Big Four Tournament?

[BryceC]

This is getting brought up again by Lickliter, and honestly I've been for this thing from the beginning. I'd schedule the ISU/Iowa game on Friday Night at 8:00, the UNI Drake game at 6:00, then have Iowa play UNI, and ISU play Drake on Saturday, and then flip flop on Sunday. I think this would be a lot of fun every year.

What are other people's thinking on this?

 

[keepngoal]

where would it be played? it would be lots of travel for many teams if played on home courts.

 

[Jer]

I agree. I think it would be a great event at Wells and would they could share the revenue. They could sell all session tickets and then it would create a bigger pool of money that the schools could share.

 

[psycln11]

No way it happens...

The Drake AD was on this morning saying her team likes playing in the Knapp Center and that although she hasn't looked at the numbers Drake probably loses money on this.

Pollard has also stated that he's not for losing a home game by playing in Des Moines after the OSU and Bradley games the past two seasons.

Plus Drake and UNI already play each other twice with the possibility of a third in the conference tournament. Doubt they would want to play 4 times in a season.

 

[bjwitt]

i completely agree i got excited by just reading the idea.

 

[4VR4CY]

I heard the Drake AD say that they would rather not do this on Cotler this am. $ reasons. They would rather get the revenue for the games that are held there. Kept saying, we like to play at the Knapp Center after every question.

Wells was brought up for location.

 

[jbhtexas]

3 games in 3 days? Physically, tired bodies are more prone to injuries, and strategically, this gives little time to prepare for the opponent. I don't like it...at all. There would probably be some pretty ugly BB on the third day...

 

[Jer]

No way it happens...

The Drake AD was on this morning saying her team likes playing in the Knapp Center and that although she hasn't looked at the numbers Drake probably loses money on this.

Pollard has also stated that he's not for losing a home game by playing in Des Moines after the OSU and Bradley games the past two seasons.

I could see the pros and cons but I think it would be very interesting to see the actual financials on this. Drake and UNI have smaller stadiums so the revenue is limited - not to mention they only play at home every other year. Why not play at Wells and have the potential for a lot more revenue? I realise the couldn't tie the tickets into season tickets then but maybe something could be worked out so season ticket holders get a big discount on the tournament tickets or something?

 

[brianhos]

Can you even play another team in your conference without having it count against conference standings? That will be the big problem, well I guess they could count the DM game as the UNI @ Drake game.

 

[4VR4CY]

I could see the pros and cons but I think it would be very interesting to see the actual financials on this. Drake and UNI have smaller stadiums so the revenue is limited - not to mention they only play at home every other year. Why not play at Wells and have the potential for a lot more revenue? I realise the couldn't tie the tickets into season tickets then but maybe something could be worked out so season ticket holders get a big discount on the tournament tickets or something?

How much does Wells take as a cut? That would be a big factor in revenue projections for the schools. Isn't that why ISU quit having games there?

 

[psycln11]

I could see the pros and cons but I think it would be very interesting to see the actual financials on this. Drake and UNI have smaller stadiums so the revenue is limited - not to mention they only play at home every other year. Why not play at Wells and have the potential for a lot more revenue? I realise the couldn't tie the tickets into season tickets then but maybe something could be worked out so season ticket holders get a big discount on the tournament tickets or something?

Except the year that Drake plays at Iowa, they host ISU. They would lose a home game if this happened.

Same goes for UNI.

 

[everyyard]

Well, if it is in DesMoines forget about it. Who in their right mind honestly thinks it is a good idea to give up home games at Hilton? We couldn't even beat OSU or Bradley at Wells and I think both games would have been W's at Hilton.

 

[BryceC]

3 games in 3 days? Physically, tired bodies are more prone to injuries, and strategically, this gives little time to prepare for the opponent. I don't like it...at all. There would probably be some pretty ugly BB on the third day...

Like we did last year in the Cyclone Challenge?

Well, if it is in DesMoines forget about it. Who in their right mind honestly thinks it is a good idea to give up home games at Hilton? We couldn't even beat OSU or Bradley at Wells and I think both games would have been W's at Hilton.

Aren't we giving up home games at Hilton in the first place by going on the road every other year? I'd rather it be on a neutral court - there would honestly be more ISU fans there by far creating a better home court advantage for us.

As far as the UNI/Drake thing, it would have to be a super early conference game. That is the only real way to make it fair in my opinion - otherwise we'd have to do something like ISU/Iowa on Friday, and then have our guys play three games while UNI and Drake's only play 2 days in a row. Huge disadvantage then.

 

[psycln11]

An option that might work...

Friday night - Iowa State vs. Drake, Iowa vs. UNI
Sunday - Iowa State vs. UNI, Iowa vs, Drake

Leave the Iowa State vs. Iowa as a home/away. for another day either the week before or after.

Allows UNI and Drake to maintain their home/away conference schedule.

Try it for two years such that Iowa and Iowa State each lose the "home" game vs. Drake and UNI and vice versa.

 

[jbhtexas]

Like we did last year in the Cyclone Challenge?

Cyclone Challenge: UC Riverside, Louisiana Monroe, Eastern Illinois...

Big 4: Iowa, UNI, Drake...

I think the latter would be significantly more challenging, both physically and strategically, than the former. The latter have been rather having their way with the Clones as of late. I think it would be wise to play Iowa, UNI, and Drake will full preparation until ISU is a top-25 program...

I'd be curious to hear what GMac thinks about playing Iowa, UNI, and Drake on consecutive days...

 

[DaddyMac]

I like it, but it probably isn't practical.

But a couple things

1) ISU dropped the Cap City challenge because nobody showed - not really because of money - well, one led to the other. But I think JP wanted the home court crowd, since we didn't play the return game on a semi-neutral floor.

2) How could Drake NOT make money off this? I'd think Wells would be packed for all these games and is 2.5x the size of Knapp. And they would get a cut EVERY year, not just for their every other year home games. Seems a little odd.

3) 3 games in 3 days. Alot of teams do this in Hawaii, Vegas, Puerto Rico, Alaska. It's nothing really new. But to do it every year against the same teams? I'd kind of like a regular two game tournament - but the marquee game is obviously iowa/ISU. UNI beats ISU and iowa beats Drake (if that's a first round pairing) and no big school matchup. That won't go over well. I could handle not playing UNI or Drake if the tournament turned out as such, but we couldn't miss that iowa game.

 

[Jer]

I do think the tournament would draw a good crowd and at some point one has to stop worrying about the three games in three days thing. It's an excuse that is used when you're affraid a team can't handle it and if we're going to be a legit program, we have to push the team in ways we haven't before.

 

[psycln11]

I like it, but it probably isn't practical.

But a couple things

1) ISU dropped the Cap City challenge because nobody showed - not really because of money - well, one led to the other. But I think JP wanted the home court crowd, since we didn't play the return game on a semi-neutral floor.

2) How could Drake NOT make money off this? I'd think Wells would be packed for all these games and is 2.5x the size of Knapp. And they would get a cut EVERY year, not just for their every other year home games. Seems a little odd.

3) 3 games in 3 days. Alot of teams do this in Hawaii, Vegas, Puerto Rico, Alaska. It's nothing really new. But to do it every year against the same teams? I'd kind of like a regular two game tournament - but the marquee game is obviously iowa/ISU. UNI beats ISU and iowa beats Drake (if that's a first round pairing) and no big school matchup. That won't go over well. I could handle not playing UNI or Drake if the tournament turned out as such, but we couldn't miss that iowa game.

Easy....rent, parking, & concessions all go to the Well, not Drake, ISU, UNI, or Iowa.

 

[ISUFan22]

Maybe play the Friday night games at a home court.

Drake hosts ISU. Iowa hosts UNI.

Then to DSM on Saturday for games at WFA, Sunday games also at WFA.

Next year Iowa could host ISU, UNI host Drake Friday night, to DSM, etc.

This way each team gets a home game with an in-state rival every other year.

 

[Jer]

Well we're definetly far too logical for our own good. Maybe the schools should start a forum to help brainstorm and see what the fans wanted