Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the Test

Mistachill · Mar 6, 2011

For years we've had to hear about how having the tournament in Richmond is such a huge advantage to VCU, blah, blah, blah....

In my opinion today will put that theory to the test. On paper there's no way we should beat Mason this afternoon. #1 seed vs. #4 seed, #1 seed maybe the hottest team in the nation, #4 has been struggling down the stretch, BUT...they're playing in their home town with what should be a mostly pro-VCU crowd.

If we pull this out, I will forever concede that playing the tournament in the Coliseum is a huge advantage for VCU. In the past we've won because we were usually the better team. If we win today a large part of it will be Richmond was the big equalizer.

Rambunctious · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the

I am not sure it will be a huge advantage. Mason is the # 1 seed and they expect to to win this. VCU fans? Not so much. Mason will have plenty of support, plus, is it seriously burdensome to travel 1.5 hours?

We are damned if we do and damned if we don't If we lose, Mason, ODU (and now freak'n Drexel) will say we suck. If we win they will say it's fixed and there's a home court advantage.

BaNgMyPrOgRaM · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the

GMU is due for a loss.

VCU Finance 2008 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the

In 2008 we were the #1 seed and Mason ended up winning it, so they owed us one. If we play ODU in the finals that won't tell us much about the home court advantage since neither one of us defended our home court this year. Let's just win the whole darn thing and not worry about what they think.

Half-baked Mcbride · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the

here here

The number 1 beat-to-death thread on the zone was the Richmond Tourney Conundrum....the CAA is a business....they want to maximize profits....until a more lucrative offer comes from another city, then the status quo is the safest way to turn a profit.

Of course, that defeats all the conspiracy theories and pointless bickering and name-calling

MADRAM · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the

If we pull this out, I will forever concede that playing the tournament in the Coliseum is a huge advantage for VCU. In the past we've won because we were usually the better team. If we win today a large part of it will be Richmond was the big equalizer.

"by appearance" there were AS MANY GMU fans in the building as VCU. We controlled the game from start to finish taking THEIR crowd out. The better team won today NOT because we had more fans in the building. Just look at the many empty seats where they once sat.

fmrick · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the

it is our court. It is our second home. So be it. I'll take it.

VCU Finance 2008 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the

fmrick said:
it is our court. It is our second home. So be it. I'll take it.

It's just not fair to everyone else to play the thing in the Coliseum every year. I say it should rotate between the Coliseum, The Arthur Ashe Center, and Barco Stevens (VUU) every year. VCU receives the same ticket allotment and everyone else fights for the leftovers.

I don't know if someone was trying to rub it in with those directional signs with the distance to each campus but I thought that was pretty funny. Of course while VCU was 2 miles in one direction from the Coliseum it was only a couple of blocks in the other direction to the MCV campus so they weren't trying to rub it in too bad I guess.

bighorn · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Richmond/CAA Tournament/Home Court Advantage put to the

Over and over again, CAA officials have solicited for financial bids from other cities ... and the results have been laughable - really, disrespectful.

No city has seriously challenged Richmond. You hear people/coaches/schools complain, complain, but they have nothing to back it up with.

Furthermore, the CAA folks have worked and worked for a couple decades to sell corporate tickets and program ads, cultivate media outlets, gain sponsorship, and make it sing on Leigh Street - and right now it's humming like Dionne Warwick in her prime.

Going to another venue now, with absolutely no guarantees, would be like starting all over from an organizational standpoint - basically, professional suicide.

But let there be no doubt, VCU has an overwhelming competitive advantage downtown; anytime you don't travel, you're odds perk up ... and, what's more, think of the money Fmrick is saving.

It's all about feeling comfortable/cozy; even when VCU played at the Coliseum, '73-00, the Rams almost never practiced there. There was always the hockey ice to contend with, in regard to the hoops setup.