as long as a month to get a signed agreement.

The BOK Center will seat about 17,500 for basketball games. It is scheduled to open in September 2008.

The FedExForum in Memphis has been the site of the C-USA tournament the past three years and has been a revenue maker for the league, mainly due to the success of the host school.

Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson is quoted on the CBSSports Web site that he's "fighting the move."

"We, of course, think it needs to stay right here, but (five cities) put their own pitches in and it will go to the presidents in the next two or three weeks," Johnson is quoted as saying.

". . . there's just a sense (among other league schools) that we've had it here too much."

Conference USA spokesperson Courtney Morrison-Archer didn't comment on the proposed move. Shortly after Tulsa submitted its bid to host the tournament earlier this year, C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky had positive things to say about the city.

"The community embraces Conference USA and really supports the University of Tulsa," Banowsky said. "My sense is there would be a ton of support (for a men's basketball tournament) here in Tulsa."

Tulsa has hosted many dif ferent basketball tournaments during the past 15 years, including the Western Athletic Conference tournament and the NAIA national tournament. At the conclusion of this season, it will wrap up a four-year partnership with the Summit League (formerly Mid-Continent Conference) tournament.

Tulsa Sports Commission director Mike Dodson said Friday his group has proved itself as a successful host to large events.

"The Sports Commission is an experienced organization that has hosted the WAC and Summit League Tournaments," Dodson said. "We have a high level of confidence should Conference USA or another major sports event ever come to the BOK Center that we can execute and deliver a first-class experience for the student-athletes and participants."

The Sports Commission also bid to bring the Big 12 Tournament to Tulsa in 2008-11, but it is going to Kansas City (2008, 10-11) and Oklahoma City (2009).

The 2009 C-USA Tournament is tentatively scheduled to be played on the same dates as the Big 12 event in Oklahoma City.

Very good news.

[RecycleMichael]

That is good news.

Traveling basketball teams often bring many fans to the tournament. Hopefully we can make some money off of them while they are here.

[Chicken Little]

Best news all week!  Thanks!

[OurTulsa]

Great news!  While I hope TU improves I really have enjoyed watching Memphis play the last few years and look forward to seeing Coach C here soon!  

I hope the Sports Commission works on establishing a couple of rivaly games annually.  Why not bring OSU or OU vs. Arkansas here annually or how about OU vs. Illinois or LSU.  Something along the lines of the All-College in OKC.  TU vs. Illinois/ OSU vs. Arkansas annually would bring a great draw.  Big 12 vs. SEC annually...KU vs. UK

Anyway, great news.

[cannon_fodder]

I too wonder about attendance though...  with the Big 12 Tourney just down the street I hope we can draw the casual fans.  I'll be there (pending work approval, dang it).

For the other bids, I would think Tulsa or the Dallas schools have the best bets based on location(Houston and UAB have some shot).  UTEP is so isolated it would draw only UTEP fans.  There are no cities within driving distance that casual fans could come up for a weekend.

BUT!  Great news!

[TheTed]

I hope there are some businesses open after 2 p.m. and on weekends near the arena. If not, a lot of out of towners are gonna be left with a very poor impression of Tulsa.

[sgrizzle]

As I understand it, OKC is only hosting the Big12 tournament every so many years. Tulsa would have CUSA tournament every year. The Big12 conflict would only be on certain years.

[ttownclown]

quote:Originally posted by OurTulsa

Great news!  While I hope TU improves I really have enjoyed watching Memphis play the last few years and look forward to seeing Coach C here soon!  

I hope the Sports Commission works on establishing a couple of rivaly games annually.  Why not bring OSU or OU vs. Arkansas here annually or how about OU vs. Illinois or LSU.  Something along the lines of the All-College in OKC.  TU vs. Illinois/ OSU vs. Arkansas annually would bring a great draw.  Big 12 vs. SEC annually...KU vs. UK

Anyway, great news.

I sent an email about a year ago to the Tulsa Sports Commission suggesting that the new BOK arena should have TU vs ORU (The Mayor's Cup) as a early game then OSU vs Arkansas as the night cap.  Due to the locations of these schools, the event surely would sell out each year.   -- by the way the response from the sports commission was that they would consider it...(so who knows..)

[Oil Capital]

Does anyone know what ever became of this?  When this was in the papers last fall they said the decision was expected in about a month.  That time has obviously long past.  Did Tulsa get the tournament?  Did they choose one of the other cities?  Have they not decided anything?

[sgrizzle]

The bid was for 2009 and after and Memphis was protesting the move so it likely could've been delayed. There have been no announcement either way so far.

[Renaissance]

There does yet not appear to have been any decision made, at least that I could find in the C-USA news releases and Google News.  My understanding is that the university presidents will vote on it at the next C-USA Presidents Meeting, but I couldn't find out when that is.  Right now it's a home tournament for Memphis, the lone major basketball power in the conference.  Hopefully there's hopefully a desire among the other schools to stop handing Memphis the tournament and make the site more neutral and competitive.