Aggie77
Official BDF member
Member Since: September 2004
Posts: 5,571
|
Post by Aggie77 on Jan 28, 2007 9:48:23 GMT -5
The MEAC doesn't have any marquee players or teams to draw a crowd. The MEAC's best team, DSU, probably has the single best player in the league, but the team doesn't have any appeal because of their offensive philosophy. Throughout its history the CIAA generally has a “BUZZ” about a player or a team, and generally has four teams that can win it going into the tourney.
|
|
|
Post by aggiejazz on Jan 28, 2007 14:29:45 GMT -5
Aggie77, can you tell us about the crowds at MEAC Basketball Tournaments of the 1980's when A&T had some super teams along with Howard University? I thought the final two days of the MEAC Tournaments during those times averaged close to 10,000 fans a night but I haven't checked the archives, yet.
|
|
Aggie77
Official BDF member
Member Since: September 2004
Posts: 5,571
|
Post by Aggie77 on Jan 28, 2007 15:31:39 GMT -5
Aggie77, can you tell us about the crowds at MEAC Basketball Tournaments of the 1980's when A&T had some super teams along with Howard University? I thought the final two days of the MEAC Tournaments during those times averaged close to 10,000 fans a night but I haven't checked the archives, yet. I wish I could, but I was in corporate exile in the Twin Cities of Minnesota during the 80's. The first MEAC tourney I recall going to was in Baltimore, where all games but the championship game was on Morgan's campus. The crowds were much more into every game because the venue was smaller. I remember Hill Fieldhouse being packed and it is actually smaller (capacity) now than then.
|
|
|
Post by Aggie One on Jan 28, 2007 15:31:55 GMT -5
The best crowds were in the mid to late 70's and early 80's with guys like James Sparrow, Allen Spruill, Ron Johnson, Ray Petty, Sinclair Colbert, LJ Pipken, Hal Royster, and James Anderson. Then the MEAC would have at least four teams coming into the tourney with 20 wins and three more with at least 15 apiece. I did the AP game reports back in those days as a sideline along with being the sports editor for the Register.
I remember Sparrow's sophomore season when the MEAC drew 50,000 for three days in the G'boro Coliseum with 14,290 for the finals against Morgan and the "Pencil." The 1988 tournament was pretty good when we destroyed Howard in the semis in a grudge match and FAMU in the finals by 104-88. Over 12,000 for that one. The building held 16,500 back in those days.
|
|
hawkeye
Official BDF member
Posts: 243
|
Post by hawkeye on Jan 28, 2007 15:52:38 GMT -5
Taking me back to the days when Chuck Taylors and Keds were king. It was all good.
|
|
Maxell
Official BDF member
Director of BDF Marketing
Posts: 12,446
|
Post by Maxell on Jan 28, 2007 16:27:22 GMT -5
I remember Sparrow's sophomore season when the MEAC drew 50,000 for three days in the G'boro Coliseum with 14,290 for the finals against Morgan and the Man, I was there. Those were the days! We were itching to play major conference schools. I think that was the year we got snubbed by the NIT. We were 6-11, 6-10, 6-9 across the front with 6-6, 6-2 in the backcourt. Colbert led the nation in rebounding with like 15 per game. And well "The Bird" was just incredible.
|
|
Gator
Official BDF member
Posts: 3,554
|
Post by Gator on Jan 28, 2007 17:41:29 GMT -5
When an Allen Spruill A&T squad beat Marvin Webster's Morgan Bears.
|
|
|
Post by Bigboy on Jan 29, 2007 9:12:36 GMT -5
The first 3 MEAC Tournaments were held at Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke) to a packed house for every game. Thats when we had players like "June" Harris, James Outlaw, Elmer Austin and "Bird" Anderson. It was later moved to the Greensboro Coliseum. After leaving Greensboro the tournament has been very nomadic to say the least. Also during this period the AGGIE-Eagle football game was also played at Duke (Wallace Wade).
|
|
|
Post by truthseeker on Dec 10, 2007 20:43:50 GMT -5
with the meac experiencing it's most successful season ever... with more d-1 nonconference wins in league history... & with nccu joining the foray... why not move the tournament back to duke... why... 1) cameron indoor stadium seats in between 9000-10,000... you had 8000 tops in raleigh last yr.... now you have just made this a tough ticket to get... people will know there islimiting seating... 2) use the rbc center to have the concerts & step shows ...etc...etc...
|
|
|
Post by truthseeker on Dec 11, 2007 17:07:29 GMT -5
i've heard that the meac tried to include the schools student government associations in helping with setting up tournament events in an effort to get more students there.... this was & still is a great idea that doesn't need to be abandoned.... yea... you run the risk of some schools taking it more seriously than other schools but that let's you know where to do the most marketing.... go one step farther... reward the schools or students with scholarships for those who do good jobs promoting the tournament....
|
|