Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany yesterday said that Detroit "could have a chance" at hosting the men's basketball tournament in future years, returning the event back to its "Midwest roots," according to Chris Solari of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Delany: "Detroit and Minneapolis and other cities should aspire. ... I can’t tell you it will happen, but I would encourage interested parties to seek it." Michigan State AD Mark Hollis said that he believes the new Little Caesars Arena and the District Detroit "will be a contender for Big Ten and NCAA events." Hollis: "There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be considered for Big Ten championships, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be considered a site for the NCAA regionals." Solari notes the Big Ten will return the men’s basketball tournament to Chicago in '19 and '21, and it will be held in Indianapolis in '20 and '22 following stops in DC this year and N.Y. next year. Meanwhile, Delany said that there has "not been any discussions about moving the Big Ten Football Championship Game, which has been anchored" at Lucas Oil Stadium since its '11 inception. He called the venue a “turn-key operation” and says the city is “really quite good at doing what they do.” But he "stopped short of calling Indianapolis a permanent home and said it should remain 'competitively engaged to have that event'" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/17). Hollis said Little Caesars Arena is "going to be one of the top hockey and basketball venues in the country." Hollis: "What they’ve developed there and what the building looks like and how it flows and how they’ve thought about most everything. ... Very tight, tight sight lines, very well thought-out" (DETROIT NEWS, 5/17).
STAR SHINE: The Cowboys' The Star in Frisco officially will host the '18 Conference USA men's and women's basketball tournaments, and in Texas, Brett Vito reports C-USA officials "studied the setup" at the 12,000-seat Ford Center "extensively and consulted with sound and television experts to ensure the venue will be fit" for the event. The Cowboys are "just as anxious to show The Star can handle the tournament, which would open up even more possibilities for the venue that already has become a draw for sporting events in the area." Outgoing Frisco Mayor Maher Maso is "confident the city can attract C-USA fans for the tournament and make it a success." Maso has been "pleased with Frisco's ability to draw fans" to the FCS title game, an event the city hosts at Toyota Stadium. C-USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod said that the conference's coaches "were in favor of moving to a neutral site" (DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE, 5/17).
