Mountain West Conference Decides to Keep Basketball Tourney In Las Vegas

Why is it that the Mountain West Conference officials, who so openly berate the BCS officials, choose to act like them when given the chance to make a wise choice?

By choosing to keep the MWC basketball tournament at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, they have very firmly stated that money is more important than having a quality, competitive tournament.

Before anyone says, “Well Utah won this year,” give me a break, of course they won’t win every year, but no one with half a brain thinks it is a fair site.

There is a reason professional teams fight for home court advantage, and that no one, that isn’t forced to, wants to play in the Marriot Center.

I personally have no problem with the tournament being in Vegas itself. My problem is that it is played on UNLV’s home court. We may just be the only conference in the country that is that stupid.

There are multiple other arenas that would be suitable hosts in terms of arena size. I heard the dumbest reason ever for not using them today: Because they are too close in proximity to casinos.

Are you serious?

It is Las Vegas, you can gamble while you are in the bathroom if you want to. The airport have slots, so do gas stations and restaurants.

If I am not mistaken, many of the teams even stay in these hotels that have casinos, so if they can “live” there, why can’t you play a game there?

If gambling really is the problem, then Salt Lake City would be the best choice. We could play it at the Huntsman Center for all I care, because we just don’t want the event near casinos. We all know they would never come to the Marriot Center.

I really don’t care where we play it as long as it is not on any team’s home court. Keep it in Vegas for all I care, but move it out of the Thomas and Mack.

Will that happen though? No. The MWC has shown that the discount provided by the Thomas and Mack results in greater revenue for the conference and so just like the BCS, money talks, and takes higher priority than quality competition.