The N&R follows up on reports that the newly-expanded ACC is looking toward Madison Square Garden as host for the men’s basketball tournament. Take note of Commissioner John Swofford’s statement:
The ACC has never held its tournament farther north than Landover, Md., and North Carolina has been the event’s home for all but 11 of its 60 playings.
But, with former Big East members Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse joining this year — and Louisville to follow next season — it has caused a shift in thinking for the conference.
Swofford has previously said the ACC’s teams want to see a tournament structure that keeps its home base in North Carolina with periodic bounces out to other parts of the ACC’s reach.
“I don’t know that that’s necessarily changing,” Swofford said. “We’re not at an endpoint yet in terms of the rotation and what that will look like going forward.”
Maybe it’s me, but that wasn’t exactly a vociferous defense of the Greensboro Coliseum as host going forward. I also kinda forgot about the Barclay Center, which is under contract to the Atlantic 10 Tournament until 2017. Wonder which tournament they’d rather have.
Remember it’s all about money, so don’t be surprised at what might happen. We’re only talking about the world’s Most Famous Arena in the world’s largest media market.
