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Username Post: 2019 Ivy Tournament at Yale?        (Topic#21570)
westcoast 
Senior
Posts: 302

Reg: 03-08-16
05-24-18 01:09 PM - Post#257147    

This is a surprise. Yale Basketball has tweeted that they will be hosting the 2019 Ivy League Tournament.

https://twitter.com/Yale_Basketball/statu s/9996973...

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21086

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: 2019 Ivy Tournament at Yale?
05-24-18 01:37 PM - Post#257151    
    In response to westcoast

Well, I guess the good news is now there's a greater chance of having sellout crowds at the Ivy Tourney.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
05-24-18 01:37 PM - Post#257152    
    In response to westcoast

Looks like the question mark should be removed from the topic title.

Here is the official announcement:

https://pennathletics.com/news/2018/5/24/mens-b ask...

The setup will be the same as this year -
Saturday March 16th
Men's semifinal #1 (#1 vs #4 seed) at 12:30 pm (ESPNU)
Men's semifinal #2 (#2 vs #3 seed) at 3:00 pm (ESPNU)
Women's semifinal #1 (#1 vs #4 seed) at 6:00 pm (ESPN3)
Women's semifinal #2 (#2 vs #3 seed) 30 minutes after the 1st semifinal (ESPN3)

Sunday March 17th
Men's final at 12:00 pm (ESPN2)
Women's final at 4:00 pm (ESPNU)

 
84grad 
Junior
Posts: 277

Age: 64
Reg: 11-09-17
05-24-18 01:44 PM - Post#257153    
    In response to rbg

I didn't think it could get worse. I'm a Harvard fan opposed to any tournament, but fully supportive of a tournament (if it has to be held) at The Palestra (even last year). Disappointing choice and cannot accept the characterization of the "historic John J. Lee Amphitheater". Major step backwards.

 
Chip Bayers 
Professor
Posts: 6997
Chip Bayers
Loc: New York
Reg: 11-21-04
05-24-18 02:03 PM - Post#257155    
    In response to 84grad

Absurd. Absolutely absurd.


 
weinhauers_ghost 
Postdoc
Posts: 2125

Age: 64
Loc: New York City
Reg: 12-14-09
2019 Ivy Tournament at Yale?
05-24-18 02:06 PM - Post#257156    
    In response to Chip Bayers

  • Chip Bayers Said:
Absurd. Absolutely absurd.



I am in full agreement. This is just stupid.

Don't forget this gem from the announcement posted on the Penn Athletics website:

The site for the 2020 Ivy League Basketball Tournaments will be determined at a later date as the League continues to explore various options

Edited by weinhauers_ghost on 05-24-18 02:09 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
PennFan10 
Postdoc
Posts: 3580

Reg: 02-15-15
05-24-18 03:18 PM - Post#257160    
    In response to weinhauers_ghost

Well, some folks get their wish, no Palestra. More of a central location for all those Dartmouth/Harvard/Cornell fans to race down and attend, but clearly neutral floor was not on the menu when choosing relocation spots.

 
Silver Maple 
Postdoc
Posts: 3765

Loc: Westfield, New Jersey
Reg: 11-23-04
05-24-18 03:41 PM - Post#257162    
    In response to PennFan10

I suspect neutral floor actually was on the menu, but there just weren't any viable options.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21086

Reg: 12-02-04
2019 Ivy Tournament at Yale?
05-24-18 03:53 PM - Post#257166    
    In response to Silver Maple

  • Silver Maple Said:
I suspect neutral floor actually was on the menu, but there just weren't any viable free options.




Edited by penn nation on 05-24-18 03:54 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
2019 Ivy Tournament at Yale?
05-24-18 04:52 PM - Post#257169    
    In response to penn nation

As DPerry has noted, the attendance for the men's semis and finals for the two years have been:
Semis: 5,419 (2018), 6,209 (2017)
Finals: 5,564 (2018), 3,833 (2017)

According to the Yale website, JLA holds 2,800 (1,500 permanent seats and 1,300 pull-out bleachers).

Going from the Palestra's 8,700+ to JLA's 2,800+ will greatly reduce the crowd size but provide a greater chance at a packed house for both days.

By choosing another conference venue, especially one where the men's team has been in the top 4 for the last 19 seasons, the contentious issue of home court advantage will still be in play for year #3.

If the league wanted a smaller venue and a greater chance at a packed house, then Columbia's Levien would appear to be a better option. NYC and its surrounding area is the home to a large amount of alums of all 8 schools. NYC is more easily accessible for those traveling from a distance and the arena can be easily reached by subway. Also, NYC provides a large number of non-basketball activities for those looking to make a weekend vacation out of the Tournament.

Objectively New Haven is not New York. There just does not seem to be the same excitement going from a major city, like Philly, to a smaller metropolitan area, like New Haven. Skipping a free conference facility in the nation's largest market during ESPN's Championship Week seems very shortsighted.

It would seem that this choice is a concession to Yale, Brown, Harvard and Dartmouth for having the first two years down in Philly (FWIW, Cornell is 275 miles from Yale, which is about a 5 hour trip without traffic. NYC is 225 miles and Cornell has a growing footprint there).

While the JLA will have a greater percentage of the arena filled for both tournaments and provide an intense atmosphere, it is a bit disappointing to see the league downsizing to such a degree by year #3. If this is a step towards eliminating the Ivy Tournament, then it is understandable. If the league is trying to actually grow the Tournament, then it is a more surprising choice.

Edited by rbg on 05-24-18 04:58 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
Jeff2sf 
Postdoc
Posts: 4466

Reg: 11-22-04
05-24-18 05:00 PM - Post#257170    
    In response to rbg

As a supporter of the tournament (it's gonna look awesome/intense/be a blast on tv) and acknowledging the Palestra was unfair to other teams, I understand this decision.

If they insist the men and women play at the same venue and thus won't allow for higher seeds to host, this "let everyone have a turn hosting" is ok. I find it preferable to the empty neutral arena deal.

I do agree with rbg about New York. Unlike any of the other towns, you don't have to have Columbia in the tourney to sell out and could probably do that even with a larger venue, though not MSG. Oh well.

 
sparman 
PhD Student
Posts: 1339
sparman
Reg: 12-08-04
05-24-18 06:08 PM - Post#257173    
    In response to Jeff2sf

Sounds like we're in for a bumpy ride as the League tries to figure out how to achieve those lofty (and IMO unrealistic) tournament goals.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21086

Reg: 12-02-04
05-24-18 06:37 PM - Post#257174    
    In response to sparman

I think releasing this on the eve of Memorial Day weekend tells us all we need to know about how proud the bean counters at Nassau are about this move.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
05-24-18 10:30 PM - Post#257179    
    In response to penn nation

The writers at the Daily Pennsylvanian weigh in. They are not impressed with the decision.

The Ivy League and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad decision
http://www.thedp.com/article/2018/05/papaz ekos-pal...

Yale's Lee Amphitheater to host Ivy League basketball tournaments in 2019
http://www.thedp.com/article/2018/05/penn- basketba...
(with choice tweets from Dalen Cuff of ESPN and John Templon of NYC Buckets)

 
Go Green 
PhD Student
Posts: 1124

Age: 52
Reg: 04-22-10
Re: 2019 Ivy Tournament at Yale?
05-25-18 06:28 AM - Post#257182    
    In response to rbg

  • rbg Said:

It would seem that this choice is a concession to Yale, Brown, Harvard and Dartmouth for having the first two years down in Philly



If I had to guess, the choice was more about sticking it to Harvard and Princeton.

"You don't want it at the Palestra? Fine. We'll have it at Yale."




 
TigerFan 
PhD Student
Posts: 1871

Reg: 11-21-04
05-25-18 08:11 AM - Post#257183    
    In response to Go Green

I don’t hate this decision as much as some of you apparently do. Yale’s gym is small, ugly and uncomfortable but the place was electric during the 2011 “playoff” game between Princeton and Harvard. (Although I missed the first five minutes driving around desperately looking for parking). Who knows, maybe this decision will actually pave the way for a future decision to have the league winner host the thing—the only fair way to do this. If Yale can host it, anyone can. And the chaos of 8 teams in that location may convince the league powers that they don’t need to put the men and women in the same location.

 
PennFan10 
Postdoc
Posts: 3580

Reg: 02-15-15
05-25-18 10:46 AM - Post#257191    
    In response to Silver Maple

  • Silver Maple Said:
I suspect neutral floor actually was on the menu, but there just weren't any viable options.



This is another way of saying "neutral floor was NOT on the menu"



 
PennFan10 
Postdoc
Posts: 3580

Reg: 02-15-15
05-25-18 10:56 AM - Post#257192    
    In response to PennFan10

There is only 1 reasonable complaint from anyone on here or anywhere for having the tournament at the Palestra:

Home court advantage

This choice does nothing to solve that issue so clearly that is not a priority in the decision making.

A distant 2nd reason is location/distance for travel. This does address that issue so that may have become more of a priority than in past years.

With this decision we can eliminate some of the "perceived" priorities of the IL brass such as ticket sales and HCA.



 
sparman 
PhD Student
Posts: 1339
sparman
Reg: 12-08-04
05-25-18 10:59 AM - Post#257193    
    In response to rbg

Reading those articles, the words "alternative facts" keep popping into my mind.

 
weinhauers_ghost 
Postdoc
Posts: 2125

Age: 64
Loc: New York City
Reg: 12-14-09
05-25-18 11:25 AM - Post#257197    
    In response to sparman

  • sparman Said:
Reading those articles, the words "alternative facts" keep popping into my mind.



It's pretty easy to draw the conclusion that the IL administration exists in an alternate reality other than the one we alumni and supporters are in.

 
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