Wisconsin's Division I programs should double up in Milwaukee

[Tugg Speedman]

Wisconsin's Division I programs should double up in Milwaukee

Published Dec. 17, 2012 at 11:01 a.m.
By Jim Owczarski

http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/collegehooopsdoubleheader.html

Maybe it's the bass still humming in my cochlea from the Marquette University band, but I can't get last week's Marquette-Wisconsin basketball game out of my head.
 
It's not so much the game. It was hotly contested and no doubt fun to watch, but what got me was the vibe. It was my first such game in the long rivalry, and it made an impression.
 
I loved the fact that the line of Marquette students booed an older couple wearing red all the way down 3rd Street. I loved the trio of Badgers fans who somehow got tickets in the Golden Eagles student section, dotting that sea of gold with a splash of red.
 
In-state rivalry games in Green Bay and Madison are now on my Wisconsin sports bucket list, and I'm looking forward to getting out to the Klotsche Center to see the UW-Milwaukee host the UW-Green Bay in Horizon League action in late January.
 
Coming from Illinois, I was pleasantly surprised to learn this winter that the Badgers, Golden Eagles, Phoenix and Panthers all play each other (or have played each other) in some capacity over the years. Now, college hoops isn't really a hot-button topic across the border, but UIC, DePaul, Loyola, Northwestern, Illinois and all of the directional schools have never gone out of their way to build interest by playing one another in Chicago.
 
I figured most coaches didn't want the bother of doing such a thing, both from a scheduling standpoint and fear of the occasional upset. So, I have to give Buzz Williams, Bo Ryan, Rob Jeter and Brian Wardle (and their predecessors) for putting that side for the good of the state.
 
Now, being sufficiently hooked, I'd like to see them take it a step further – a true double-header at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
 
Naturally, I had to take the temperature of some fans – so I reached out to a few over Twitter.

I could see how Ryan and the Badgers would be leery of this. They no doubt consider themselves the premier program in the state (have at it, Marquette fans) and would definitely view this as going into enemy territory too often.
 
A compromise could be a rotation with the Kohl Center, maybe once every three years or so.
 
Of course, the Phoenix gets the short shrift here. This is no knock on the Resch Center, but unless some engineers can figure out a way to put a court at midfield at Lambeau Field at the very start of the college hoops season the two Horizon League teams sort of have to sort of cater to the demands of the bigger programs.
 
Since UW-Green Bay has played 18 of its 20 games against the Badgers in Madison and 11 of its 12 against Marquette in Milwaukee, you figure this wouldn't be a problem. But, not everyone sees it that way.

This would be a boon for downtown Milwaukee, having all four current fan bases and alumni descending on the city for a day of basketball. Perhaps there could be a women's double-header on Friday or Sunday, too, to make a weekend of it.
 
If the draw that year is Marquette and Wisconsin it's likely to be nationally televised and who knows, perhaps any one of the several national and regional sports networks would want to buy the entire weekend. There are also local TV and sponsorship dollars to be had as well.
 
But, what is this really about?

My sentiments exactly.

[MuMark]

Why do people write articles about something that has no chance of happening?

Sure it would be fun....it's not going to happen.....let it go.

[GGGG]

It really wouldn't be all that fun either.

[Galway Eagle]

UWM vs UWGB has about the same appeal as UIC vs Chicago State.  Two programs with next to no history, next to no fan basis, and no shot at becoming the premier program in the state playing won't do much for the sport.  In fact a UW Whitewater or Stephen's Point game vs Madison or Marquette would likely be more interesting at least that's top teams from two different Divisions

[Mufflers]

Is this suggesting we should play Wisconsin only once every three years?  Also, what's the incentive for adding UWM and UWGB when the MU-UW game is already sold out?

If I made a change related to intrastate teams, it would be to do a home-and home with UW with the Bradley Center game happening early in the year and the Kohl Center game happening during winter break (UW fans will still be in the area, and the MU fans from Wisconsin would be able to attend).

I wouldn't mind the same deal with UWGB as well in an effort to broaden the fan base to the Fox Cities and Green Bay, which are much more likely to add MU fans than the Madison area.

[martyconlonontherun]

So basically it would be on a year when Wisconsin plays at the BC and that UWGB plays @ UWM and UWM just uses the BC?

I don't think it is the worst idea ever. Just promote it as Wisconsin Rivalry Saturday. Have 1 game at noon and the other at 7. Every bar on 3rd could do drink specials and make it a special event. Would make the excitement around the game pretty cool.

[martyconlonontherun]

Is this suggesting we should play Wisconsin only once every three years?  Also, what's the incentive for adding UWM and UWGB when the MU-UW game is already sold out?

For it to work, I would assume you would have to empty the arena similar to a Bucks/MU double-header.

[MerrittsMustache]

Awful idea. UWGB and UWM played home-and-home last season and they didn't fill half the US Cellular Arena and barely hit the 50% mark at Resch. What makes anyone think that they'd come close to filling the BC? Fans would either catch the very end just before the MU-UW game or they'd leave right after the MU-UW game. Also, how would Bucky feel about traveling to Milwaukee 75% of the time?

[martyconlonontherun]

Awful idea. UWGB and UWM played home-and-home last season and they didn't fill half the US Cellular Arena and barely hit the 50% mark at Resch. What makes anyone think that they'd come close to filling the BC? Fans would either catch the very end just before the MU-UW game or they'd leave right after the MU-UW game. Also, how would Bucky feel about traveling to Milwaukee 75% of the time?

I mean it all depends on what this really changes. If both teams play home-and-homes, why not put them on the same day every other year. Still keep it at the US Cell and see if the added excitement of promoting the hell out of it in local bars raises attendance. MU really doesn't have to change anything. UWM-UWGB just needs to make sure their game is on the same day.

I understand that fans won't go to both games but you could have a early afternoon game followed by a joint block party followed by a night game. Hell, it would be cool to have a joint tip-off since I really don't think the fanbases are that mixed. Have a block party on fourth and have each game at 5.

[GGGG]

MU and UW have no reason to tie themselves to some sort of Wisconsin Rivalry Saturday.  If UWM and UWGB want to play with their schedules to have their game on the same day, that's fine. 

[Golden Avalanche]

He lost me when he wrote this, "It's not so much the game. It was hotly contested and no doubt fun to watch".

It was neither of those things.

[martyconlonontherun]

MU and UW have no reason to tie themselves to some sort of Wisconsin Rivalry Saturday.  If UWM and UWGB want to play with their schedules to have their game on the same day, that's fine. 

To me that comes off a little elitist for both programs. What's one reason why they wouldn't do it besides maybe a little extra work from the programming committee? I think it would be a cool pr move to get Wisconsin residents to feel they are a Milwaukee school and not a Chicago school. (at least in the eyes of Wisconsinites. It will always be a Chicago school for the suburban kids). It could be a fun day for Milwaukee and not cost mu anything.

[GGGG]

To me that comes off a little elitist for both programs. What's one reason why they wouldn't do it besides maybe a little extra work from the programming committee?

Because we aren't equals and we would not benefit one bit from the arrangement.  They can have their cute little Horizon League games, in their cute little Horizon League gyms, in front of their cute little Horizon League crowds.  If they want to schedule their game at US Cellular at 1:00 as a type of pre-game to the real game at 5:00 at the Bradley Center, then they can go ahead.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

over/under of the cat who wrote the article having lived in WI starts at 7 months.

[MerrittsMustache]

To me that comes off a little elitist for both programs. What's one reason why they wouldn't do it besides maybe a little extra work from the programming committee? I think it would be a cool pr move to get Wisconsin residents to feel they are a Milwaukee school and not a Chicago school. (at least in the eyes of Wisconsinites. It will always be a Chicago school for the suburban kids). It could be a fun day for Milwaukee and not cost mu anything.

Wisconsin is not going to play every game against Marquette at the Bradley Center so, at best, this would be an every-other-year "event." It would also still be the state schools vs. the snotty private school kids from Chicago which would do little to change the perception of MU within the state.

[chapman]

More Wisconsin team tournament / showdown ideas?  People in WI really need to get out more.

[brewcity77]

Not sure if the writer realizes this, but UW-M and UW-GB couldn't play this as a non-conference game. It couldn't just be some exhibition. When they play, it has to be a league game. And why would either agree to that. Of course, without that, Marquette never plays UW in this scenario.

[Dave Andrews]

Before Al arrived, we had the Milwaukee Classic, and it lasted well into the 70's, I think. Wisconsin played game one against an invited team, MU would play the 2nd game. As a boy, I saw Florida State, Utah, Washington,and UCLA play here, among others. As the quality of the invited teams decreased, MU vs UW seemed to always be the championship game on Saturday night. Because the two teams played another OOC game against each other, like now, this would lead to Wisconsin playing the Warriors twice a year in the Arena some years. As more holiday tournaments came into being, the quality of the invited teams decreased, and eventually the Badgers wished to play in other events. Because of this history, no way Bucky plays twice a year in Milwaukee.