By Steve DiMiceli
Discuss Here on Yuku
As great as it would have been for the A-10 tournament to come to Pittsburgh, the folks in Hampton Roads made the right decision by moving the championship to the Big Apple from 2013-2016. This decision is an excellent public relations move, a solid business decision and a move that may just save the conference in the long run.
From a PR perspective, what doesn't the Barclays Center have to offer? A showcase in the Mecca of basketball and college recruiting? Check! Holding the first college basketball championship at a soon to be internationally renowned building co-owned by a superstar? Check! If you think that Madison Square Gardens is going to be the premier arena in the NYC when the Barclays Center opens its doors, you are kidding yourself. This has the potential to be a high profile event even for a league that is not high profile. I suspect that teams will get an easy boast to recruiting and this could energize fan bases around the league. This could mean big money internally.
Then there is the external money. Bigger stage means bigger sponsorship. The league will draw more money from ads. Ticket packages are also likely to be higher even though I predict attendance may slip after the first year. Better recruits from the PR boost means more competitive teams and more of them making the tournament. Again more money but also more exposure. More exposure and more interest means more power to leverage a better TV deal when the old one expires after next season.
More money and a higher profile also leads to a more secure future. With a new television contract likely in hand in the near future and 4 years in Brooklyn already secured, it's likely that the A-10 should be able to replace a high profile defections with some fairly viable replacements who otherwise would not be interested in the conference. It may also make full membership in the MAC less likely for Temple and UMass. They could have the best of both worlds by sticking around for basketball.
This is the best case scenario for the A-10. In order to maximize the potential, I think the league needs to bring every team. No more home games in the first round. This can mean lot of the A-10, but they need to do it right. They can't bush league it. I am very excited for what's to come even if it means I've got to drive a lot further.
