There were only about 3,000 fans in the lower bowl at the start of the Iowa-Illinois gameGETTY IMAGES
The Big Ten tournament tipped off last night at MSG, and there were "swaths of empty seats at the venue for the first round," according to Roman Stubbs of the WASHINGTON POST. The upper decks for the two games -- Iowa-Illinois and Rutgers-Minnesota -- were "largely untouched." The conference "didn’t immediately announce attendance figures," but it was "reminiscent of the opening night of the tournament a year ago in Washington, where the attendance dipped" more than 20% than the previous season, when it was held in Indianapolis (WASHINGTON POST, 3/1). The AP's Ralph Russo noted there were "about 3,000 fans in the lower bowl" at the 5:30pm ET start of Iowa-Illinois, though it "was about double" by the end of the game (AP, 2/28). ESPN's Dan Dakich prior to the start of the tourney said, "I would expect in the New York area, there would be a big-time attendance problem. I would think there would be, for most of the games, a ton of empty seats" (IBJ.com, 2/28). College basketball reporter Andy Katz on Twitter wrote, "For those who were complaining about the Big Ten tournament at MSG: The crowd tonight for the bottom four Big Ten teams is comparable to any first-round games at a major conference tournament. Remember, none of these teams are going to the NCAA tournament unless they win it" (TWITTER.com, 2/28).
ALL EYES ON ME: SPORTING NEWS' Mike DeCourcy noted the heart of the Big Ten is in the Midwest, and the "five days in the Big Apple will not change this." That "never has been the intent," as playing at MSG is about "expanding the league’s borders, or at least supporting the expansion that already had taken place." The fact that the tournament is this week, with only the "end of regular seasons in the major conference and a few mid-or low-major conference championships as competition," gives the Big Ten this "big stage all to itself." Indiana coach Archie Miller: "It’s monumental to be able to play in Madison Square Garden. And being able to play a week early, where you don’t have to flip the channel to see what’s going on [in] any other league. It should put all eyes on us this weekend" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 2/28).ESPN's Clinton Yates said playing at MSG is a "nice little idea" as a one-time experiment. Yates: "Last time I checked, New York City was still called the greatest city in the world, and you get to vacation there, get all the teams there. The fans get to see something different. ... Madison Square Garden is one of the most historic arenas in the world, why would you not want to play a tournament there?" But the Colorado Springs Gazette's Woody Paige said, "The Big Ten, you play in Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis -- where the schools are. Just because Rutgers is there? You can get on the bus and go to the Midwest where the rest of the schools are" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 2/28).
WORTH THE EFFORT? ESPN's Michael Wilbon said the idea to have the tournament at MSG is "awful." Wilbon: "Coaches can't say it, they're working for Big Ten schools. They're not going to get into that but trust me, I know a few -- oh, wait -- all of them. It's awful and everyone hates it. Last year I sat next to the commissioner at the end of the regular season Northwestern-Purdue game, and I told him -- with all due respect to a commissioner who does so many things right, who is great for our conference and our schools -- this stinks! It needs to go." He added, "They have enough money. ... You don't have to go to Madison Square Garden if you're the Big Ten to make more money." ESPN's Tony Kornheiser said, "It's a Midwest conference, the Big Ten, so it should be in Chicago, Detroit, or Indianapolis. It has nothing to do with New York City whatsoever, absolutely nothing." Kornheiser: "To add insult to injury, they have to get off the stage so the Big East can use Madison Square Garden. This to me is like asking Beyonce to open for Fergie" ("PTI," ESPN, 2/28).
BEHIND THE CURTAIN: In this SportsBusiness Journal/Daily Podcast, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany explains the strategy behind the league’s push into the Northeast and the challenges that come with it.
