The Big 12 on Thursday at its annual spring meetings in Irving, Texas announced that K.C. "was awarded" the conference's men’s basketball tournament through '20, according to a front-page piece by Blair Kerkhoff of the K.C. STAR. The city had "bid for all four years" that the tournament "was up for grabs, and landed the league’s premier event." K.C. has set the bar "high enough to keep the tournament" it has held since '10 and for 14 of the 19 years the Big 12 has been in existence. The other cities that have held Big 12 tournaments, Oklahoma City and Dallas, "also made bids." Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said, "We felt it was time to go through a complete bid process and give others a crack at it. Kansas City has always made promises and over-delivered. We felt good about the other suitors, but Kansas City has a lot of advantages it has earned.” Kerkhoff notes the men’s tournament at Sprint Center "plays to capacity crowds, one of the few conference tournaments nationally that fills its arena on a consistent basis." Missouri won the '12 tournament and a few months later "changed affiliation" to the SEC, "leaving the state without a team." But that "hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm" for the tournament. Bowlsby said, "There were some concerns after the departure of Missouri. But the last couple of years, I don’t know how the tournament could have been better. Great crowds, great environment outside the venue, and Sprint Center does an impeccable job hosting events." Meanwhile, Kerkhoff notes Sprint Center also "was awarded the Big 12 wrestling tournament," which will be held March 5-6, 2016 (K.C. STAR, 5/29).
LONG-TERM ASPIRATIONS: In Oklahoma City, Ryan Aber reports the Big 12 baseball and women’s basketball tournaments "are coming to Oklahoma City long term." The baseball tournament, which was "already scheduled to return to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark next season, will stay in Oklahoma City through" '20. Oklahoma City has hosted the baseball tournament "in every year but three" since '97. The women’s basketball tournament, which was "already scheduled to return" to Oklahoma City in '16, "will be played" at Chesapeake Arena from '17-19 (OKLAHOMAN, 5/29).
