Big 12 Baseball Tournament to stay in OKC through 2014

[soonerfan_in_okc]

Big 12 announces championship sites: Football in Dallas; basketball in KC | Tulsa World

We wont have the bball tournament anytime soon though. And yes, I know this is a sports issue, but its impact on the city as an event is big enough that i believe it deserves the attention it needs on this board.

[metro]

may be a moot point if the conference realigns or folds. look at all the comments below the article, pretty much all by disappointed tulsa peeps.

[Spartan]

This is a HUGE loss. OKC will likely never again host a huge conference basketball tournament, esp if we go to the Pac 16, esp if we stay in the Big 12, go to the SEC, or any other alternative.

BASKETBALL is the prize.

[okclee]

I hope that the Big 12 does fold. I still would like Okc's chances to host a conference tournament no matter the conference that OU and OSU would be in.

Our baseball and basketball setup is hard to beat.

[Pete]

Since there is no hope for the Big XII tournament for several more years and an even more unlikely scenario where the Pac-16 would consider OKC, it may be time to re-think the need for the Cox Center, especially after the Ford Center renovations are complete and we build the new convention center.

The Cox is a huge dark spot in the middle of downtown, offering completely dead frontage on all sides -- including the Myriad Gardens.

It may be time to consider pulling it down in favor of expanding the CBD to the south and better tying it into the Myriad Gardens and the new areas to be developed as part of C2S.

[metro]

This is a HUGE loss. OKC will likely never again host a huge conference basketball tournament, esp if we go to the Pac 16, esp if we stay in the Big 12, go to the SEC, or any other alternative.

BASKETBALL is the prize.

I'd say Football is the prize, but we're never going to be in the running for that, so given that scenario, yes Basketball is the prize. If the Big 12 does stay in tact (or even if it doesn't) and we go to SEC. I think we'd have a good shot at the basketball once Ford Center renovations are completed.

[okclee]

I like our shot as good as anyone with Basketball and Baseball.

Saying we have no chance is like saying we can't ever host an NBA team.



I don't see why Okc is done if the Big 12 is finished?

[BG918]

I'd say Football is the prize, but we're never going to be in the running for that, so given that scenario, yes Basketball is the prize. If the Big 12 does stay in tact (or even if it doesn't) and we go to SEC. I think we'd have a good shot at the basketball once Ford Center renovations are completed.

Doesn't the SEC center football and basketball in Atlanta? What about baseball? It seems as though the SEC is centered around Atlanta and probably would stay that way if expanded westward. Maybe Houston or Dallas would have a shot but I doubt it. If there is a PAC 16 with OU and OSU I can't see any location east of Denver being chosen, more likely it would be in Arizona (football) or Las Vegas (basketball). Both sound like a pretty nice weekend trip to me.

[Pete]

lee, now OKC is right in the middle of the existing conference in terms of geography.

If OU/OSU join the Pac-10 or the SEC, it will be on the far edge of either.

If anything, the chance of getting both the men's and women's tournaments at the same time will be greatly diminished, thus eliminating the need/appeal of our two-arena configuration.

[earlywinegareth]

It's probably moot, but it's not a surprise. Jerry World is the Taj Mahal of sports arenas, so it was a no-brainer football would go there. That meant basketball would go north. OKC has proven it is the best site for baseball especially after it went to Arlington a couple years ago and didn't draw.

I think if the Big 12 folds and OU/oSu go to the Pac-16, OKC will still have a good chance to be in the rotation for basketball and baseball. Basketball should rotate amongst the NBA arenas in the new league and alternate between the 2 divisions which I am going on record as naming, "Coastal" and "Southwest". There's no reason why we can't get baseball on a rotational basis as well.

[earlywinegareth]

SEC basketball tourney was in Nashville last year...which I think is the first time ever outside Atlanta.

[soonerfan_in_okc]

anyone know where the pac 10 usually holds their baseball tournament? or if they even have one?

[soonerfan_in_okc]

just found out they dont lol. But maybe that is good for us if the pac-16 came to be. That means no competition from a city that has had it recently.

[Pete]

The Pac-10 just started a basketball tournament the last two years; both times the men played at the Staples Center in L.A.

I don't think the women have one at all...

But of course, if they go to 16 teams, they'll have to have conference tournaments / championship games in most every sport.

[Spartan]

Obviously we're all buzzing about the new report of the Pac 10 sending invitations to the Big 12's premier schools. But let's look this in perspective. What does expanding to 16 mean? If the Big Ten is successful in expanding to 16 as they've stated is their goal, and now the Pac Ten, and if the SEC follows suit.. here's what I'm getting at:

You might end up needing 2 adjacent arenas just for a men's basketball tournament, IF there really are 16 teams. The alternative is probably some schools don't get an "invite" to their own conference tourney.

[Pete]

In a 16-team scenario, the invitees would probably be limited, as they already are in baseball. The Big XII only takes the top 8 teams.

Even if they take all 16, it would only add one extra round of games.

[Kerry]

In a 16-team scenario, the invitees would probably be limited, as they already are in baseball. The Big XII only takes the top 8 teams.

Even if they take all 16, it would only add one extra round of games.

Yes but it would have to be spread over 2 days or more. You couldn't play 8 games in the same arena in the same day.

[SoonerLakers]

In a 16-team scenario, the invitees would probably be limited, as they already are in baseball. The Big XII only takes the top 8 teams.

Even if they take all 16, it would only add one extra round of games.

It wouldn't really add an extra round. There just wouldn't be any byes like there are currently in the Big 12. 4 extra games would be tough to fit into one day.

[Pete]

There is no way they'd make the top regular season teams play four rounds in the tournament.

They would likely only invite 10-12 then have a play-in round, as they do now in Big XII, Pac 10 and SEC.

[soonerfan_in_okc]

The Big east doesn't take everyone to their basketball tournament, and they have 16 basketball teams. I think they take the top 12, so i bet the pac-16 would do that.

[SoonerLakers]

You might be right Pete. It could be done like the Big East basketball where they give the top 4 seeds 2 byes and the 4-8 seeds 1 bye. I just don't see them not inviting every team in basketball.

[soonerfan_in_okc]

You might be right Pete. It could be done like the Big East basketball where they give the top 4 seeds 2 byes and the 4-8 seeds 1 bye. I just don't see them not inviting every team in basketball.

you are right. They changed it from just 12 teams to all 16 two years ago.

[Pete]

No matter the format, I don't see the need for two arenas which was my main point.

Once the new convention center is built, we need to take a hard look at the highest and best use of the Cox Center site.

[okclee]

We could do like Tulsa did and put in a bid to host their tournaments?

Tulsa wants to host the big 12 events, Okc could host some conf USA events.

[Spartan]

After successfully hosting the Big 12 basketball tourney twice and that being a huge event for us twice I think it is such a shame that we have lost that event for good.