2013 Conference USA BB Tournament to be in Tulsa

[swake]

Both men and women. They are being moved from Memphis since they are going to the Big Mess East

http://www.fox23.com/sports/story/C-USA-basketball-tournament-returns-to-Tulsa/UERE_57ufEWPDO4J6flr-g.cspx

[DolfanBob]

And Tulsa says. Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money!

[rdj]

Another great thing for Tulsa.

IMO, the Sports Commission and CVB/Visit Tulsa are making great strides in promoting Tulsa and bringing events to town.  The BASS tournament in February will be massive.  Over 70,000 visitors.  There will not be a hotel room available within miles of downtown or Grand Lake.

[Oil Capital]

Another great thing for Tulsa.

IMO, the Sports Commission and CVB/Visit Tulsa are making great strides in promoting Tulsa and bringing events to town.  The BASS tournament in February will be massive.  Over 70,000 visitors.  There will not be a hotel room available within miles of downtown or Grand Lake.

Whoah.  Not to take anything away from the job the Sports Commission is doing or the magnitude of the BASS tournament.  But nobody should be expecting "over 70,000 visitors."  

The expectation (which seems inflated, as these things usually are by their promoters) is that the tournament will have average daily attendance of 70,000.  A lot of the attendees will be local residents, not visitors.  This can be clearly seen by the fact that the same promoters expect to the attendees to book "up to 10,000" hotel rooms.  

So, unless the BASS tournament attendees are an unusually chummy bunch and are averaging 7 people per hotel room, even allowing for numbers that will be renting condos and staying in RVs, it is clear that a very large portion of the expected attendees are locals, not visitors.

[Hoss]

Whoah.  Not to take anything away from the job the Sports Commission is doing or the magnitude of the BASS tournament.  But nobody should be expecting "over 70,000 visitors."  

The expectation (which seems inflated, as these things usually are by their promoters) is that the tournament will have average daily attendance of 70,000.  A lot of the attendees will be local residents, not visitors.  This can be clearly seen by the fact that the same promoters expect to the attendees to book "up to 10,000" hotel rooms.  

So, unless the BASS tournament attendees are an unusually chummy bunch and are averaging 7 people per hotel room, even allowing for numbers that will be renting condos and staying in RVs, it is clear that a very large portion of the expected attendees are locals, not visitors.

How is that not 70,000 visitor if they're expecting that many in attendance?

I don't think RDJ inferred that all of the 70,000 would not be local.

It is a huge event though.

[Townsend]

How is that not 70,000 visitor if they're expecting that many in attendance?

I don't think RDJ inferred that all of the 70,000 would not be local.

It is a huge event though.

OC no likey successful sounding events in Tulsa.

[Oil Capital]

How is that not 70,000 visitor if they're expecting that many in attendance?

I don't think RDJ inferred that all of the 70,000 would not be local.

It is a huge event though.

Yeah, I said it does not detract from the magnitude of the event.  How is it that a "local" is a "visitor"?  I think those are pretty much mutually exclusive.

[Oil Capital]

OC no likey successful sounding events in Tulsa.

My, we are defensive.  Read the post!   I already acknowledged it is a huge event for Tulsa.  I am sure it will be successful.  But let's not get carried away with our expectations.

[Townsend]

My, we are defensive.  Read the post!   

Review your old posts.  It's you.

[Hoss]

Review your old posts.  It's you.

Exactly.

[swake]

Exactly.

very much so

[godboko71]

How is it that a "local" is a "visitor"?

It isn't a matter of them being a "visitor" or local, its a matter of our area having an event that will have 50-70k people partaking in a singular event. That a good portion of those people will be spending money they my not otherwise spend in the area. Plus what do you define as local anyway? It will be attracting lots of people from the whole region that means a shift in there habits and spending.

[DTowner]

I hope the expectations are kept very low for the turnout at the Conf. USA tournament given TU men's basketball is in a rebuilding year and, frankly, the Tulsa community did not support this event very well a few years ago.

Given that the BASS tournament is at Grand Lake, how many visitors will stay at the lake versus in Tulsa where the ceremonies occur?

[RecycleMichael]

The Conference USA tournament brings a lot of visitors to downtown restaurants and hotels. I am not sure how much of the outer area benefits, but I saw people wearing sports clothing for their team everywhere downtown last time. Of all the things I have seen at the BokArena, basketball works there the best. Maybe it is because the driving force behind the arena was Mayor Bill LaFortune who is a major basketball fan and still plays in a league every week.

The BASS tournament should be good for the lake, and I think it will spur new interest in Oklahoma lakes, which are beautiful and quite an attraction for our state. Oklahoma has more shoreline than the east and gulf coasts combined. I think fishing should be a continual campaign for the state tourism people.

It is interesting that the weigh-in is at the BokArena. The fishermen usually don't transport live fish that far each day. If the fish dies, it don't count.

[Hoss]

The Conference USA tournament brings a lot of visitors to downtown restaurants and hotels. I am not sure how much of the outer area benefits, but I saw people wearing sports clothing for their team everywhere downtown last time. Of all the things I have seen at the BokArena, basketball works there the best. Maybe it is because the driving force behind the arena was Mayor Bill LaFortune who is a major basketball fan and still plays in a league every week.

The BASS tournament should be good for the lake, and I think it will spur new interest in Oklahoma lakes, which are beautiful and quite an attraction for our state. Oklahoma has more shoreline than the east and gulf coasts combined. I think fishing should be a continual campaign for the state tourism people.

It is interesting that the weigh-in is at the BokArena. The fishermen usually don't transport live fish that far each day. If the fish dies, it don't count.

Live wells are a lot better than they used to be...