The Big 12 is "considering bringing its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments back together in the same city," according to Blair Kerkhoff of the K.C. STAR. Discussion of future sites "will be on the agenda when the league’s annual spring meetings begin" tomorrow in Irving, Texas. The events have "been held in separate cities for the past two seasons after operating in the same city for the first 16 years." Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said that a solution is "unlikely to be determined this week." Kerkhoff notes before the tournaments split in '13, they were "played in the same city and during the same week but at different sites." No schedules "would change until" '17, as the events are "set for the next two years" with the men in K.C. and the women in Dallas in '15 and Oklahoma City in '16. The men’s tournament has "been an overwhelming success" in K.C., and the idea is that the women’s event "could benefit from the enthusiasm of the men’s tournament while not inconveniencing teams’ fans." Bowlsby said that TV windows "could be a factor in the decision." The goal is to "have all games from both events with maximum national exposure, and scheduling both tournaments for the week in same building -- a total of 18 games -- could affect that opportunity." K.C. "will put its history of success against Dallas, Oklahoma City and others that show interest in the event." Bowlsby: "The satisfaction level is very high with Kansas City, there’s no question about that" (K.C. STAR, 5/27).
