Six cities in the running

[KurtRambis4]

for hosting the SEC baseball tourney. Catvet's voting against Jackson.

 

[KurtRambis4]

for hosting the SEC baseball tourney. Catvet's voting against Jackson.

 

[RobbieRandolph]

Hoover, Memphis, Duluth GA, Jackson MS, Montgomery AL, and Jacksonville FL are expected to bid.

Jackson, Memphis, then Hoover would be my ranking.

 

[AzzurriDawg4]

This is really the only SEC event we are capable of hosting and would be HUGE for the city. Trustmark Park is a great venue. That said, there is no way we beat out Memphis. However, if there is a true rotation, the greater Jackson area needs to make a big push for this. Glad to see we are even throwing our hat in the ring.

 

[Shmuley]

nm

 

[RobbieRandolph]

If it's 2012 or after, I would imagine that would eliminate Jackson's chances as it seems the SEC wants a multiyear deal and there would be a scheduling conflict.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

It would do a lot to increase the profile of college baseball in the southeast.

 

[ckDOG]

The size/location of Autozone is going to be tough to compete with. The other moves seem like they would be lateral, at best. The only downside to Memphis is it not being centrally located to the rest of SEC country as Hoover is. The crossroads of 55/40 make it pretty easy to get to - so that's nothing to discredit by much if it is viewed as a negative on their bid.

 

[patdog]

I would guess any SEC bid would only be for 2015 and beyond. I doubt it could win a bid anyway. The SEC has stated that they want a capacity of 10,000+ and the tournament routinely draws 12,000 or more in Hoover. That article lists Trustmarks capacity at about 8,400, but its largest crowd ever was 8,012 for a MSU-UM game and you've got to figure that was probably about the most it could hold.</p>

 

[615dawg]

like they do the SEC Basketball Tournament.

The SEC Basketball Tournament has a great rotation with Atlanta as a premier site.

Since 2000:

2000: Atlanta
2001: Nashville
2002: Atlanta
2003: New Orleans
2004: Atlanta
2005: Atlanta
2006: Nashville
2007: Atlanta
2008: Atlanta
2009: Tampa
2010: Nashville
2011: Atlanta
2012: New Orleans
2013: Nashville
2014: Atlanta

Make Hoover baseball's Atlanta

Here's a fair rotation for 12-16
2012: Memphis
2013: Hoover
2014: Jackson
2015: Hoover
2016: Duluth

Jacksonville won't work in the SEC (see Tampa's attempt at basketball tournament)

I think we should rotate the football championships.

New Orleans, Nashville and Jacksonville all have state of the art stadiums that host bowl games and NFL teams.

 

[RobbieRandolph]

Arkansas, MSU (when we ever 17ing make it again), OM, LSU, and Bama travel better than anyone to the tourney (outside of the champ game). Memphis is better for all but Bama, but I'm a proponent of anything that inconveniences them.

 

[RobbieRandolph]

They've said repeatedly they want the game indoors, I believe.

Should've clarified I was responding to the last few lines of 615's post.

I think we should rotate the football championships.

New Orleans, Nashville and Jacksonville all have state of the art stadiums that host bowl games and NFL teams.

 

[patdog]

And significantly further to Memphis for everyone in the SEC East. But if the tournament is moved anywhere, I would think Memphis would be the strong favorite. I really can't see any other option that could even come close to Hoover.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Edit: Yes, they probably can. I remember that those lower-level seats can be moved.

 

[615dawg]

On years in which the SEC West team is the home team, play it in NOLA. Years when the East is the home team, play it in Atlanta.

 

[8dog]

d

 

[patdog]

If they wanted the game indoors, why didn't they send any bid packages to New Orleans or Atlanta? Not to mention that baseball in the SuperDome is a terrible experience. Even with ahuge crowd the building would be 3/4 empty. Not to mention the extrememly short left field line (I want to say somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 ft).

 

[RobbieRandolph]

nt

 

[catvet]

High school field? Oh, the article said Pearl--at Trustmark. I was thinking maybe in that rusty piece of crap on Lakeland that was used 30 years ago before the city council refused to make any major upgrades. Guess they didn't have enough city council members for a vote.

On a serious note, Trustmark would be a great location, just have to wonder about hotel space for 15,000 folkes

 

[615dawg]

Hotel space is going to be the concern in Jackson.

 

[KurtRambis4]

plenty of hotels within 10 miles of there.

 

[patdog]

And you're right. After the sleet game in Birmingham in the early 90s, I don't think the football game will ever be played outdoors again. But I don't think New Orleans has a chance to ever host it since the SEC champ would be making 2 trips to NO in a month, not to mention Atlanta is much more centrally located.

 

[RobbieRandolph]

nt

 

[zerocooldog]

for this would be tantamount to picking Veterans Stadium over Cowboys Stadium for a football game, I shouldn't expect anything less though.

I'd like to see a rotation between Memphisand ATL (Turner Field), I think Hoover has run its course. </p>

 

[Todd4State]

I am all in favor of a rotation between about 8-10 Southern cities. I agree with Sutterkane- it would be great as far as showcasing baseball in the South.

As far as the Trustmark Park capacity- I do not think it would be very hard to increase the seating to 10,000. It would cost them some money, but I think it would be worth it for them in the long run. They could easily add two areas that are about 150-200 seats apiece on either end of the stadium. They could also take out their picnic area in left field and turn that into seating, and then construct another new picnic area behind that.

The hotels would not be a problem. There are many new hotels in the Jackson area that are very nice- especially in Ridgeland behind the Renaissance and there are some nice hotel in Madison. Let's not forget that the King Edward is also open downtown now, and there is a hotel right next to Trustmark Park in Pearl.

 

[patdog]

Trustmark Park is a first class, beautiful stadium. It's just that it's half the size of Autozone Park and that one is even nicer.

 

[JohnDawg]

nm

 

[Dental Dawg]

They mean Pearl and Trustmark Park. Not that sh@t-hole on Lakeland Drive.

 

[Xenomorph]

*

 

[Steakonastick]

Just dont see the SEC wanting to do anything with a small stadium in pearl. My guess is they keep it in birmingham. they just use this to get birmingham to make some upgrades to the park or build a new stadium downtown. I think the sec learned its lesson when they went to tampa and the crowds were way down to move it to the far east of the sec.

 

[elmsurfer1]

Average Temp on December 5th is a high of 67, low of 51. That's perfect football weather
Average Temp on May 5th is a high of 80, low of 63. That's perfect baseball weather.

Just saying...