Pac-10 presidents voted Monday to "reinstate" the men's
post-season basketball tournament, beginning in March 2002
at Staples Center, according to Chris Dufresne of the L.A.
TIMES, who noted that the measure required eight votes for
approval. The final vote was 8-2, with the Univ. of AZ and
Stanford Univ. voting against it. UCLA, which had been one
of three Pac-10 schools opposing the tournament, "was the
swing school." Dufresne wrote that Stanford coach Mike
Montgomery "thinks" UCLA AD Peter Dalis "was pressured into
changing his position" by the city of L.A., Fox and Staples
Center. Meanwhile, by a 9-1 vote, the conference's CEOs
approved a women's postseason tournament to begin in 2002 at
a Pac-10 campus to be determined (L.A. TIMES, 10/24). In
L.A., Steve Dilbeck reported that the Pac-10 has "yet to
sign" a contract with Staples Center, but league Assistant
Commissioner Jim Muldoon said that because Fox owns 40% of
the arena, the "signing is almost a formality" (L.A. DAILY
NEWS, 10/24). In S.F., Jake Curtis wrote that FSN
reportedly "will pay about" $4M to televise the men's
tournament in 2002 (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/24).
SCHOOL TIES: The tournament "is expected to generate
about" $300,000 per school (Mark Fainaru-Wada, S.F.
EXAMINER, 10/24). In San Jose, Jon Wilner wrote that each
school will receive about $350,000. Meanwhile, the women's
tournament "is expected to cost" each school about $35,000
per year (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/24).
