Siena tourney at the Pepsi

[Dane Pound]

The NCAA cleared the way for the tourney to happen. Doesn't sound like we are chomping at the bit to be a part of it this year. This year anyway. Siena clears tourney hurdle-TU

[daneguy04]

Personally i dont like the idea of including our annual game as part of that new tourney. Besides the fact that it would only be part of the event once every four years, forcing the match-up back to the regular format for the three years after the tournament I dont see the purpose.

 

Keep the game as it is because it has the ability to stand on its own, I think it is in the best interest of the MAAC and the Albany v. Siena match-up to keep the two seperate. Why combine an event that already draws with an event that will mostly likely have a decent draw as well? Wouldn't it do more for area revenues and fan excitement to have them as two seperate events?

[Clickclack]

Personally i dont like the idea of including our annual game as part of that new tourney.  Besides the fact that it would only be part of the event once every four years, forcing the match-up back to the regular format for the three years after the tournament I dont see the purpose.

 

Keep the game as it is because it has the ability to stand on its own, I think it is in the best interest of the MAAC and the Albany v. Siena match-up to keep the two seperate.  Why combine an event that already draws with an event that will mostly likely have a decent draw as well?  Wouldn't it do more for area revenues and fan excitement to have them as two seperate events?

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I wouldn't mind being a part of this tournament once every four years, but I agree keep the anual game seperate. Whats the point?

[olddog71]

Is this new tournament a ploy by the chief organizer Siena to schedule games for next season? Iorizzo states that the Saints' schedule is not complete. It should be more filled out by this time than it currently is. Is Iorizzo hinting that Siena is having difficulties to schedule games? What's the problem?

 

It's also eye-opening that Will Brown is not too enthusiastic about the new format. Does anyone have a concrete reason why he is not so thrilled?

[UAalum72]

We know we're at UConn on Thanksgiving weekend, and have a flight to Utah in the preconference. Maybe Will thinks we've already scheduled enough November games this year without adding three more.

[Dane Pound]

From a fans perspecitve I have no doubt they'll try to maximize the revenue they get from the Albany-Siena game but making us buy some kind of all-session ticket. It seems evenident some of this tournament idea is to help underwrite the cost of Siena basketball at the Pepsi.

 

As for the other teams in the tournament I'm not sure why we'd get that excited about teams from those conferences. For the most part they are teams we could get home and home series against anyway at the RACC.

Edited April 28, 2006 by Dane Pound

[daneguy04]

For the most part they are teams we could get home and home series against anyway at the RACC.

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How can you say that if clearly Siena is a more well respected national progam that could lure the likes of UConn, Duke and UNC to the Pepsi for a home and home if they truly wanted to.

 

Ah, if only i could include a picture of how I made myself laugh while writing this!!!

[statefan]

FWIW, I heard the Utah and Utah Valley trip is in late December.

[steve_gersztoff]

FWIW, I heard the Utah and Utah Valley trip is in late December.

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"The most likely format is this: Each of the eight teams plays one home game and one road game. Then, the teams come together at Pepsi Arena for two more games apiece. The games will be scheduled in advance, and no winner will be crowned."

 

This is comical for a few reasons:

 

Siena will never be a road team on their homecourt.

 

A tournament without a winner. Wow.

 

The only way an Albany-Siena game can be ensured right now is to have the 2 play each other in a quarterfinal matchup, which obviously hurts attendance. Using this format, Siena can bank off of the Albany crowd for a few games and get their game against us as well.

 

I'm sure if we don't play in the tournament, the format will be just like any other tournament.

[alum73]

Is this new tournament a ploy by the chief organizer Siena to schedule games for next season? Iorizzo states that the Saints' schedule is not complete. It should be more filled out by this time than it currently is. Is Iorizzo hinting that Siena is having difficulties to schedule games? What's the problem?

 

It's also eye-opening that Will Brown is not too enthusiastic about the new format. Does anyone have a concrete reason why he is not so thrilled?

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It doesn't count as more than 1 game, so that wouldn't be it. We could only be in it once every 4 years and our schedule is mostly complete already.

[alum73]

FWIW, I heard the Utah and Utah Valley trip is in late December.

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It's Utah St., Utah Valley St. isn't it?

[statefan]

There wouldn't be quarter-finals per se. There would be 2 pools of 4 teams playing a round robin, and the 4th game would be a crossover. For example, lets say that Pool A is Siena, Albany, Northeastern and UMass. In the first round, on campus sites, on Saturday, November 11, Northeastern would be at Albany and Siena at UMass. Then, on Wednesday, November 15, UMass would be at Northeastern and Albany would be "at" Siena. In that manner everyone gets one home game. Then on Saturday, November 18, Albany would play UMass and Siena would play Northeastern, both games at the Pepsi and in different sessions to maximize attendance.. Then on Sunday, all the teams in Pool A would Play teams in Pool B, also all at the Pepsi and also with Albany and Siena being in separate sessions.

 

The good news would be that we'd get to see our team play 4 times in 8 days without having to leave the City of Albany, and for all but the Siena game, we'd have a home-crowd advantage. The bad news is that the Albany-Siena game would be mid-week, and also that our support by attending the games would line Siena's coffers.

 

I assume some of the reluctance by the staff to buy in has more to do with already playing a pretty high quality OOC schedule (and having heard boo-birds last year after a slow start) and having 5 new players to integrate quickly. But, and i really don't want to get this far ahead of ourselves; if we ever want to be better than a 16 seed, we must play these type of games and tournaments.

Edited April 28, 2006 by statefan

[Dane Pound]

My understanding of the article is that teams could only particpate in this tourney every four years and that they will be looking for another conference to host it next year. I'd say if our schedule doesn't work out this year we should play the Siena game as a stand-alone game. Then volunteer to host the tourney next year.

[bob87]

I think the Albany-Siena game should be a stand alone game and not be part of this tournament. What is the point of the tournament anyway. They are talking about having no tournament winner and none of the teams they are talking about in the paper are big names or even top notch mid majors with the exception of a possible CAA team. It is not like that caliber teams draws well now. Look at how many empty seats you have in the Knick/Pepsi/TBA Arena now when you a MAAC game there without Siena. Are they going to play all 8 teams there on a Saturday. Only a die hard would go to 4 games in a day. Or doubleheaders back to back days. The non Siena day would be lucky to draw 2000 with the caliber of team they are talking about.

Let the Albany-Siena game draw 8,000-10,000 on its own, the Siena piece of the tourney draw 4,000 - 5,000, the non Siena piece draw 2,000 and keep our schedule as is or get an extra couple of games with a couple of teams at that level with out getting Siena involved if the following quote in the TU is accurate.

 

According to the TU article, "Schools that play in exempt tournaments can play 27 regular-season games, not including the tournament.Schools not in multi-team tournaments now can play up to 29 regular-season games "

Sounds like the 4 game tournament will now be adding ONLY 1 game to a season schedue. 4 games counting as 1 + 26 other regular season games for a total of 30 vs 29.

Edited April 29, 2006 by bob87

[megowen70]

A tournament without a winner.  Wow.

 

Sounds like the youth soccer leagues that don't keep score!