NCAA Tourny: Host team vs. Location

[radome]

Those of you that have been there. I decided to attend the 1st and 2nd round at the Bradley Center this year. Have never done it and wanted the experience. If we make it, does the NCAA try to put the host team to the other day? In other words, BC games are Thursday and Saturday. If MU makes it, will the NCAA try to have them play Friday? I would rather watch us on TV then other teams live.

[Boozemon Barro]

They should, but they don't. A few years ago they had games playing in Omaha at the same time as the Creighton game in another bracket and it definitely affected attendance.

[Benny B]

The selection committee really only has two rules when it comes to placement:

1) The host team cannot play at that site (i.e. MU can't play at the BC).
2) BYU cannot play on Sunday.

Things like a host team should play opposite their host site, no regular season rematches until regionals, etc. are merely guidelines, which means they can, and often are, broken.

[muwarrior69]

I would not fret about it. Marquette will be put in the bracket that plays in Beijing.

[Bocephys]

The selection committee really only has two rules when it comes to placement:

1) The host team cannot play at that site (i.e. MU can't play at the BC).
2) BYU cannot play on Sunday.

Things like a host team should play opposite their host site, no regular season rematches until regionals, etc. are merely guidelines, which means they can, and often are, broken.

They've messed up #2 recently if I recall.

[ChuckyChip]

Those of you that have been there. I decided to attend the 1st and 2nd round at the Bradley Center this year. Have never done it and wanted the experience. If we make it, does the NCAA try to put the host team to the other day? In other words, BC games are Thursday and Saturday. If MU makes it, will the NCAA try to have them play Friday? I would rather watch us on TV then other teams live.

There did used to be a rule that a host school could not play on the days their school was hosting, but this was abandoned several years ago.  It made the decision to attend the games easier.

I've been every time we've hosted since the 1980's, although I will not be attending this year.  It is a great experience to be "part of" the event.  Get to the games early and enjoy the atmosphere.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Skipped class on a whim and bought tickets very last minute a few years back. Loved every minute of it, and didnt regret it at all. Saw a very good game between Texas and Arizona St.

[sarcastro]

Marquette can't play at the Bradley Center, but Wisconsin can.  You've never experienced a Badger game until you've heard an arena full of them complaining about every call.

We get tickets every time MU hosts, the best was when Pitt beat Wisconsin in the second round a few years ago.

[brewcity77]

It would bother me a lot less if the Kohl bid on opening weekends too. We basically give them home court in the NCAAs every few years, they could at least give us the same opportunity.

[warriorchick]

It would bother me a lot less if the Kohl bid on opening weekends too. We basically give them home court in the NCAAs every few years, they could at least give us the same opportunity.

Is it that they don't bid, or is the Kohl Hole not considered a suitable venue for some reason?

[dgies9156]

I'm hoping we end up in Orlando!

I'm 1.2 hours away. My rabid MU fan daughter will be visiting from college and it's an easy day-trip for me.

I want my Warriors in Florida!!!!!

[MUBigDance]

So if you wanted to go see MU in the first round, what's the best route to take?  Any groundwork you can do in advance?

I noticed MU has been fairly close the last three years it went but before that three out west....could one tentatively plan for Indianapolis or buffalo or Greenville without committing $ if they fall thru?

Are there national travel companies that get enough national inventory to sell a package for whatever team?

Or is it just best to wait for selection Sunday, buy the tix, air(if needed) and hotel online and hope for the best with 5 day lead time if not Dayton.

[dgies9156]

Is the Kohl Hole not considered a suitable venue for some reason?

Too many vermin running around. Even the NCAA has standards.

[awilhelmscream]

I'm hoping we end up in Orlando!

I'm 1.2 hours away. My rabid MU fan daughter will be visiting from college and it's an easy day-trip for me.

I want my Warriors in Florida!!!!!

If that happens I'm making the trip down from SC.  Might have to meet you for beers with my little guy and wife.

[dgies9156]

Or is it just best to wait for selection Sunday, buy the tix, air(if needed) and hotel online and hope for the best with 5 day lead time if not Dayton.

Big Dance, that's what I do. I wait and see where we go. If it is in the eastern 2/3rds of the US and I want to go, I'll call MU Tickets. If you are a Blue/Gold member or significant contributor to the University, you have a decent chance. If the NCAA were in Chicago, for example, very little chance you'll get tickets from MU but you can find 'em. One year in Minneapolis, Marquette ran out of tickets but my sister managed to get a set of four from the University of Pittsburgh, which also was playing in that regional that year (2003).

I've been to Cleveland, Nashville, Knoxville, St. Louis, Winston-Salem, Indianapolis and Minneapolis with them in the NCAA. Knoxville was expensive to get to as was Winston-Salem. The rest were day trips. The hotels are reasonable for major city hotels and while the NCAA is a decent event on the first weekend, you can usually find some hotel in whatever price range appeals to you.

Best part is not just being with fellow Warriors, but also being with the fan base of several other schools. The first weekend of the NCAA is one of the best weekends in sports.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Is it that they don't bid, or is the Kohl Hole not considered a suitable venue for some reason?

1.  I've heard Madison has a lack of hotel space to accommodate  the number of teams and fans the opening weekend requires.  (The last time they hosted NCAA tourney games were 2002 and that was Sweet 16/Elite 8. Fewer teams and fans, easier to meet hotel demands.)

2.  The Kohl Hole has a number of other events to host in March that cause scheduling conflicts: WIAA Boys State BBall, WIAA State individual and team wrestling (separate weekends), WIAA State Hockey...and that is with the Girls BBall tournament moving to Green Bay a few years ago...plus there is Badger Men's & Women's Hockey, and possibly B1G or NCAA Tourney Hockey games, too.

3.  Those damn atheists really want to stick it to the Catholics.

[GooooMarquette]

Big Dance, that's what I do. I wait and see where we go. If it is in the eastern 2/3rds of the US and I want to go, I'll call MU Tickets. If you are a Blue/Gold member or significant contributor to the University, you have a decent chance. If the NCAA were in Chicago, for example, very little chance you'll get tickets from MU but you can find 'em. One year in Minneapolis, Marquette ran out of tickets but my sister managed to get a set of four from the University of Pittsburgh, which also was playing in that regional that year (2003).

I've been to Cleveland, Nashville, Knoxville, St. Louis, Winston-Salem, Indianapolis and Minneapolis with them in the NCAA. Knoxville was expensive to get to as was Winston-Salem. The rest were day trips. The hotels are reasonable for major city hotels and while the NCAA is a decent event on the first weekend, you can usually find some hotel in whatever price range appeals to you.

Best part is not just being with fellow Warriors, but also being with the fan base of several other schools. The first weekend of the NCAA is one of the best weekends in sports.

The other option is just to show up at the MU hotel and ask the ticket folks if they have extras.  They often do.  And if the ticket officials don't have extras or unclaimed seats, there are usually fans at the hotel that have an extra or two because a friend or family member couldn't make the trip.  My brother drove up to MPLS in '03 and got a great seat at the MU hotel an hour before the UK win.

[GooooMarquette]

1.  I've heard Madison has a lack of hotel space to accommodate  the number of teams and fans the opening weekend requires.  (The last time they hosted NCAA tourney games were 2002 and that was Sweet 16/Elite 8. Fewer teams and fans, easier to meet hotel demands.)

I've heard this too, but have a hard time believing it's true.  Madison is larger than Boise and Spokane, and only slightly smaller than Greensboro.  All have hosted or will host opening rounds - if they all have enough hotel rooms, how can there be too few in Madison?

[MUDPT]

1.  I've heard Madison has a lack of hotel space to accommodate  the number of teams and fans the opening weekend requires.  (The last time they hosted NCAA tourney games were 2002 and that was Sweet 16/Elite 8. Fewer teams and fans, easier to meet hotel demands.)

2.  The Kohl Hole has a number of other events to host in March that cause scheduling conflicts: WIAA Boys State BBall, WIAA State individual and team wrestling (separate weekends), WIAA State Hockey...and that is with the Girls BBall tournament moving to Green Bay a few years ago...plus there is Badger Men's & Women's Hockey, and possibly B1G or NCAA Tourney Hockey games, too.

3.  Those damn atheists really want to stick it to the Catholics.

Hockey is at the coliseum. Boys basketball is usually the first weekend of the tournament, which I always thought was stupid. People that go to the tournament really only care about the Badgers and that's it normally.

[MUDPT]

More hotel rooms are being built with the constant expansion of Epic. There was a big controversy when the girls moved to Green Bay, I don't think they would ever be able to move the boys somewhere to host.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Hockey is at the coliseum. Boys basketball is usually the first weekend of the tournament, which I always thought was stupid. People that go to the tournament really only care about the Badgers and that's it normally.

Thanks for the correction.

[Benny B]

They've messed up #2 recently if I recall.

I believe it was sometime in the late 90's or early 00's that the committee put BYU in a Thu/Sat opening round but a Fri/Sun regional.  It wasn't until after the bracket was announced that they realized their mistake, so their contingency plan was to leave the first weekend alone and simply "swap pods" with another regional if BYU made it out of the first weekend, which obviously would have messed up everyone's brackets had they not lost in the opening weekend.

[mikekinsellaMVP]

I believe it was sometime in the late 90's or early 00's that the committee put BYU in a Thu/Sat opening round but a Fri/Sun regional.  It wasn't until after the bracket was announced that they realized their mistake, so their contingency plan was to leave the first weekend alone and simply "swap pods" with another regional if BYU made it out of the first weekend, which obviously would have messed up everyone's brackets had they not lost in the opening weekend.

2003.  Committee put them in as 12 seed in the South regional, which was a Fri/Sun in San Antonio.  They lost in the first round to UConn.  Too bad -- the ensuing chaos would have been amusing.

[jsglow]

Big Dance, that's what I do. I wait and see where we go. If it is in the eastern 2/3rds of the US and I want to go, I'll call MU Tickets. If you are a Blue/Gold member or significant contributor to the University, you have a decent chance. If the NCAA were in Chicago, for example, very little chance you'll get tickets from MU but you can find 'em. One year in Minneapolis, Marquette ran out of tickets but my sister managed to get a set of four from the University of Pittsburgh, which also was playing in that regional that year (2003).

I've been to Cleveland, Nashville, Knoxville, St. Louis, Winston-Salem, Indianapolis and Minneapolis with them in the NCAA. Knoxville was expensive to get to as was Winston-Salem. The rest were day trips. The hotels are reasonable for major city hotels and while the NCAA is a decent event on the first weekend, you can usually find some hotel in whatever price range appeals to you.

Best part is not just being with fellow Warriors, but also being with the fan base of several other schools. The first weekend of the NCAA is one of the best weekends in sports.

Yep.  We wait, get our tickets from MU and sit in the official section, arrange our own hotel although the team hotel is always an option but typically more expensive, and try to drive.  The short notice typically means that flying dramatically increases the cost of the weekend.

Recall that one has to be a top 4 seed to get their own Pod where geographic considerations come into play for the school. 3/4 of the tournament field doesn't get that consideration.  Expect MU to be in that latter bucket.

Said another way, being within driving distance of MKE (only Indy realistically) is pretty unlikely.

[Eye]

Boys state tourney same weekend as opening weekend of tourney most years. Asked state HS officials a few years back if there would ever be a consideration of moving the boys state tourney to a different weekend or a different site (i.e. a rotation with the BC) to free it up for the Rodents to host a 1st-and-2nd round site and almost got laughed out of the press conference. Many reasons, some of which are clearly political IMHO. Rodents hosted regional in '02. Would be nice if they got into the mix to do that so MU had a shot to play regional games an hour away. Good news is if MU is good enough and stays in the Midwest most of the sites are close enough that it's not a huge issue.