Big 10 Tournament in Minneapolis - Did anyone attend full / most of tournament ?

[BigEastPhil]

Just curious if anyone attended Big 10 tourney for majority of games at Target Center and can communicate on atmosphere / attendance etc.

From first 2 days ( Wed and Thursday) - crowd seemed stale and I saw many empty seats.

Granted it’s only Day 2 and there haven’t been many close games to date - but I have yet to hear BTN crew and or any reports on ticket sales etc - which leads me to think Target Center is far from sold out.

Thanks

 

[bac2therac]

I heard the female pa announcer in the background try to get the crowd to make noise toward the end of Ind/psu...."its a tie game, get loud"...how lame was that

 

[fatsam98]

The Big Ten really needs to look at their tournament, it's so lame, especially this year. Zero juice.

 

[jaydogsmooth1]

B1G looks like the ACC trying new cities that have zero juice
Keep it in Chicago every year

 

[APKnight]

B1G looks like the ACC trying new cities that have zero juice
Keep it in Chicago every year

Indianapolis

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

Crazy a$$ thinking but what if they played the first two rounds at an East coast and West Coast Pod location then pause a day and come back to Chicago/Indy for the Final Four? (either start on Tues or finish on Sunday).

 

[jaydogsmooth1]

Indianapolis

Indy has no juice
There's St. Elmo's and that's it
Chi-Town is the play

 

[fatsam98]

Indy has no juice
There's St. Elmo's and that's it
Chi-Town is the play

At least the Indy arena is right downtown. Had a blast there in 2021 at the NCAA tourney and it's pretty central to the various fanbases. I haven't been to Chicago but isn't the arena far away from everything?

 

[BigEastPhil]

Rotate it every 5 years as such:

2 years - Indy
1 year - Chicago
1 year - East coast ( Barclays/ DC)
1 year - Vegas ( would be terrific).

Minneapolis / Detroit ( another rumored destination) are and would be disasters.

At least the Indy arena is right downtown. Had a blast there in 2021 at the NCAA tourney and it's pretty central to the various fanbases. I haven't been to Chicago but isn't the arena far away from everything?

Never been to a tourney at the United Center but heard there’s nothing around the Arena and you need to Uber etc to get a bite to eat.
Went to Indy 2 years ago for Big 10 tournament and it was fine. Lots of places to chow down food / drink as arena is downtown.

 

[RUshore99]

MSG was the best vibe out of the 5 venues they've used. But that is not a viable option annually so i will just stop before i start.

Chicago is the best choice i suppose. I'm surprised Detroit has never gotten a chance to host. Lincoln would do an awesome job supporting the event but that would never happen.

 

[SHUSource]

At least the Indy arena is right downtown. Had a blast there in 2021 at the NCAA tourney and it's pretty central to the various fanbases. I haven't been to Chicago but isn't the arena far away from everything?

It’s definitely in the city, but not where you would ideally draw it up. Not too bad, though. The only time I was there for a game, I Ubered from my hotel on the Miracle Mile (mostly because of rain). I think the point is that you’re still in Chicago, which is leaps and bounds better than any other Big Ten city. That should be the place every year.

 

[fatsam98]

I'd say Philly would be a good option too... Good for Maryland/PSU/RU fanbases plus all the area alumni of the other schools. But the arena isn't downtown so that kills it for me.

Indy is an underrated city in my opinion in that hotels/bars/arena are all right downtown.

I think Indy is the play. Maybe stick it in LA, Chicago or Barclays once every so often.

Never Minneapolis again though

 

[NickRU714]

Why can't MSG be an option?
Big Ten couldn't offer more money than the Big East?
Just take it.

 

[jaydogsmooth1]

At least the Indy arena is right downtown. Had a blast there in 2021 at the NCAA tourney and it's pretty central to the various fanbases. I haven't been to Chicago but isn't the arena far away from everything?

It's not like MSG, Indy or The Rock which are all right in the middle of the action
But Chicago is a world class city that IMO, deserves to host every year

I'd prefer football in Chicago as well, but without a domed stadium, Indy will do the trick

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Palestra!!!!!

 

[kcg88]

Stop moving it around. The best conference tournaments stay in one place.

But the real reason the tournament lacked juice is because the entire conference lacked juice. Teams that didn't get a top-four seed had mostly disappointing years. Wisconsin lost 8 of their last 11. Minnesota was better than expected but not near the bubble. Michigan State went from preseason top 5 to the bubble.

I could see Nebraska fans bringing good energy. That's about it. Maybe an Illinois-Purdue championship, too.

 

[RU72]

Stop moving it around. The best conference tournaments stay in one place.

But the real reason the tournament lacked juice is because the entire conference lacked juice. Teams that didn't get a top-four seed had mostly disappointing years. Wisconsin lost 8 of their last 11. Minnesota was better than expected but not near the bubble. Michigan State went from preseason top 5 to the bubble.

I could see Nebraska fans bringing good energy. That's about it. Maybe an Illinois-Purdue championship, too.

For obvious reasons as articulated by Joel Fisher MSG President the tourney will not be at MSG this or next decade,but I agree that it should be in one site and that site is Chicago. Great city, second only to NYC. There would be juice which is lacking there this year. I give tremendous credit and plaudits to the Rutgers fans who made the trek this year. Silly to move it around and silly to ever be in Minny.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Stop moving it around. The best conference tournaments stay in one place.

But the real reason the tournament lacked juice is because the entire conference lacked juice. Teams that didn't get a top-four seed had mostly disappointing years. Wisconsin lost 8 of their last 11. Minnesota was better than expected but not near the bubble. Michigan State went from preseason top 5 to the bubble.

I could see Nebraska fans bringing good energy. That's about it. Maybe an Illinois-Purdue championship, too.

Does the tournament really move the NCAA selection needle? NO
Is winning a conference tournament that big of a deal? NOT REALLY
Do long conference tournament runs zap legs for NCAAs? YES

Want to add juice......
2 conferences get together and make an agreement.
Start conference tournaments March 1st.
Schedule 2 games against the other conference AFTER the conference tournament.

This addresses 2 of the 3 above.

 

[hoquat63]

Went to the women’s big east tournament at Mohegan Sun. When RU played they came over to where the RU fans were sitting and had us move right behind bench - probably to make it look better on tv

 

[ColonelRutgers]

I've never been there but Indianapolis apparently is a really good city for hosting things the way it is laid out. That or Chicago. Or at least a combo of the two but forget moving it around. The Big East is playing in New York City at Madison Square Garden and the Big Ten is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Are you freakin' kidding me? And there hasn't even been an announcement regarding where next year's will be? Mind boggling.

 

[bac2therac]

the games will be better today because its the quarters but i stil saw empties in the upper levels

too much bias here on locations...this is a midwest conference with 2 east coast schools who dont travel to his tourney at all and 4 out west who will not travel either..Indy/Chicago are your places

 

[bac2therac]

Does the tournament really move the NCAA selection needle? NO
Is winning a conference tournament that big of a deal? NOT REALLY
Do long conference tournament runs zap legs for NCAAs? YES

Want to add juice......
2 conferences get together and make an agreement.
Start conference tournaments March 1st.
Schedule 2 games against the other conference AFTER the conference tournament.

This addresses 2 of the 3 above.

for the big 10 regular season is everything, remember they were late to the party too with conference tourneys along with pac 10....conference tourny champs are a bigger thing for the Big East always has been

with NIL, i expect these tourneys to go away replaced by in season tourneys between sec vs Big 10

 

[BigEastPhil]

I've never been there but Indianapolis apparently is a really good city for hosting things the way it is laid out. That or Chicago. Or at least a combo of the two but forget moving it around. The Big East is playing in New York City at Madison Square Garden and the Big Ten is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Are you freakin' kidding me? And there hasn't even been an announcement regarding where next year's will be? Mind boggling.

It is very mind boggling that the conference has yet to advise where next years tournament is.

I thought we’d hear an announcement during this tournament of next years site.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

It is very mind boggling that the conference has yet to advise where next years tournament is.

I thought we’d hear an announcement during this tournament of next years site.

see above maybe...what bac said