While three years ago "you could fire a cannon inside Staples Center ... during the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament and not hit anybody," the first day of this year's tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena yesterday featured "big crowds and electricity," according to Ron Kantowski of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. The venue, "with its seating capacity of 12,916 for basketball, is much more quaint than Staples Center, which sits 18,118." Quaintness "creates atmosphere," and atmosphere -- "and hot babes at the pool, and all the other things Las Vegas has to offer -- has made the Pac-12 hoopfest the hottest ticket in town." By halftime of yesterday's second first-round game, the Pac-12 announced that last night's session "was sold out," as are today's quarterfinals, Friday's semifinals and Saturday afternoon's championship game. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said of Las Vegas, "It has exceeded our expectations" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/12).
BATTLE OF ORLEANS: In Las Vegas, David Schoen notes the WAC men's tournament, which today tips off its fifth straight year at Orleans Arena, "has yet to gain a foothold in the crowded college basketball scene." But with the WAC "finally on stable ground after being picked apart by realignment," Commissioner Jeff Hurd "is hopeful the tournament will start to grow as its new members continue to develop their fan bases." Hurd said, "We still haven’t drawn to the extent that we would like to." The WAC tournament "had an average of 3,518 fans for four sessions during its first year" at Orleans Arena in '11, but recent attendance numbers "reflect the instability as an average of 1,284 fans attended the four sessions last year." The biggest obstacle to increasing attendance "is that its current membership consists of schools with small fan bases from a wide geographic footprint." The WAC "has committed" to holding its '16 tournament in Las Vegas, and Hurd "confirmed the conference’s board of directors will discuss in May whether to keep the event" at Orleans Arena for '17 or move it to K.C. (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/12).
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS: In DC, Rick Maese writes Las Vegas "has become something of a mecca for conference tournaments," wuth seven events "being contested in Las Vegas this week -- four men’s and three women’s." This is "an uncomfortable development for the NCAA," as it "has no authority over where conferences hold their postseason events." Conference commissioners have said that moving their tourneys to Las Vegas "has breathed new life into postseason play -- not to mention adding revenue to the league coffers and providing a tantalizing allure for fans." Scott said that the benefits of holding the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas include "better atmosphere, bigger crowds, more memorable experience for athletes, increased visibility for conference and sponsors." Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority Senior Manager of Public Affairs Jeremy Handel said that city officials "expect 20,000 to 25,000 people to visit for the basketball games" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/12).
GEOGRAPHY LESSON: In Hartford, Kenneth Gosselin notes the AAC men's tournament today "gets underway at the XL Center," but UConn "is the only team from Connecticut -- or anywhere else in New England -- in the tournament." The "only other school within a few hours' drive" is Temple. The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau is "projecting that the tournament will draw attendance of 50,000" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/12).
