SEC Baseball Tourney Moving?
- Thread starter KurtRambis4
- Start date
Nothing against Birmingham, but I would like to see other cities get a chance to host it. There's just so many good ballparks around the South that should be showcased- attendance and RV hook ups non-withstanding.
especially when we are talking about these 3 sites. Also, since Kevin Kane just lost the CUSA basketball tourney to El Paso you know he'd liketo land something like this.
although Birmingham and Memphis are probably the 2 best options.
I guess it might be a bit of a homer pick, but I dont see why Trustmark Park isn't being mentioned. It's not like there is gonna be 100K people at this thing. Jackson is big enough to support that tournament and that park is great.
I guess it might be a bit of a homer pick, but I dont see why Trustmark Park isn't being mentioned. It's not like there is gonna be 100K people at this thing. Jackson is big enough to support that tournament and that park is great.
to me has become kind of a joke. I have asked before why the tournament didn't move around, and it seems like the #1 answer I always get besides "because Alabama wants it there" is "they have a huge RV hook up park there, and you just don't have that in Memphis, Pearl (Thank God, I guess), and etc.".
Personally, I've always thought that was ridiculous because it's not like it's THAT common for people to drive RV's. I mean, I know people have them, and I see them at football games and such, but to use it as the crux for hosting a tournament year in and year out is ridiculous especially when there are RV hook ups all over America. It's not like this is something unique to the Hoover Met only.
The biggest things that I will say that the Hoover Met has going for it is the fact that they have shown that they can handle the crowds- something that Trustmark Park may or may not be able to handle, and I hate to admit that, but it is the truth, and maybe the C-USA Tournament could be a good litmus test to something bigger and better down the road like the SEC Tournament. It's certainly better than nothing, and C-USA is fairly high profile in the world of college baseball especially when matched up to say, the SWAC Tournament or the "whatever conference Belhaven College/University is in tournament". Hoover now has a "tradition" of "making it to Hoover", although while I like some traditions, if not most, I think that there are some that are good to break. Going to Hoover every year is one that I would have to believe would be good to break. And yes, Hoover is centrally located, but that has never really been much of an issue with the SEC basketball Tournament in such locales as Tampa and New Orleans- not complaining, so I don't really understand why it is such a huge issue with the baseball tournament.
Bottom line here is this- The SEC wants to keep it in Birmingham because they KNOW without a doubt that the Tournament will make money there- there is some risk that a tournament held in Jackson or somewhere like possibly Little Rock may or may not be as well attended as Birmingham for whatever reason, and let's be honest- there is some risk even at a place that seems like a shoo-in like Memphis, and they want a place that they KNOW can handle the demand. Birmingham gives that to the SEC guaranteed. And the fact that Mike Slive can park his RV there. Not that I like that as a fan. I'm tired of it being in Hoover every year. Imagine if the 2005 SEC Tournament Championship Game was held at Trustmark Park between State and Ole Miss how wild that would have been. Personally, I just think it would be great for baseball in the south to have all of these great ballparks shown off. Because we have some really nice ones now.
Personally, I've always thought that was ridiculous because it's not like it's THAT common for people to drive RV's. I mean, I know people have them, and I see them at football games and such, but to use it as the crux for hosting a tournament year in and year out is ridiculous especially when there are RV hook ups all over America. It's not like this is something unique to the Hoover Met only.
The biggest things that I will say that the Hoover Met has going for it is the fact that they have shown that they can handle the crowds- something that Trustmark Park may or may not be able to handle, and I hate to admit that, but it is the truth, and maybe the C-USA Tournament could be a good litmus test to something bigger and better down the road like the SEC Tournament. It's certainly better than nothing, and C-USA is fairly high profile in the world of college baseball especially when matched up to say, the SWAC Tournament or the "whatever conference Belhaven College/University is in tournament". Hoover now has a "tradition" of "making it to Hoover", although while I like some traditions, if not most, I think that there are some that are good to break. Going to Hoover every year is one that I would have to believe would be good to break. And yes, Hoover is centrally located, but that has never really been much of an issue with the SEC basketball Tournament in such locales as Tampa and New Orleans- not complaining, so I don't really understand why it is such a huge issue with the baseball tournament.
Bottom line here is this- The SEC wants to keep it in Birmingham because they KNOW without a doubt that the Tournament will make money there- there is some risk that a tournament held in Jackson or somewhere like possibly Little Rock may or may not be as well attended as Birmingham for whatever reason, and let's be honest- there is some risk even at a place that seems like a shoo-in like Memphis, and they want a place that they KNOW can handle the demand. Birmingham gives that to the SEC guaranteed. And the fact that Mike Slive can park his RV there. Not that I like that as a fan. I'm tired of it being in Hoover every year. Imagine if the 2005 SEC Tournament Championship Game was held at Trustmark Park between State and Ole Miss how wild that would have been. Personally, I just think it would be great for baseball in the south to have all of these great ballparks shown off. Because we have some really nice ones now.
in the town hosting the event. They stay in their RVs, they eat most of their meals there, they really don't put any money in the local economy.
I can't see Memphis having any problem with the crowd though, they get far bigger crowds regularly downtown.
I can't see Memphis having any problem with the crowd though, they get far bigger crowds regularly downtown.
Not really. Ever tried getting in or out of that venue when it's packed? Nightmare. In '05 we sat stock still in the parking lot with the engine off for 2 hours after beating OM.
With bids being submitted I imagine the SEC KNOWS it will make money regardless of locale.
Trustmark, while a nice facility, could not handle the SEC tournament.
Jackson is big enough, but Trustmark Park is barely half big enough. Capacity is about 7,000 and the SECT in Hoover routinely draws at least 14,000 at least once every year. And that's going to be an obstacle for Memphis to ever host. The attendance numbers in Hoover have been phenominal. If you just look at the two parks, it's no contest. Memphis wins hands down. But it's significantly farther from most SEC schools than Hoover is. Trustmark will never even be in the conversation unless capacity is doubled.57StratDawg said:
Xenomorph said:
I've never been to the Hoover Met in my life much less the SEC Tournament, much less when it was packed. But I do know this- they have a 10,800 seat grandstand. That's not to say that they handle the crowds great, but that they can stuff them in there and give them a seat. And yes, I know that there are other ballparks that can do that as well, but Regions Field can handle it better than some of the other options- like Trustmark Park.
And yes, the SEC knows that they can make money regardless of locale, but they also know what they are getting and what to expect from Birmingham.
You are also correct about Trustmark Park, as much as I hate to admit it. As I said, Regions has a grandtand that holds about 3,800 more than the entire stadium at Pearl. On top of that you have to consider this- the highest attended crowd for a SEC Tournament game- which involved Alabama and Arkansas in 1999 had 16,165 people at it. The highest average attendance for the SEC Tournament was in 2003 when the average was 9,415. Now I will say this on Trustmark Park's behalf- and I'm using the 7,000 capacity figure from Pat here, which I believe is very close to correct- the average attendance for the SEC Tournament has exceeded 7,000 only six times in SEC history. And that's not to say that Trustmark Park could host it- there may have been a game with 16,000 people and a game with 1,000 people skewing things there, but I did think it was interesting. There have been at least 18 games that were attended by 11,000 people or more.
The only way for Trustmark Park to host the SEC Tournament and be able to handle it from a capacity standpoint in my opinion would be to bring in portable bleachers and put them up right in front of the scoreboard in CF and along the concourses on the first and third base side that are open right before you get to the covered area where the luxury boxes start. (If you have never been to Trustmark Park, just trust me on this) But really, when you're having to do something like that, how feasible is it in the first place?
If Autozone can handle MLB exhibition games, they can handle the SEC Tournament.
Heck, they had the first Civil Rights Game there between the Cardinals and the Indians. And yeah, it rained but MLB didn't know that before they scheduled that game and put everything together there.
Worst case scenario is you're putting people on the Levee or whatever they call the hill out there in LF.
Heck, they had the first Civil Rights Game there between the Cardinals and the Indians. And yeah, it rained but MLB didn't know that before they scheduled that game and put everything together there.
Worst case scenario is you're putting people on the Levee or whatever they call the hill out there in LF.
Here are some of the reasons why the SEC loves Hoover as the host of the tourney, I'll also give you some of the reasons why the SEC is looking elsewhere.
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Media Facilities:</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> At Regions Park there are 3 different press boxes(upper/lower baseball & upper football). The lower baseball pressbox is the main working pressbox where TV, scoreboard, public address and other various SEC officials like the people that run secsports.com work during the game. Various other print and television work out of the other two locations. Along with these locations the visitors locker room, which is giant compared to other minor league clubhouses, is transformed into the main interview room.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Corporate Sponsor/Hospitality Areas:</span> The Michael Jordan banquet room is an air conditioned room on the suite level along the 3rd base side of the stadium. Hospitality passes are given out to various corporate sponsors for use of the room where there is free food and beer. Yes there actually is beer served at the tournament, it just cannot be taken outside of the banquet room. The lower football pressbox is transformed into a media/offiical food room. Along with these areas the right field picnic is full of games for the kids kind of like the SEC fanfare at the football and basketball championships. Regions Park has 12 suites, 1 for the Logan family(Birmingham Barons owners) 1 for the City of Hoover, and 10 for various corporations such as Regions, Alabama Power, and Coca-Cola. Many of these suite holders buy them solely for the use of during the SEC and Hoover football and sit empty during the Barons season.
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hoover High School:</span>
Because Hoover High is right next door, many of the teams take batting practice, shower, and do their laundry at the school.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">City of Hoover:</span>
With the recent $4.5 million renovation the city of Hoover is going to do everything to keep the tournament there. Many new hotels have opened up along Hwy 150(road that runs between mall and stadium the runs parallel to I-459) and a lot of their business is dependent on the tourney.
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are some of the issues the SEC has been dealing with that might cause them to move.
</span>If anyone went to the tournament in 2009 they probably noticed that the grass on the playing field was in worse shape than many high school fields. it was essentially sand with green paint. The head groundskeeper at Regions Park isn't employed by the Birmingham Barons but is instead outsourced by the City of Hoover by Southern Athletic Fields. During the first series of the Barons season, the playing surface contacted a fungus from some Chattanooga Lookouts players shoes. The fungus was manageable at first but against the wishes of numerous people the Barons general manager kept tarping the field over night. This created a greenhouse effect and the fungus spread like wildfire. After the tourney the City of Hoover agreed to buy new turf, but the Barons scoffed at having to pay for the labor for the installation, but eventually ponied up.
Prior to this years tournament there has been an issue about people from the SEC contacting Barons employees for various items in preparation for the tourney. The Barons general manager has made it a point that all Baron's employees must seek his approval before contacting anyone from the SEC even via email. Essentially micro-managing to a point that nothing can get done.
The Barons receive a giant check from the SEC every year but aren't willing to spend any money on improvements. The SEC is tired and fed up of giving and not getting anything is return from them.<span style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">While Autozone in Memphis or CoolRay Field in Duluth are bigger or newer than Regions Park, they may not be a "one stop shop" for the SEC's every need.</span>
</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Media Facilities:</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> At Regions Park there are 3 different press boxes(upper/lower baseball & upper football). The lower baseball pressbox is the main working pressbox where TV, scoreboard, public address and other various SEC officials like the people that run secsports.com work during the game. Various other print and television work out of the other two locations. Along with these locations the visitors locker room, which is giant compared to other minor league clubhouses, is transformed into the main interview room.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Corporate Sponsor/Hospitality Areas:</span> The Michael Jordan banquet room is an air conditioned room on the suite level along the 3rd base side of the stadium. Hospitality passes are given out to various corporate sponsors for use of the room where there is free food and beer. Yes there actually is beer served at the tournament, it just cannot be taken outside of the banquet room. The lower football pressbox is transformed into a media/offiical food room. Along with these areas the right field picnic is full of games for the kids kind of like the SEC fanfare at the football and basketball championships. Regions Park has 12 suites, 1 for the Logan family(Birmingham Barons owners) 1 for the City of Hoover, and 10 for various corporations such as Regions, Alabama Power, and Coca-Cola. Many of these suite holders buy them solely for the use of during the SEC and Hoover football and sit empty during the Barons season.
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hoover High School:</span>
Because Hoover High is right next door, many of the teams take batting practice, shower, and do their laundry at the school.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">City of Hoover:</span>
With the recent $4.5 million renovation the city of Hoover is going to do everything to keep the tournament there. Many new hotels have opened up along Hwy 150(road that runs between mall and stadium the runs parallel to I-459) and a lot of their business is dependent on the tourney.
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are some of the issues the SEC has been dealing with that might cause them to move.
</span>If anyone went to the tournament in 2009 they probably noticed that the grass on the playing field was in worse shape than many high school fields. it was essentially sand with green paint. The head groundskeeper at Regions Park isn't employed by the Birmingham Barons but is instead outsourced by the City of Hoover by Southern Athletic Fields. During the first series of the Barons season, the playing surface contacted a fungus from some Chattanooga Lookouts players shoes. The fungus was manageable at first but against the wishes of numerous people the Barons general manager kept tarping the field over night. This created a greenhouse effect and the fungus spread like wildfire. After the tourney the City of Hoover agreed to buy new turf, but the Barons scoffed at having to pay for the labor for the installation, but eventually ponied up.
Prior to this years tournament there has been an issue about people from the SEC contacting Barons employees for various items in preparation for the tourney. The Barons general manager has made it a point that all Baron's employees must seek his approval before contacting anyone from the SEC even via email. Essentially micro-managing to a point that nothing can get done.
The Barons receive a giant check from the SEC every year but aren't willing to spend any money on improvements. The SEC is tired and fed up of giving and not getting anything is return from them.<span style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">While Autozone in Memphis or CoolRay Field in Duluth are bigger or newer than Regions Park, they may not be a "one stop shop" for the SEC's every need.</span>
</span>
it's partially the fault of the Chattanooga Lookouts for killing the grass? You certainly couldn't make that one up.
In '05 we sat stock still in the parking lot with the engine off for 2 hours after beating OM.
Generally speaking, one must crank their car in order to leave a parking lot.
A group of us went to the game as well and had no problem getting out, half an hour at the most.
Generally speaking, one must crank their car in order to leave a parking lot.
A group of us went to the game as well and had no problem getting out, half an hour at the most.
I don't know about the media facilities at Autozone Park, but Autozone Park has 48 Club Suites, so I think the Corporate Sponsor/Hospitality Area is well covered there.http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/team1/page.jsp?ymd=20051130&content_id=35233&vkey=team1_t235&fext=.jsp&sid=t235<div>
</div><div>Also, while I'm not going to look it up, I'd guess there are just as many hotel rooms available close to Autozone Park as in Hoover.</div>
</div><div>Also, while I'm not going to look it up, I'd guess there are just as many hotel rooms available close to Autozone Park as in Hoover.</div>
a bar, restaurant, etc. attached through a skyway to the club level. Plus party decks, oh, and they sell beer everywhere! I see nothing in your post Memphis can't match, and exceed. Maybe they drive five minutes for batting practice if they have to do that somewhere else, but that's it.
<span style="font-weight: bold;">NOT </span>giving Bama and Auburn home field advantage every year and moving the tournament to reward some other fan base?
Is there really any draw to Hoover/Birmingham that week other than baseball games? Memphis has a great deal more to offer than Birmingham does beyond the tournament itself.
That seems like a great opportunity for expanded partnerships to bring in much more additional revenue than Hoover offers.
Is there really any draw to Hoover/Birmingham that week other than baseball games? Memphis has a great deal more to offer than Birmingham does beyond the tournament itself.
That seems like a great opportunity for expanded partnerships to bring in much more additional revenue than Hoover offers.
I'd be shocked if there is something it can't provide that Hoover or any other place can.
Believe it or not, the the club level/suite areas of Autozone is comparable to Turner Field. The service is different due to the man power a MLB staff has, but as far as the structure and design itself, it's very comparable. I don't know if that would be compliment to Autozone or an insult to Turner - but that was my general observation after having experienced both.
Believe it or not, the the club level/suite areas of Autozone is comparable to Turner Field. The service is different due to the man power a MLB staff has, but as far as the structure and design itself, it's very comparable. I don't know if that would be compliment to Autozone or an insult to Turner - but that was my general observation after having experienced both.
Autozone is far out of Regions league as far as the park goes. But it's much further from most SEC schools than Hoover is. If you're just looking at the ballparks, you'd go with Autozone every time (unless you could maybe get Turner Field). Still, I think it might be worth having it in Memphis on a 1-year trial basis and then depending on the results, either rotate it between the two or just move back to Hoover.
fans than Hoover is for us, plus OM, MSU and Arkansas would all be closer, and those three could bring a lot of fans, and Vandy and UT fans have zero trouble getting to Memphis quite regularly.
further than Hoover from the average SEC school. MSU is actually closer to Hoover than it is to Memphis, although for the entire fanbase it's about the same. Same for Vandy and UT. Both are closer to Hoover than to Memphis. Comparing Memphis to Hoover:
Arkansas and Mississippi would bring more fans.
MSU and LSU would bring about the same.
Everybody else would bring fewer fans (especially Bama and Auburn).
I do think it's probably worth a 1-year trial to see for sure. But I don't see any way the attendance wouldn't go down if it was in Memphis.
Arkansas and Mississippi would bring more fans.
MSU and LSU would bring about the same.
Everybody else would bring fewer fans (especially Bama and Auburn).
I do think it's probably worth a 1-year trial to see for sure. But I don't see any way the attendance wouldn't go down if it was in Memphis.
I bet they could about sell out with just the people who live in the city. It may be a little farther but it's still a trip that many SEC fans make regularly.
I cant help it they have trouble getting fans to go unless it's in their backyard.
I think a rotation between Hoover, Memphis and Georgia seems pretty fair. We, as fans, would get to see different parts of SEC country, different ball parks, and there is no real advantage to one or two teams.
I think a rotation between Hoover, Memphis and Georgia seems pretty fair. We, as fans, would get to see different parts of SEC country, different ball parks, and there is no real advantage to one or two teams.
because it is so much close to Oxford, and to the MSU DeSoto County alumni, who seem to be most of the ones pushing Memphis hard. Y'll don't realize that for fans of most other SEC schools Memphis isa long way awayand most of them have probably never been there, and certainly don't visit there regularly. </p>
I think the same could probably be said for Hoover. <div>patdog said:
</div><div>But, I admit that I am biased toward Memphis hosting because of the convenience for me.</div>
But what can be said for Hoover that can't be said for Memphis is that it's a 4-hour drive for the average SEC fan. They may not visit either city with any regularity, but it's a much more convenient trip to Hoover than to Memphis for the vast majority of fans. And that's going to have a very big effect on the attendance at either city. If the two cities were equally convenient for most SEC fans, putting the tournament in Memphis would be a no-brainer. But they're not equally convenient.
Assuming you're correct that Hoover may be slightly more convenient for the average SEC fan (though I would say both are about equally inconvenient to the average fan), I'm not sure that will make a huge difference in attendance. You're talking at most 16,000 - 17,000 people at a game, so the location doesn't have to be the most convenient to everyone to sell out. It only has to be fairly convenient to a large group of fans of SEC baseball, which I think Memphis is.
to sell the damn thing out, not to mention corporate sponsors, etc. You would be surprised at how many attend random minor league games on a wednesday at 2pm, they would be just as likely to go to the SEC tourney. There are probably 400,000 SEC fans in the Memphis area, I bet they can sell some tickets.
Regardless, slightly lower attendance shouldn't be a deal killer, they move the basketball tournament to smaller sites. I also know that last time they bid Autozone bid far more than hoover, which would likely more than make up for the lower attendance. Which I still don't think would happen.
Regardless, slightly lower attendance shouldn't be a deal killer, they move the basketball tournament to smaller sites. I also know that last time they bid Autozone bid far more than hoover, which would likely more than make up for the lower attendance. Which I still don't think would happen.
Game over. Regardless of your opinion of their ribs, their bbq nachos at ball games are the best concession ever sold at a baseball game. Period.
and I believe the fandom is more spread across all SEC schools, rather than almost exclusively Bama and Auburn. It's also more convenient, closer to a lot of entertainment activities. Autozone gets packed many times a year, how often is Hoover packed aside from the tourney?
S
someonestolemyusernamedamnit
Guest
Why should their general collective fan apathy be rewarded by getting to host the 17ing tournament every single year? And most of the eastern division schools really don't bring many fans to Hoover anyway.
The way I see it, you've got State, OM, LSU and Bama who provide the vast majority of the crowd most years. Bama only does so because of location. Move it to Memphis and Arkansas replaces Bama. They don't travel well to Hoover but would likely go to Memphis as they do have strong fan support. State, OM and LSU would travel just as well if not better to Memphis. Auburn rarely makes the tourney these days anyway (though that may be different now). Florida, UT, UGA, UK, etc. don't seem to care about baseball regardless.
And, finally, why is average proximity to SEC towns so important in baseball yet we can have the basketball tournament in effing Tampa?
The way I see it, you've got State, OM, LSU and Bama who provide the vast majority of the crowd most years. Bama only does so because of location. Move it to Memphis and Arkansas replaces Bama. They don't travel well to Hoover but would likely go to Memphis as they do have strong fan support. State, OM and LSU would travel just as well if not better to Memphis. Auburn rarely makes the tourney these days anyway (though that may be different now). Florida, UT, UGA, UK, etc. don't seem to care about baseball regardless.
And, finally, why is average proximity to SEC towns so important in baseball yet we can have the basketball tournament in effing Tampa?