[Cider Jim]

BREAKING NEWS: a new location has been chosen for the men's and women's Big South basketball tournaments that should help with recruiting for the next 3 years. Thank you, Kyle.

Myrtle Beach to host Big South hoops tournament
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
Published: Thursday, May 31, 2012 at 6:07 p.m.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Presidents of Big South Conference schools have selected Myrtle Beach, S.C., as the new host for their men's and women's basketball tournaments for the next three years beginning in 2013.

The games will take place at Carolina Coastal's new on-campus Student Recreation and Convocation Center.

The decision came Thursday during the conference's annual spring meetings in Hilton Head, S.C.

..."We received four excellent bids to host our basketball championships," said Big South commissioner Kyle Kallander. "This was not an easy decision for the CEOs. Ultimately they chose the bid from Myrtle Beach/Coastal Carolina, and we are looking forward to taking our marquee event to the Grand Strand for the next three years. We are also very appreciative of all the bids and interest we received."

http://www.theledger.com/article/201205 ... 1205311020

[Sly Fox]

I thought CCU's new "arena" was in mosquito-prone Conway and not on the Grand Strand. Who knew?

Hopefully this never impacts us.

[WinthropEagleFan]

I thought CCU's new "arena" was in mosquito-prone Conway and not on the Grand Strand. Who knew?

Hopefully this never impacts us.

You guys are planning on moving this summer?

[thepostman]

no way we are moving this summer

[BJWilliams]

Of all the places to have it not in Lynchburg, Im cool with Myrtle Beach. Having grown up near the beach most of my life, I always enjoyed getting a chance to head to SC when I was in the band.

[Rooster Cogburn]

no way we are moving this summer

You know something we all don't? The possibility is slim indeed, but not dead yet.

[jcmanson]

Seriously? Is this a last ditch effort to try to keep CCU in the conference? Is there an opt-out clause once CCU leaves?

[WinthropEagleFan]

Seriously? Is this a last ditch effort to try to keep CCU in the conference? Is there an opt-out clause once CCU leaves?

I think they branded it as the 'Myrtle Beach/Coastal Carolina' bid to hedge against CCU possibly leaving, and to try and playup the destination aspect of it.

And Coastal may talk about leaving, but have they been actually courted by anyone?

[jcmanson]

And Coastal may talk about leaving, but have they been actually courted by anyone?

They've tried the Socon before and got turned down. Now there's rumors of the CAA. If LU, App, and GA South all bolt to FBS, I think they are destined to get into either SoCon or CAA.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Stupid. Hey our golden child CCU has a new arena. Let's change the tourney format and have it there. KK is not my hero. Can't wait to blow this popsicle stand.

[jcmanson]

Distances to CCU:
VMI 350 miles
Radford 318 miles
Liberty 301 miles
UNCA 295 miles
Longwood 292 miles
Gardner Webb 218 miles
Presby 197 miles
High Point 184 miles
Winthrop 156 miles
CSU 113 miles

So, basically half the schools (5) are 300 miles or further away. 4 others are 150 miles or further. Guess they don't care about filling up the 3500 seats.

[WinthropEagleFan]

Stupid. Hey our golden child CCU has a new arena. Let's change the tourney format and have it there. KK is not my hero. Can't wait to blow this popsicle stand.

Kallander liked the old format better from what I could tell. He championed the higher seed hosting format, and seemed reluctant to move to a single predetermined site (when this move was made, he seemed to put it on the schools and coaches, saying they wanted it like this).

You guys and Coastal fans give Kyle way too much credit. He doesn't have THAT much power. The schools make a ton of the decisions.

[jcmanson]

I like it being at one site. I don't like it being at CCU.

I think UNCA would have been a good place. Or in the High Point/Greensboro area. Or of course, selfishly, Lynchburg/Roanoke.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Distances to CCU:
VMI 350 miles
Radford 318 miles
Liberty 301 miles
UNCA 295 miles
Longwood 292 miles
Gardner Webb 218 miles
Presby 197 miles
High Point 184 miles
Winthrop 156 miles
CSU 113 miles

So, basically half the schools (5) are 300 miles or further away. 4 others are 150 miles or further. Guess they don't care about filling up the 3500 seats.

Again - STUPID!

[Sly Fox]

Yeah, this had nothing to do with attracting fans. This had everything to do with administrators having a reason to take their wives to the beach for a week at their schools' expense.

Surely there is a clause that pulls the thing out of Conway when CCU bolts to the CAA as expected.

[jcmanson]

Surely there is a clause that pulls the thing out of Conway when CCU bolts to the CAA as expected.

You really think KK & co is that smart?

[olldflame]

The Myrtle Beach area has built-in advantages and I'm sure the venue will be fine. The only real negative is the travel distance for the majority of the league.

[SuperJon]

Most conferences around the country do this. They find the most attractive place to play and host tournaments there. It makes perfect business sense. Yes, the hardcore fans from every school would show up in Asheville or Rock Hill or whatever. They're going to show up in Conway too. The thing that Conway attracts that no other school does is a trip to the beach in the first week of March. Your more fair weather fans and donors would be up for that trip more than they would any other team in the league. It's pointless and ridiculously dumb to whine about this.

[Cider Jim]

The thing that Conway attracts that no other school does is a trip to the beach in the first week of March. Your more fair weather fans and donors would be up for that trip more than they would any other team in the league.

What he said!

I just wish the BSC Quiz Bowl tournament was held there every year instead of once in 7 years.

[olldflame]

I thought CCU's new "arena" was in mosquito-prone Conway and not on the Grand Strand. Who knew?

Hopefully this never impacts us.

Come on Sly. While calling CCU's new facility an arena may be a stretch, I'm sure it will be mosquito-free, and 3500 is actually a pretty good size for this event. The games will be played in Conway, but let's face it, almost all of the non-local fans will be staying in hotels on the strand, and it won't hurt that historically there are bargains to be had on those rooms in early March. Overall, I think this choice will certainly attract some out of towners who would not come just for the basketball. Depending on finances, I could even see myself flying up for this, especially if it looks like we have a legit shot to win it.

[thepostman]

how nice is a beach in SC in early March anyways??

Just curious

[olldflame]

how nice is a beach in SC in early March anyways??

Just curious

Too cold to swim in early March, but nice for walking barefoot and getting your feet wet.

[BJWilliams]

And a prime seat for the sunrise over the horizon as you look out on the ocean...

[thepostman]

I prefer seeing the sunset here in west florida, no need to wake up early

[Sly Fox]

I am with you, Postie. I'm on the wrong side of the Gulf as well.