March Madness In The D

**emu steve** · March-03-18, 02:02 PM

Teams to be selected, seeded and placed next Sunday.

MSU and UofM are locks for the tourney. EMU might be the 2nd betting choice now to win the MAC tourney next week in CLE. EMU is on a 6 - 0 win streak [[8-1 over last 9), one of the better ones in the nation. MAC is a one-bid conference. So for EMU to win the tourney [[3 games) that would give them a 9 game win streak, clearly one of the better one in the country and make them a Cinderella.

There are 8 first round sites so there are two chances [[of 8) to get either MSU or UofM.

Having MSU or UofM [[or even EMU) in Detroit would really increase the buzz.

Too bad Oakland isn't the same team they were during the non-conference part of the season. They would have been good for the buzz if they won their tourney and were sent to Detroit.

**DetroitSoldier** · March-03-18, 04:57 PM

MSU is a lock to play in Detroit as a 2 or 3 seed. UM could end up there in one of the other brackets, if the seeding around the country gets turned upside down.

**emu steve** · March-04-18, 03:25 AM

Not sure I agree with that. 50 - 50 chance that ANY 2 and 3 seeds play in Detroit.

There are 8 first round sites and they get two sets [[from two regions) of 4 teams, e.g., 1/16 and 8/9 and 5/12 and 4/13. There will be no other seeds except for those four. [[e.g., see Tulsa 2017 tourney)

Another site gets 2/15 and 7/10 and 3/14 as well as 6/11 and 7/10 from two regions [[e.g., see Milwaukee's two sets of 4 teams).

As far as DETROIT and UofM and MSU. IF, IF, IF, Detroit gets the a bracket with the #2 and #3 seeds then there is a decent chance of UofM or MSU.

IF Detroit gets the 1/16, 5/12, 8/9 and 4/13, very unlikely we'll see UofM or MSU period because they should be 2 or 3 seeds and shipped elsewhere.

For the MAC tourney winner, is it more complicated. The team could be a #13 or 14 seed. A #13 can be at one of two sites; a #14 will be at one of two different sites.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_N...all_Tournament

**emu steve** · March-15-18, 07:44 AM

March Madness is here and Detroit is a BIG winner!!

MSU, Purdue, Butler, Syracuse, etc. Does it get any better than that?

Those are some real marque teams which will have rabid fan followings.

Friday and Sunday should be crazy.

**Bham1982** · March-15-18, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by emu steve

March Madness is here and Detroit is a BIG winner!!

MSU, Purdue, Butler, Syracuse, etc. Does it get any better than that?

When it's over, and downtown isn't turned into an arena parking lot, it will certainly get "better than that".

**emu steve** · March-16-18, 05:35 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

When it's over, and downtown isn't turned into an arena parking lot, it will certainly get "better than that".

Whatever...

For the rest of Detroit and metro area. Presumably MSU and Purdue will both be playing in games Sunday and the area will be rocking...

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...feet/32970035/

P.S., B'ham was probably worried about trash when folks in Detroit and nationally celebrated when Detroit hosted the Super Bowl years ago.

[["keep Detroit clean - no more Super Bowls." Lol.)

**SammyS** · March-16-18, 09:49 AM

Anyone who will visit Detroit for the first time in over 5 years will likely leave with a different impression than what they expected.

**DetroitSoldier** · March-16-18, 10:12 AM

I've given directions to a few visiting basketball fans downtown this morning. This got me thinking... It would be beneficial to invest in a quality signage package downtown. Locals know where everything is, but I think visitors would be more comfortable following signs to destinations like LCA as opposed to having their face glued to Google Maps.

**Hypestyles** · March-16-18, 10:18 AM

best of luck to MSU and UMich.

**emu steve** · March-16-18, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by SammyS

Anyone who will visit Detroit for the first time in over 5 years will likely leave with a different impression than what they expected.

Yes!!!

Some posters do not realize that mega events like NCAA men's bball tourney are like the front porch to the city.

If a city like Detroit wants others, outside of S.E. Michigan, to come and invest, etc. in Detroit they need to market the city.

Nothing markets a city better than say Super Bowl, World Series, March Madness tourney, etc.

It gets the publicity that money can not buy.

The same is also true for college sports teams. University Buffalo got huge amounts of publicity for their butt kicking of #4 seed University of Arizona on CBS during prime time.

Every college men's basketball fan in America now knows who University at Buffalo is. Hint: It is the Buffalo school part of the SUNY system.

**Zads07** · March-16-18, 11:56 AM

Would agree with more signage in the downtown area where things are at. And yes, big for Detroit to have the first round of the tournament.

Bad that 94 is closed from the east side for locals to get into the city.

**emu steve** · March-16-18, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Zads07

Would agree with more signage in the downtown area where things are at. And yes, big for Detroit to have the first round of the tournament.

Bad that 94 is closed from the east side for locals to get into the city.

Agree. It is always helpful to have signage geared toward tourists. Cities should assume that a certain percentage of folks at sporting events, concerts, etc. etc. are visitors and need as much assistance as possible to help them navigate.

Is Detroit ticketed to get regionals in the future? I don't think anything has been announced, but here's hoping.

**emu steve** · March-17-18, 05:39 AM

https://twitter.com/LCArena_Detroit/status/974856097961070593

**Atticus** · March-17-18, 09:45 AM

Having MSU there ensures the arena is filled, ticket prices are high, and the bars are packed. However, many MSU fans have already been exposed to the new Detroit.

I think the real benefit in hosting this event, is to show off the city’s progress to fans of the other 7 schools. Many may have never been to Detroit before, and I would guess most not in the last 5 years.

As for the future, LCA hosts the first and second rounds again in four years. For Detroit, personally I would rather see the city host the first two rounds as opposed to the regional. 8 teams, fans, cheerleaders, bands, etc. fill the city for that round, over just 4 teams for the regional. More exposure that way.

**emu steve** · March-17-18, 03:55 PM

Tomorrow should be great. Very good match ups for the 2nd round.

Syracuse vs. MSU after Butler/Purdue, two Indiana schools.

**401don** · March-17-18, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Atticus

Having MSU there ensures the arena is filled, ticket prices are high, and the bars are packed. However, many MSU fans have already been exposed to the new Detroit.

I think the real benefit in hosting this event, is to show off the city’s progress to fans of the other 7 schools. Many may have never been to Detroit before, and I would guess most not in the last 5 years.

As for the future, LCA hosts the first and second rounds again in four years. For Detroit, personally I would rather see the city host the first two rounds as opposed to the regional. 8 teams, fans, cheerleaders, bands, etc. fill the city for that round, over just 4 teams for the regional. More exposure that way.

Still saw a lot of empty seats in the lower level for the State game last night. If they were sold then they are either lousy fans or fans of the teams in the 2nd game, but the stands look packed at the other arenas.

**Knocturnal** · March-17-18, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Still saw a lot of empty seats in the lower level for the State game last night. If they were sold then they are either lousy fans or fans of the teams in the 2nd game, but the stands look packed at the other arenas.

Were you at the game? From the views during the telecast, it appeared that very few seats were empty for the State game. The few glimpses of highlights that I caught of the other games at LCA looked glaringly open, however. I also saw plenty of open seats at several other arenas that were hosting tournament games, particularly the earlier played games. However, even today there were swaths of open seating even for high ranked teams with supposed good followings. The situation is not unique to LCA only.

**masterblaster** · March-17-18, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Still saw a lot of empty seats in the lower level for the State game last night. If they were sold then they are either lousy fans or fans of the teams in the 2nd game, but the stands look packed at the other arenas.

I was at the first two games played in the LCA on Friday. Those lower level seats in that one section is intended for the fans of one of the basketball teams. On the opposite end is a section intended for the fans of the other team that is playing. The empty seats you saw were probably the section for the Bucknell fans. Bucknell is a small school in Pennsylvania with an enrollment of only 3,500. I noticed that empty section, but I also noticed the upper level seats and other sections of the lower level were full.

**emu steve** · March-17-18, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

I was at the first two games played in the LCA on Friday. Those lower level seats in that one section is intended for the fans of one of the basketball teams. On the opposite end is a section intended for the fans of the other team that is playing. The empty seats you saw were probably the section for the Bucknell fans. Bucknell is a small school in Pennsylvania with an enrollment of only 3,500. I noticed that empty section, but I also noticed the upper level seats and other sections of the lower level were full.

Yes, I believe they reserve 450 seats in four sections for the four teams playing in the doubleheader.

The highest seeded team would presumably have their 450 seats behind the "Pistons' bench" The lowest seated team would have their 450 seats on the opposite side of the arena.

Kind of like a quadrant system, four quadrant. Seats are assigned within one of four quadrants to fans of the participating schools.

So fans of teams in the second game, may or may not want to watch the first game, and those seats could be unused for that other game.

**401don** · March-18-18, 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

I was at the first two games played in the LCA on Friday. Those lower level seats in that one section is intended for the fans of one of the basketball teams. On the opposite end is a section intended for the fans of the other team that is playing. The empty seats you saw were probably the section for the Bucknell fans. Bucknell is a small school in Pennsylvania with an enrollment of only 3,500. I noticed that empty section, but I also noticed the upper level seats and other sections of the lower level were full.

I knew the block of empty seats was for teams but there seemed to be a lot of scattered empty seats on the sides of the lower bowl, which obviously would be the most expensive. They did fill in more in the 2nd half.
Great win by the Wolverines last night. That Houston player will be shooting those free throws in his sleep for years.

**emu steve** · March-18-18, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

I knew the block of empty seats was for teams but there seemed to be a lot of scattered empty seats on the sides of the lower bowl, which obviously would be the most expensive. They did fill in more in the 2nd half.
Great win by the Wolverines last night. That Houston player will be shooting those free throws in his sleep for years.

Actually I believe all the seats except those reserved for the teams [[450 x 4) are sold far in advance.

Quite frankly I'm sure a lot of folks from CS-Fullerton, TCU, Arkansas, etc. could have cared less about a game involving MSU.

Likewise, MSU fans probably had little interest in say Butler/Arkansas.

**EGrant** · March-19-18, 09:35 AM

Lots of Purdue fans left before the MSU game even started, and they weren't just sitting in the designated section. Most people I've ever seen at LCA for a basketball game.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · March-19-18, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

Lots of Purdue fans left before the MSU game even started, and they weren't just sitting in the designated section. Most people I've ever seen at LCA for a basketball game.

Yeah, it will go back to business as usual [[empty seats) when the Pistons and Wings return.