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Akron Hosting a MTE Tournament


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2 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

Is this the foundation for future events with bigger schools? 

 

I know WMU's plan for their new arena is to have to ability to host events like this. Hopefully UA is thinking the same with the JAR renovations on the horizon. 

I honestly hope not. I'd much rather go to Cleveland, the Bahamas, or wherever and play real teams on a neutral court. We already play enough cupcakes at the JAR every year. Using the MTE to schedule more is a waste.

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13 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

I honestly hope not. I'd much rather go to Cleveland, the Bahamas, or wherever and play real teams on a neutral court. We already play enough cupcakes at the JAR every year. Using the MTE to schedule more is a waste.

 

I agree if this event replaces more legitimate opponents in future schedules. However, if we could somehow get better opponents to join the event OR use this event to bunch the lower level competition together to free up other dates on the schedule for higher level opponents, this would be a win. 

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18 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

I honestly hope not. I'd much rather go to Cleveland, the Bahamas, or wherever and play real teams on a neutral court. We already play enough cupcakes at the JAR every year. Using the MTE to schedule more is a waste.

 

Hosting a tournament in Cleveland makes more sense. A legitimate arena and more exposure for teams, while cementing Cleveland as our territory when it comes to college basketball. We own the city when it comes to MAC tournament time. Let's do it earlier in the season too. 

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1 hour ago, akzipper said:

 

Hosting a tournament in Cleveland makes more sense. A legitimate arena and more exposure for teams, while cementing Cleveland as our territory when it comes to college basketball. We own the city when it comes to MAC tournament time. Let's do it earlier in the season too. 

 

The downside of that is that the other MAC schools have been heard to whine about Akron and PCCC having a home field advantage in Cleveland.  More Cleveland games could increase the whining.   I'd hate to see that whining increase and result in the tournament being moved at some point.

Edited by clarkwgriswold
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16 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

The downside of that is that the other MAC schools have been heard to whine about Akron and PCCC having a home field advantage in Cleveland.  More Cleveland games could increase the whining.   I'd hate to see that whining increase and result in the tournament being moved at some point.

We played a regular season game there last season.

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1 hour ago, akzipper said:

 

Hosting a tournament in Cleveland makes more sense. A legitimate arena and more exposure for teams, while cementing Cleveland as our territory when it comes to college basketball. We own the city when it comes to MAC tournament time. Let's do it earlier in the season too. 

Cleveland would be nice. Another option would be to team with the Hall of Fame Village if the project ever gets completed. After all, many of these MTE are hosted by regional tourist destinations and bank on hotel stay, dining, entertainment, etc to breakeven.

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56 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

The downside of that is that the other MAC schools have been heard to whine about Akron and PCCC having a home field advantage in Cleveland.  More Cleveland games could increase the whining.   I'd hate to see that whining increase and result in the tournament being moved at some point.

 

The MAC is moving in the opposite direction of the whiners - they're planting their flag firmly in Northeast Ohio. The MAC football media days are now in Canton, and the MAC Championship game will probably be moved to Cleveland once the Haslems build the dome. 

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56 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

The MAC is moving in the opposite direction of the whiners - they're planting their flag firmly in Northeast Ohio. The MAC football media days are now in Canton, and the MAC Championship game will probably be moved to Cleveland once the Haslems build the dome. 

League offices are in Cleveland. Logistically it makes the most sense.

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Don't get me wrong guys, I am all for Cleveland and I am well aware we've played games there for years.  I'm so old I remember going to a Zips game a the Cleveland Arena in early/mid 70s.  It was a doubleheader and also included Case and John Carroll if I recall correctly.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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On 7/30/2024 at 3:35 PM, Captain Kangaroo said:

Arkansas Pine Bluff must have already been booked?

Funny you mention them. Read on.

 

Speaking as a college basketball scheduling nerd in general and early-season tournament nerd in particular, I have some bad news: these school-hosted four-team tournaments never "pave the way" for more legitimate opposition down the road.  Omaha, Alabama State, and Lamar are about the level of opposition even when Power 5 schools host them.  UTEP's Sun Bowl tournament probably comes closest to bringing in tough foes, and it's not like we had to get through Duke and Kansas to win that.

Example 1: Ohio State's tourney will have Evansville, UW-Green Bay and Campbell (granted, a notch better than ours, but only a notch).
Example 2: Missouri's tourney will have Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Pacific, and they're still trying to fill the fourth.

 

I don't really understand the point of these, unless it's to give the host a confidence boost and a trophy.

 

Here's my source, which is a great resource:

 

https://www.bloggingthebracket.com/2024/5/13/24140186/2024-25-mens-college-basketball-exempt-multi-team-events-mte-thanksgiving-early-season-tournaments

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3 hours ago, mrelegazna said:

 

Funny you mention them. Read on.

 

Speaking as a college basketball scheduling nerd in general and early-season tournament nerd in particular, I have some bad news: these school-hosted four-team tournaments never "pave the way" for more legitimate opposition down the road.  Omaha, Alabama State, and Lamar are about the level of opposition even when Power 5 schools host them.  UTEP's Sun Bowl tournament probably comes closest to bringing in tough foes, and it's not like we had to get through Duke and Kansas to win that.

Example 1: Ohio State's tourney will have Evansville, UW-Green Bay and Campbell (granted, a notch better than ours, but only a notch).
Example 2: Missouri's tourney will have Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Pacific, and they're still trying to fill the fourth.

 

I don't really understand the point of these, unless it's to give the host a confidence boost and a trophy.

 

Here's my source, which is a great resource:

 

https://www.bloggingthebracket.com/2024/5/13/24140186/2024-25-mens-college-basketball-exempt-multi-team-events-mte-thanksgiving-early-season-tournaments

May be a way to lower/get out of “buy game” costs? Idk, but has to be something to it if the trend is catching on. Probably helps the lower caliber programs save on travel costs as well.

Edited by LZIp
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11 hours ago, LZIp said:

May be a way to lower/get out of “buy game” costs? Idk, but has to be something to it if the trend is catching on. Probably helps the lower caliber programs save on travel costs as well.

There are also only so many MTE and only so many destination locations. For some schools they might schedule these because the alternative is they weren't invited to a tournament therefore would play no games at all. Playing 3 games against cupcake schools is better than playing no games.

 

I don't know if this was the case for Akron. 

Edited by kreed5120
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On 8/9/2024 at 10:42 AM, kreed5120 said:

There are also only so many MTE and only so many destination locations. For some schools they might schedule these because the alternative is they weren't invited to a tournament therefore would play no games at all. Playing 3 games against cupcake schools is better than playing no games.

I don't know if this was the case for Akron. 

Can somebody with inside information, (Hilltopper?) tell me why we are doing an MTE instead of a tournament in Florida, Bahamas or some other location.  I see these games being played at best to a half empty jar.  I doubt if any of these teams will bring fans to Akron and I see little enthusiasm for Akron fans to attend.  I know the U will highly publicize this MTE (LOL).  What are the financials on the MTE.  Does Akron pay for these teams to play?  Does Akron have to pay when they go to a tourney in Florida?  Is Akron saving money doing to an MTE instead of a tourney?  

Edited by 1981 grad
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30 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

Can somebody with inside information, (Hilltopper?) tell me why we are doing an MTE instead of a tournament in Florida, Bahamas or some other location.  I see these games being played at best to a half empty jar.  I doubt if any of these teams will bring fans to Akron and I see little enthusiasm for Akron fans to attend.  I know the U will highly publicize this MTE (LOL).  What are the financials on the MTE.  Does Akron pay for these teams to play?  Does Akron have to pay when they go to a tourney in Florida?  Is Akron saving money doing to an MTE instead of a tourney?  

Akron at least needs to pay for transportation and lodging.  The hotel in Cayman was $1000 per night for 5 (?) nights?  Akron chartered a plane with Oakland to split costs.  I don't have the inside information, but return on investment doesn't seem that good.

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Akron definitely is paying them to come. All the cupcakes we've played at the JAR over the years we had to cut them a check to come. Akron is also getting paid to compete in the Sun Bowl invitational. My guess is they're using that money to cover much of the costs to pay these lesser programs to come here.

Edited by kreed5120
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On 7/30/2024 at 3:35 PM, csims0917 said:

I did have a brief moment of excitement when I saw the word Alabama. Then I saw the first word on the next line was State.

 

In all seriousness, if the website has the final schedule, it's weak in a way that would make JD envious. 

Edited by GP1
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