BET Attendance

[Mr. Nielsen]

Attendance for the Big East Championship- 19,812

[Herman Cain]

Attendance for the Big East Championship- 19,812

Sold out and a great game. Couldn't ask for more. 

[Mr. Nielsen]

Sold out and a great game. Couldn't ask for more.

Hopefully a solid tv rating. Replay in on FS1 at 3:30am Central Time.

[bilsu]

During sports center this morning, one of the anchors did a 30 second screed calling the Big East a shell of its former self, before doing the tourney highlights

and Syracuse and Pitt are a shell of their former self. I will never root for those two teams again.

[Marcus92]

The ACC isn't looking like such a super conference at the moment.

Three of its legendary programs and coaches have been implicated in, penalized for or are under investigation for massive scandals: Roy Williams at UNC for systemic academic fraud, Jim Boeheim at Syracuse for compliance violations going back nearly a decade, and Rick Pitino at Louisville for treating recruits and players to prostitutes.

The ACC will likely lose several of its marquee head coaches in the next 3 to 5 years to retirement. Boeheim is 71 and says he'll retire in 2018. Mike Krzyzewski is 69. Williams is 65. Pitino is 63 and looks like he's aged several decades in the past few years.

In addition, the conference remains still vulnerable to being raided for its premier football programs (Florida State, UNC, Georgia Tech, Clemson) should the SEC come calling during a future round of expansion/realignment.

Maybe that's how UConn finally gets into the ACC — when the conference is desperate enough to accept them.

[Herman Cain]

Hopefully a solid tv rating. Replay in on FS1 at 3:30am Central Time.

Rating should be good since it was on Fox Broadcast Network.

[WarriorPA]

Attended our first BET this week, nearly all of the games (did not attend early session on Thursday). Was very happy with the attendance throughout, especially these last two nights.

Awesome crowd tonight, estimated 70% Nova, 30% Seton Hall...plus the rest of us just cheering for OT  It is an extremely special event and we were very impressed with the numbers. Similar to most, I have worried about the numbers for the 'new' Big East at MSG, but couldn't have been more excited about it.

Was awesome to see Seton Hall win. The band was psyched after the win over Xavier and out playing in front of MSG afterwards, really cool. Sure hope MU can make a run some year...and hopefully a year when I can make it back!

[GoldenWarrior11]

The ACC isn't looking like such a super conference at the moment.

Three of its legendary programs and coaches have been implicated in, penalized for or are under investigation for massive scandals: Roy Williams at UNC for systemic academic fraud, Jim Boeheim at Syracuse for compliance violations going back nearly a decade, and Rick Pitino at Louisville for treating recruits and players to prostitutes.

The ACC will likely lose several of its marquee head coaches in the next 3 to 5 years to retirement. Boeheim is 71 and says he'll retire in 2018. Mike Krzyzewski is 69. Williams is 65. Pitino is 63 and looks like he's aged several decades in the past few years.

In addition, the conference remains still vulnerable to being raided for its premier football programs (Florida State, UNC, Georgia Tech, Clemson) should the SEC come calling during a future round of expansion/realignment.

Maybe that's how UConn finally gets into the ACC — when the conference is desperate enough to accept them.

It's all going according to Buzz's plan. 

[Herman Cain]

Interesting comparison. Big East final sold out the Garden 19,812. 2015 NIT final 6,600.

I think The BET will continue to be an important tenant of the Garden.

[Babybluejeans]

The ACC isn't looking like such a super conference at the moment.

Three of its legendary programs and coaches have been implicated in, penalized for or are under investigation for massive scandals: Roy Williams at UNC for systemic academic fraud, Jim Boeheim at Syracuse for compliance violations going back nearly a decade, and Rick Pitino at Louisville for treating recruits and players to prostitutes.

The ACC will likely lose several of its marquee head coaches in the next 3 to 5 years to retirement. Boeheim is 71 and says he'll retire in 2018. Mike Krzyzewski is 69. Williams is 65. Pitino is 63 and looks like he's aged several decades in the past few years.

In addition, the conference remains still vulnerable to being raided for its premier football programs (Florida State, UNC, Georgia Tech, Clemson) should the SEC come calling during a future round of expansion/realignment.

Maybe that's how UConn finally gets into the ACC — when the conference is desperate enough to accept them.

I was watching the weekend's games with a bunch of ACC-school alumni and we were flipping the channel between the Big East and ACC tourneys. The difference in energy and atmosphere was astonishing. It was so pronounced that they talked about how they "need to go back to Greensboro." It was actually depressing watching UVA-Miami, a big game, with so little atmosphere (while SHU-Xavier was absolutely buzzing). Hell, even St. John's-MU had more going on!

[Tugg Speedman]

Interesting comparison. Big East final sold out the Garden 19,812. 2015 NIT final 6,600.

I think The BET will continue to be an important tenant of the Garden.

The BET has a 11 year contract with MSG so they not going anywhere.

Meanwhile the last 19 years the B1G tourney has alternated between Indy and Chicago. 

Next year it is in DC (Verizon center) and in 2 years (2018) it is in MSG the week before the BET. 

That means the B1G will have 10 days between the end of their tourney and the start of the NCAA tourney.  They are talking about scheduling games post tourney so they don't sit around too much? 

But how?  Everyone (rest of the power 5 and BE) will have their tourneys that week.  Are they going to schedule a buy game?  So two days after MSU wins the B1G tourney, and 5 days before they start the NCAA tourney, they are going to play, who, Centenary?  Talk about a trap game!

Or are they going to schedule more B1G games?  If so, that means they hold their tourney before the season is over.  How does that work?  How do you seed a tourney in the middle of the season?

Sounds like the B1G is so intent on playing at MSG they have not thought this all the way through.

[Mr. Nielsen]

2016 Big East quarterfinals (4 game) audience up 17% from 2015

2016 Big East Semi-Finals on FS1 audience up 36% from 2015

Big East Tournament viewership up +84% this year on FOX and FS1 combined, by far the biggest gain of any conference. 

[Mutaman]

Really big Seton Hall presence at the Garden. Had no idea they had such a big fan base. If St John's ever gets it together, the tournament will be a huge deal in NYC again.

[Coleman]

I think you can find a good number of UConn fans who would be willing to drop football to join the Big East.

On what planet?

[Coleman]

What a joke the AAC must be to he woman's team. Still haven't lost a game in that league, no?

UConn women haven't lost a game to anyone in any league.

[GGGG]

The BET has a 11 year contract with MSG so they not going anywhere.

Meanwhile the last 19 years the B1G tourney has alternated between Indy and Chicago. 

Next year it is in DC (Verizon center) and in 2 years (2018) it is in MSG the week before the BET. 

That means the B1G will have 10 days between the end of their tourney and the start of the NCAA tourney.  They are talking about scheduling games post tourney so they don't sit around too much? 

But how?  Everyone (rest of the power 5 and BE) will have their tourneys that week.  Are they going to schedule a buy game?  So two days after MSU wins the B1G tourney, and 5 days before they start the NCAA tourney, they are going to play, who, Centenary?  Talk about a trap game!

Or are they going to schedule more B1G games?  If so, that means they hold their tourney before the season is over.  How does that work?  How do you seed a tourney in the middle of the season?

Sounds like the B1G is so intent on playing at MSG they have not thought this all the way through.

I'm pretty sure they have thought it through.  They are simply going to compact their schedule more and finish a week early. 

[brewcity77]

But how?  Everyone (rest of the power 5 and BE) will have their tourneys that week.  Are they going to schedule a buy game?  So two days after MSU wins the B1G tourney, and 5 days before they start the NCAA tourney, they are going to play, who, Centenary?  Talk about a trap game!

It would have to be mid-majors that also play early tournaments. Are you ready for the Big 10/Horizon League Prost-Tournament Challenge?

(Prost because it's both "Pre" as in Pre-NCAA and "Post" as in Post-Conference Tournament)

[CTWarrior]

It would have to be mid-majors that also play early tournaments. Are you ready for the Big 10/Horizon League Prost-Tournament Challenge?

(Prost because it's both "Pre" as in Pre-NCAA and "Post" as in Post-Conference Tournament)

Back in 87 when we were an independent and Dukiet was coaching, we played Evansville after their conference tournament.  So it has been done.

[Marcus92]

According to the announcement, the league will likely begin conference play in December. They may not need to play any non-conference games between the conference tourney and Selection Sunday.

Hope the Big East is in negotiations right now to extend the agreement with Madison Square Garden. I don't see the Big 10 being satisfied with this arrangement long-term, if they have anything to say about it.

[brewcity77]

On what planet?

I think UConn fans would drop football, but I don't think the big time boosters or administration would consider it for a second.

[Tugg Speedman]

It would have to be mid-majors that also play early tournaments. Are you ready for the Big 10/Horizon League Prost-Tournament Challenge?

(Prost because it's both "Pre" as in Pre-NCAA and "Post" as in Post-Conference Tournament)

Is that the biggest trap game of all?  A team that does well in the B1G and is looking toward the tourney now has to refocus on playing UWM?   Then if they stumble, it affects their seeding.  If they win, it does nothing for them.

And doesn't that put a possible horizon league bubble team at risk?  Say their regular season champion does not win their tourney and get the auto-bid?  How does getting pounded by Michigan State three days later help?

Of course beating Michigan State in a trap game would help a lot.  But then Michigan State moves off the 1-seed because of that loss.

[brewcity77]

It would certainly be a bizarre situation. The other thing, who would pay any attention to these games if they were happening during conference championship week? Everyone in the country will be focused on the autobids and the other high-major tournaments.

Maybe if they found a way to get games in on the Sunday or Monday to start Championship week, but finding opponents will be slim pickings. And like you say, that could definitely hinder a profile far more than it would likely help it at that point. My guess is they will try it once and not try an early tournament again. However, I can see them still wanting NYC.

It's easy to dismiss the B10 playing at MSG, but I think the place would be packed, at least for the first go around. There are plenty of B10 alums in NYC that will take advantage of the chance to see their teams live. Might even do better attendance wise than we do, at least the first time out. My worry is they pack the place and give MSG a reason to consider someone other than us.

As someone else mentioned, the time to lock down the Garden is now. Would be really nice if we could put some teams past the first weekend and at least one in the Final Four just to indicate we have staying power (even if the dumbest measure of staying power is looking at the results of two weekends).

[Tugg Speedman]

It would certainly be a bizarre situation. The other thing, who would pay any attention to these games if they were happening during conference championship week? Everyone in the country will be focused on the autobids and the other high-major tournaments.

Maybe if they found a way to get games in on the Sunday or Monday to start Championship week, but finding opponents will be slim pickings. And like you say, that could definitely hinder a profile far more than it would likely help it at that point. My guess is they will try it once and not try an early tournament again. However, I can see them still wanting NYC.

It's easy to dismiss the B10 playing at MSG, but I think the place would be packed, at least for the first go around. There are plenty of B10 alums in NYC that will take advantage of the chance to see their teams live. Might even do better attendance wise than we do, at least the first time out. My worry is they pack the place and give MSG a reason to consider someone other than us.

As someone else mentioned, the time to lock down the Garden is now. Would be really nice if we could put some teams past the first weekend and at least one in the Final Four just to indicate we have staying power (even if the dumbest measure of staying power is looking at the results of two weekends).

To the first highlighted part ... Who broadcasts these games?  All the major outlets (ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, etc) are wall-to-wall with conference tourneys.  Where do they fit in a Purdue/Cleveland State game?  Yes it goes to the BTN.  It will be among the lowest rated games of the year.  And Iowa/UIC on the BTN overflow channel might have less watching it than are in the stands!

Second part, the BET has a contract with the Garden until 2026 now.  So define "locked down" as they have it for a number of years into the future.

The BET is a big deal on Wall Street.  Brokers are always getting tickets for clients.  So, it is going nowhere ... too popular among Manhattanites.

[brewcity77]

Not denying any of that. I have no idea how the B10 would handle games during that week. Seems like a recipe for disaster on their end. So what's the answer? Have the teams play more games in November and December? Move up conference play? Work non-con games into the January-February schedule? I don't know.

And maybe it's just me, but I view that 2026 date as fairly close. I know, it's a decade away, but all it takes is one good showing from the B10 or ACC for them to think "maybe we should hold off on a new deal". And whatever games are at MSG, it will be a big deal. You think Wall Street Brokers would scoff at going to see a B10 set of games featuring Michigan State, Maryland, Ohio State, and Indiana? As long as it's quality teams that have alum in the area (and the B10 definitely does) the fans will be there.

[Tugg Speedman]

Not denying any of that. I have no idea how the B10 would handle games during that week. Seems like a recipe for disaster on their end. So what's the answer? Have the teams play more games in November and December? Move up conference play? Work non-con games into the January-February schedule? I don't know.

And maybe it's just me, but I view that 2026 date as fairly close. I know, it's a decade away, but all it takes is one good showing from the B10 or ACC for them to think "maybe we should hold off on a new deal". And whatever games are at MSG, it will be a big deal. You think Wall Street Brokers would scoff at going to see a B10 set of games featuring Michigan State, Maryland, Ohio State, and Indiana? As long as it's quality teams that have alum in the area (and the B10 definitely does) the fans will be there.

2026 means the BET will have been in the garden 47 straight years (starting in 1979).  The BET is now a NY institution.

Jimmy Dolan, President of MSG, owner of the Knicks and Rangers, loves the BET and is a huge supporter of St. Johns. 

Not going anywhere.