It's also a case of the SEC tournament in Hoover being a huge success with great attendance every year. Memphis has a great facility and I'd be fine with having the tournament there. But there's just no way in this world the attendance would match Hoover.
This is the part where I talk about how the SECT should move to Autozone...
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Yeah, except that Nashville's ballpark is a damn dump.
For a tournament, downtown stadiums are vastly superior. Bridgestone Arena in Nashville is a perfect example - get a hotel downtown, drink downtown, go to the game, then continue to drink downtown. You can place literally everything you need in one area (bars, hotels, and the venue itself), it's cheaper in the long run for all parties involved (the city doesn't have to deal with the parking issues as much, because the hotels take care of it, for example). Plus, no DUI if you go out partying, because you never have to drive.
The idea that suburban stadiums are "more economical" is kind of dying out.
The idea that building in the suburbs is always the "more fiscally responsible" thing to do is a short-sighted way of viewing it. Building in suburbs makes for cheaper land, but it encourages sprawl, and forces reliance on cars; cities still have to pay for things like off-ramps/road connections and extra parking, and downtown stadiums have slightly better lifespans.
For a tournament, downtown stadiums are vastly superior. Bridgestone Arena in Nashville is a perfect example - get a hotel downtown, drink downtown, go to the game, then continue to drink downtown. You can place literally everything you need in one area (bars, hotels, and the venue itself), it's cheaper in the long run for all parties involved (the city doesn't have to deal with the parking issues as much, because the hotels take care of it, for example). Plus, no DUI if you go out partying, because you never have to drive.
The idea that suburban stadiums are "more economical" is kind of dying out.
This just isn't true. Attendance in Memphis might or might not match Hoover, but it certainly could and in some years would exceed it. For example, one year (I think it was the year after the SEC renewed the deal in Hoover), I went to a Redbirds game the Sunday afternoon of the SEC baseball tournament final game. The Redbirds had well over 10,000 fans in attendance, while the SEC tournament championship game had around 7,000 fans. I'll grant you that that's an unusually low number for a championship game, and probably a high number for a random Redbirds Sunday (there were fireworks afterword), but it shows that Memphis probably could draw just as well as, if not better than, Hoover.
ETA: Last year, the SEC tournament averaged 8,103 fans per game. In 2011 (I wasn't able to quickly find 2012 stats), the Redbirds averaged 7,050 fans over the course of the season. I don't know whether those stats are comparable, but they show it probably wouldn't take much for Memphis to successfully compare to Hoover in terms of attendance.
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LSU, MSU, Arkansas, and OM dominate Hoover crowds. Alabama and Auburn fans will trickle in if their teams are playing, but it is nothing compared to what the other 4 schools bring. Arkansas would bring a flood of fans, as well. Texas A&M is right there behind them.
When we played UF in Hoover, UF was a top 5 team and we barely got in the tournament, and MSU fans on a Wednesday outnumber Florida fans at least 5-1. I bet the ratio of State to Vandy fans last year was at least 20-1 in the championship game. The east may have strong teams, but they are lightyears behind the west in terms of attendance. The only eastern school to remotely compete is South Carolina and they won't come unless they are in the championship game. It's really really really stupid the SEC won't consider Memphis, especially considering it is in the back yard of the SEC's dominant programs in terms of attendance.
When we played UF in Hoover, UF was a top 5 team and we barely got in the tournament, and MSU fans on a Wednesday outnumber Florida fans at least 5-1. I bet the ratio of State to Vandy fans last year was at least 20-1 in the championship game. The east may have strong teams, but they are lightyears behind the west in terms of attendance. The only eastern school to remotely compete is South Carolina and they won't come unless they are in the championship game. It's really really really stupid the SEC won't consider Memphis, especially considering it is in the back yard of the SEC's dominant programs in terms of attendance.
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Bingo.
This was my exact thought when I learned the Barons were moving. I expect ticket, concessions, and (especially) parking costs to increase. The SECT will turn into the moneymaker in order for Hoover to stay open, unless the local government decides to direct more funds to keep the stadium maintained.
This was my exact thought when I learned the Barons were moving. I expect ticket, concessions, and (especially) parking costs to increase. The SECT will turn into the moneymaker in order for Hoover to stay open, unless the local government decides to direct more funds to keep the stadium maintained.
This is true. It's Sunset Symphony weekend, which is not a tourist draw. Memphis would love to have the SECT that week / weekend.
Memphis would be the perfect venue for the SEC baseball tournament. It is a far better destination venue than Birmingham. I remember when the SEC basketball tournament was here shortly after the Pyramid was built. Fun times.