ROSEMONT, Ill. – The stage was set for what the Horizon League dubbed as a huge announcement regarding its postseason tournament. A curtain draped over an easel was center stage 30 minutes prior to Wednesday’s conference media day.
The curtain remains over the easel.
Horizon League Commissioner Jonathan LeCrone, a native of Vandalia, said his important announcement would have to wait but promised he would be able to make the announcement soon.
Over the offseason, Horizon League officials looked at changing the league’s format for postseason tournaments. Currently the regular season champs host the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds with the highest remaining seed hosting the finals. Up until last year, the conference champion had always won its semifinal game and thus keeping the tournament in one venue.
But all of that changed last year.
After No. 3 seed Wright State knocked off No. 2 seed Cleveland State, Milwaukee knocked off top-seeded Green Bay relocating the tournament for the first time.
Wright State officials had three days to prepare for a nearly sold-out Nutter Center. The pressure was on but by all indications, the event was a success.
“If you ask the assistant ticket manager at Wright State, he would say, ‘man that about killed us, please don’t do that to us again,” LeCrone said. “It was really hard on their staff."
Because of the success WSU had in helping the Horizon League switch venues, LeCrone said the Horizon League learned it is possible with hard work to move the tournament across the Midwest.
“Was it good for our league? Yes,” LeCrone said. “We had two fantastic nights not only on ESPN but for the fans. They were extraordinary nights for us. It shows me it wasn’t a completely crazy idea about moving that game to the highest seed."
Part of the discussions revolved around moving the tournament from on-campus venues to a predetermined neutral facility. Some officials have suggested that the Indiana Fairgrounds in Indianapolis is a leading candidate if the Horizon League decided to go that route.
The advantages of having a predetermined site are huge.
Conferences that currently have a predetermined site are often able to make money off corporate ticket packages. The Horizon League Championships do not have the same level of corporate partnerships that other conference championships have.
Finding blocks of hotel rooms can also be an issue as travel parties grow in the postseason. For most regular season games, a team’s travel party typically ranges from 20-25. That number balloons in the postseason as most programs bring their bands, cheerleaders and administrators.
On the other hand, several of the conference tournament games had deafening atmospheres. Both Green Bay and Wright State had large student sections that showed up for their respective home conference tournament games. Moving the games to a neutral facility would like cause a dramatic decrease in the number of students attending the tournament.
“The game at Green Bay against Milwaukee was like a championship game, it was great,” LeCrone said. “And then the game at Wright State was another championship game. Absolutely great from my perspective.”
In order to win the title last year, Milwaukee had to win on the road in two tough environments.
“It was a great feeling to do it with my guys,” senior Milwaukee guard Steve McWhorter said. “The environments we played in, Green Bay was picked to finish first in the regular season and to win that and then go to Wright State where coach had not won since he has been here in that environment, that was incredible. That was one of the best experiences of my life.”
