This is the part where I talk about how the SECT should move to Autozone...

[GhostOfJackie]

Nothing can be more fiscally responsible than locating an attraction such as a ballpark in the urban heart of a city. Detachment is what has created the mess that every American city went thorough in the 80's and 90's. Although it is a nice ballpark, there is nothing "attached" about Trustmark Park.

 

[drt7891]

Exactly. I don't understand why the SEC won't look harder at Memphis than they have. It makes entirely too much sense. I have to wonder if the deal with Regions being a big sponsor has anything to do with the deal, but like everyone keeps saying, it is the most perfect location and perfect atmosphere for 90% of the baseball fans that will come (the other 10% being the RV crowd). Not to mention it's by far and away nicer than the met...

 

[Sutterkane]

With the addition of A&M and Mizzou, it's also a more centralized location. Don't know how well those 2 travel for baseball, but being several hours closer couldn't hurt.

 

[RocketDawg]

You would win your bet. I've seen Autozone stadium from the outside but didn't notice any parking anywhere near it. I've been to the Vet in Philly (sort of suburban, in South Philly), but I think they have a new stadium now. Not sure where it is. I've been to Candlestick, which is darn near rural ... but with a huge parking lot. I think it's being replaced too. Been to Turner Field, downtown, but not the new one. I've been to Cardinals' Stadium in St. Louis (downtown) but had to park a long way away. Been to Dodgers' Stadium. It's sorta downtown LA, but also sort of in a remote location. Easy parking. That's all I can remember at the moment.

You win the bet because I haven't been to a new downtown stadium, either minor or major leagues. Regarding Hoover ... it depends on where you're coming from. It's a few miles further for me since I'm coming from the north, but should be about the same as downtown if you're coming from most of Mississippi. If you're coming from the south, Hoover is a easier to get to than downtown.

I'm not sure exactly where the new B'ham stadium. If it's close enough, you could use the BJCC parking area, if they don't have another event going on. During normal times though, traffic shouldn't be a huge problem simply because not all that many people go to minor league games ... probably typically 3-4,000. The tournament would be a different matter though.

 

[RocketDawg]

True, and sounds like a winner. Somebody should pester the SEC office about it. Gotta remember that Birmingham is a sacred cow though, for some reason.

 

[patdog]

Technically, adding those 2 does bring the 2 cities closer to being equal as far as being centrally located. In the real world, neither will send many fans to either city. You look at the big attendance schools of LSU, Ark, MSU, UM, Bama, Auburn & USC. Birmingham is much closer for Bama, Auburn & USC. Memphis is much closer for UM and Ark. And for MSU and LSU, it's about a wash. I wouldn't mind playing the tournament in Memphis some, but I doubt it will ever happen.

 

[WrapItDog]

3rd week of May about the time of the SEC Tournament is also the same time as the third week of Memphis in May. This means World Championship BBQ Cookoff which draws and estimated 100,000 people. Memphis doesn't have any reason to host any additional tourist or events during May. They are already booked solid.

 

[RocketDawg]

I just checked, and I sort of misremembered. Wikipedia says it has 5,500 seats (the number I mentioned), but that doesn't include the skyboxes/suites/or whatever they call them, nor does it include the general admission area (presumably bleachers).

The stadium website says the total capacity is 8,480. It's smaller than Birmingham, Huntsville, and Jacksonville (all in the Southern League too), but not by a lot, and probably still big enough for the SECT if they really wanted to have it there. It's somewhat centrally located to the other SEC teams, but not as good as Memphis, since virtually all of the SEC teams are north of Jackson.

 

[RocketDawg]

I wonder if they would consider moving the BBQ thing to a different date if they could land the SECT? The baseball dates really can't be changed, but the BBQ probably could be.

Maybe Memphis has never bid to get the tournament. Maybe they don't want it.

 

[RocketDawg]

Tunica is a fairly long walk to Memphis ....

 

[WrapItDog]

The SEC Tournament is chump change compared to Memphis in May.

 

[RocketDawg]

What is the Pyramid? Is it a civic center, or what? I've seen it, but never knew what it was for. Or is it basically just a novelty for the city, kind like the Arch in St. Louis?

I've only been to Beale Street once, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of good music to be had. And if all else fails, you can go watch the ducks come down to the lobby in the Peabody.

The more I think about it, the more I'd like to see the tournament in Memphis. I've been a little jaded against the city since going to the Liberty Bowl a couple of times.

 

[RocketDawg]

Yeah, but if they could move the BBQ thing a few days ...

the SECT would be additive with very little disruption. Or it could be that people come for the BBQ and other events, and couldn't care less about baseball. If they rescheduled it might actually lower the attendance at other things. I'm not very familiar with Memphis in May, but it sorta sounds like a big deal for the city.

 

[Ishmael]

As someone who has been to both the old Vet in Philly and Autozone Park, I have to say parking is much more convenient at the downtown stadium -- Autozone Park. Granted, it's comparing minor league to major league, but many of the parking garages in Memphis are closer than the outer sections of parking lots at the Vet (or the new stadium in Philly). Sure, you're walking through the city instead of through a parking lot, but the walk is not really much further for most of the spots.

 

[WrapItDog]

It's not a BBQ Thing it's The World Championship BBQ Cookoff. It is pretty much the identity that is Memphis and their claim to fame as much a Blues and Beale St. It would be like asking New Orleans to move the Jazz Festival or Mardi Gras it ain't happening.

 

[patdog]

The BBQ is the weekend before the SEC tournament starts.

 

[Sutterkane]

It's never a bad thing to have even more tourists in your town, even if they are all there on the same week.

 

[patdog]

It used to be the coliseum in Memphis until the Grizzlies built a new one. There is no comparison at all between the AutoZone Park area and the Liberty Bowl area. Much, much, much nicer downtown. Beale St., the Peabody, nice park by the river, good food and good drinks, etc.

 

[gtowndawg]

The Pyramid is where the U of M Tigers and the Grizzlies played

before the FedEx Forum was built.

 

[RocketDawg]

Yes, I know. I've been to Beale, etc., and unfortunately have also been to the Liberty Bowl.

And I think I remember it being the basketball coliseum now that you mention it. Thanks. Is it just a tourist attraction now?

 

[hatfieldms]

It will be a bass pro shop eventually

.....

 

[codeDawg]

Though I've always found the RV argument the dumbest one, as those fans spend almost zero money in the host city.

Seriously, why the hell are RV travelers even part of the equation? What are they bringing to the table other than a limit on what park can host?

Ticket sales would more than be made up for in a more attractive location in addition to contributing to the host locations economy.

 

[Xenomorph]

Can you win any money for the BBQ thing? *

*

 

[Maroonthirteen]

The fact the SEC doesn't consider "hoops city" for the basketball tournament says there is something fundamentally wrong with Memphis and/or those in Memphis that negotiate such deals. If they can't land the basketball tournament, then there is more to it than the venue, parking etc. I bet if Autozone was in Nashville, the tournament would have already been played there a time or two.

 

[RocketDawg]

Doesn't seem like that would be a go/no go criterion, does it?

There couldn't possibly be that many that take RVs, relative to the total attendance. And as someone else pointed out, they have very little economic advantage to the city ... no hotel rooms sold, limited restaurant use, etc.

Maybe they're rich enough to be inordinately influential?

 

[RocketDawg]

I was in Philly a few years ago (around 20) when they were having a garbage strike. We were staying at the Hilton in South Philly adjacent to the old Vet (last I heard it was a Holiday Inn ... may have been torn down by now). The parking lot at the old Vet was full, literally, of garbage bags and open garbage. And stayed that way a long time. The smell in the Hilton was memorable .... When they screw things up in the big northeastern cities, they really do a bang up job of it.

 

[RocketDawg]

That should be great

Unique if nothing else. Probably will have a lot of business.

 

[BogeyGolfer.sixpack]

Your argument doesn't hold water...

there is a lot more parking in downtown Memphis now that the FedEx forum has been built, plus there are a ton of hotels that are less than a 15 minute drive from downtown including several hotels in the Horn Lake/South Haven area. Having the SECT in Memphis would be absolutely fantastic....

 

[Todd4State]

Exactly. I don't understand why the SEC won't look harder at Memphis than they have. It makes entirely too much sense. I have to wonder if the deal with Regions being a big sponsor has anything to do with the deal, but like everyone keeps saying, it is the most perfect location and perfect atmosphere for 90% of the baseball fans that will come (the other 10% being the RV crowd). Not to mention it's by far and away nicer than the met...

Your answer is politics. The RV stuff is a cop out by the SEC office. They have a relationship with with Hoover and they are comfortable with it. Fans be damned.

The only reason Alabama and Auburn draw well at the SEC Tournament is because it is in Birmingham. They would probably lose that group of fans for the most part, but MSU, Ole Miss, and LSU and probably Arkansas would go- maybe UT once they get their program straightened out. It's more convenient for Mizzou and Kentucky fans as well depending on where they live.

I think Autozone Park would do just as good as Hoover does with hosting the SEC Tournament. They just have to be given the chance. There's more to do in Memphis than Birmingham as others have mentioned. I parked at a parking garage that was maybe 200 feet from the ballpark on Union Avenue, and looking at the Redbirds website, there are a ton of other garages around the area. Neither ballpark- Hoover or Autozone- are what I would consider difficult to get to.

Shoot- they have hosted the Civil Rights game and Cardinal's exhibition games before. They can handle a crowd.

I don't know a lot about Memphis- but if RV's are truly the only issue, I wonder if putting some of them alongside the river in that little park looking thing by Riverside Dr. is feasible? May not be, but I'm not really that concerned with them to be honest. It's not like you don't have the PEABODY across the street. If they're worried about safety- Southaven is about 10 miles, Germantown, Collierville- there's plenty of options. From what I understand, the RV crowd is mainly LSU fans and some State fans. And I have to wonder how many of the RV people bring them to Hoover because there really isn't a convenient hotel situation in Hoover like there would be in Memphis. So, I'm not even sure how much of an issue those people would have if it was moved.

 

[Todd4State]

You would win your bet. I've seen Autozone stadium from the outside but didn't notice any parking anywhere near it. I've been to the Vet in Philly (sort of suburban, in South Philly), but I think they have a new stadium now. Not sure where it is. I've been to Candlestick, which is darn near rural ... but with a huge parking lot. I think it's being replaced too. Been to Turner Field, downtown, but not the new one. I've been to Cardinals' Stadium in St. Louis (downtown) but had to park a long way away. Been to Dodgers' Stadium. It's sorta downtown LA, but also sort of in a remote location. Easy parking. That's all I can remember at the moment.

You win the bet because I haven't been to a new downtown stadium, either minor or major leagues. Regarding Hoover ... it depends on where you're coming from. It's a few miles further for me since I'm coming from the north, but should be about the same as downtown if you're coming from most of Mississippi. If you're coming from the south, Hoover is a easier to get to than downtown.

I'm not sure exactly where the new B'ham stadium. If it's close enough, you could use the BJCC parking area, if they don't have another event going on. During normal times though, traffic shouldn't be a huge problem simply because not all that many people go to minor league games ... probably typically 3-4,000. The tournament would be a different matter though.

There's an enormous parking garage on 4th St. in St. Louis. I parked there, walked across the street to Busch Stadium during the World Series and when I left, I was out of downtown in less than 15 minutes. There are also several huge parking garages on Market St. that are maybe a quarter of a mile to half a mile from Busch Stadium. All you have to do is walk across Kiener Plaza and Market St. There are a lot of fans that take the train system that I can't recall right now and that helps traffic not to mention people that stay in one of the many hotels that surround the stadium. That's the best thing to do if you are out of town- stay in a hotel by Busch Stadium, have them park your car and then just walk over. Lots of restaurants to walk to as well at Union Station, LeClede's Landing, or just downtown.

All of that is to say- I don't see how you screwed it up.

 

[Todd4State]

Well, if I said Memphs was a dump

Cant wait for the replies about how Memphis is a dump....

i totally agree with you. Autozone is a fantastic venue in a great location. Nothing like eating some Rendezvous and walking around the corner to Autozone.

And you asked me "OK, where would you rather go?" Birmingham wouldn't exactly be the first city out of my mouth.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I think a lot of the reason Memphis has not been chosen for the basketball tournament was because Memphis almost every year the CUSA tournament and that limited the number of times the SEC could choose. With Memphis in a new conference and really not a juggernaut by itself anymore I don't think you would worry about that as much. Would love to see either tournament come. I would go to almost all the games.

 

[Drebin]

It's not a BBQ Thing it's The World Championship BBQ Cookoff. It is pretty much the identity that is Memphis and their claim to fame as much a Blues and Beale St. It would be like asking New Orleans to move the Jazz Festival or Mardi Gras it ain't happening.

First of all, the BBQ contest isn't the same week as the baseball tournament. Secondly, the tournament could very easily become part of the identity and tradition of Memphis in May, and would actually bring more tourists into the city than what would already be here. Traditionally knowing that every may there would be Music Fest, the SEC Tourney, the BBQ contest, and the Sunset Symphony on consecutive weekends is a pretty nice setup.

Make no mistake...Memphis would love to be hosting this tournament.

 

[Seinfeld]

Exactly. If there is one thing that would definitely not be a problem, it's parking. My wife and I went to a ballgame either last year or the year prior when Music Fest, a concert at the Forum, and Redbirds baseball was all going on during the same Sat night. We were kicking ourselves at the time because we didn't realize it but even then, we paid $10 to park a couple blocks away, ate some dinner at Huey's after the game, and then breezed out of there later that night.

There is absolutely nothing preventing Memphis from being a great host if the powers that be wanted it to happen

 

[Xenomorph]

A few years back, after Memphis put in (evidently) a strong bid to host....

...and the SEC absolutely ignored it I began to wonder if someone involved in the decision making process had a vested interest in seeing the tournament remain in Hoover. .....I still do.

As for living in an rv down by the river... I think the issue is there are no hook ups in that big parking lot north of Tom Lee Park. Still, I contend the rv people would make do somehow.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

That, and they're bama fans, so they have undue influence

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

No argument there.

 

[Franklin&Bash-dawg]

Nailed it

Your answer is politics. The RV stuff is a cop out by the SEC office. They have a relationship with with Hoover and they are comfortable with it. Fans be damned.

The only reason Alabama and Auburn draw well at the SEC Tournament is because it is in Birmingham. They would probably lose that group of fans for the most part, but MSU, Ole Miss, and LSU and probably Arkansas would go- maybe UT once they get their program straightened out. It's more convenient for Mizzou and Kentucky fans as well depending on where they live.

I think Autozone Park would do just as good as Hoover does with hosting the SEC Tournament. They just have to be given the chance. There's more to do in Memphis than Birmingham as others have mentioned. I parked at a parking garage that was maybe 200 feet from the ballpark on Union Avenue, and looking at the Redbirds website, there are a ton of other garages around the area. Neither ballpark- Hoover or Autozone- are what I would consider difficult to get to.

Shoot- they have hosted the Civil Rights game and Cardinal's exhibition games before. They can handle a crowd.

I don't know a lot about Memphis- but if RV's are truly the only issue, I wonder if putting some of them alongside the river in that little park looking thing by Riverside Dr. is feasible? May not be, but I'm not really that concerned with them to be honest. It's not like you don't have the PEABODY across the street. If they're worried about safety- Southaven is about 10 miles, Germantown, Collierville- there's plenty of options. From what I understand, the RV crowd is mainly LSU fans and some State fans. And I have to wonder how many of the RV people bring them to Hoover because there really isn't a convenient hotel situation in Hoover like there would be in Memphis. So, I'm not even sure how much of an issue those people would have if it was moved.

This has been about 7 years ago, but I used to work with the Redbirds and they were putting in bids to host the SECT in baseball even then. The consensus management got from the SEC office was that the SEC had told Hoover they wouldn't ever move it because of their own convenience. It's simply a case of the SEC not caring to make it better or exciting for fans by a new venue or rotating locations, they are stubborn.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Yeah there's tons of parking around Busch. They have traffic flow down to an art there too.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I think grand champion gets 10k. Plus publicity for winning.

There's lots of smaller prizes for different categories.