Turning point for MAC Basketball Tournament

Doug Zaleski of the Muncie Star-Press, one of the very top columnists in the MAC has this excellent piece on the MAC Tournament. He starts out with a premise that the MAC Tournament as constituted today does not work. There are simply too many games to be played in too short a period of time. In addition, he thinks that women's basketball is not getting full recognition under this scenario.

You might agree. You might disagree. But I think he makes a good case.

Now, there are apparently two options. One is to only bring eight teams to the neutral site (which is apparently opposed by all parties) and the other is to seperate men and women, summer camp style.

I don't really understand the opposition to moving to home sites for the first round games. Zaleski says coaches want all 12 teams at the neutral site, but it would save money on travel costs to hold a home site game. They were never well attended, but neither are the first round games in Cleveland. Yes, it means that the bottom four teams in the MAC are going to have to play an away game, but is there some reason that isn't fair? They are the bottom four teams in the MAC, after all.

He then proceeds to move on and discuss the idea that has been floating around for a long time...moving the women's tournament to the Lucas County Arena. Zaleski proceeds to detail the reasons why he likes this idea, and, in fact, I agree with him 100%. Women could get some TV exposure, play their games at civilized hours, and Toledo is well situated geographically. Yes, it is closer to UT and BG than Cleveland is, but it is still a neutral floor. The MAC tournament was once played in Savage Hall, for crying out loud.

Anyway, the article is worth a read. I think either solution could work, and I think it is good that the MAC is looking to upgrade the tournament. If it works financially, the split solution might well be the strongest, and the Lucas County Arena is going to be a great venue for college sports.