I am an ISU alum who lives in the Peoria, IL area and works in the sporting industry here. I meant to post something on this last spring, but am just now getting around to it as the season draws closer.
Bradley, who we all know was in the inaugural CBI tourney, played host to some post-season games for the CBI tourney. Listening to the local ESPN radio show, the newspaper beat writter for the Braves commented that to play host to a CBI game, Bradley had to put up in the neighborhood of at least $60,000 per game to have the rights to play here in Peoria.
My question to you all is this, would that benefit ISU to be in the tourney if that is the kind of money you have to pay for a third-tier tourney. Granted, all of us would love to see the Sycamores in any post-season tourney, but could the athletic department afforded, or made, that kind of money to justify the ends. Would there have been enough sponsorhip and gate to make money on the venture, which we all know is what athletics, in the end, are about.
Just a question I wanted to post as the season draws nearer. Hopefully we won't have to worry about being in that tourney, but the two above it, this year.
Bradley, who we all know was in the inaugural CBI tourney, played host to some post-season games for the CBI tourney. Listening to the local ESPN radio show, the newspaper beat writter for the Braves commented that to play host to a CBI game, Bradley had to put up in the neighborhood of at least $60,000 per game to have the rights to play here in Peoria.
My question to you all is this, would that benefit ISU to be in the tourney if that is the kind of money you have to pay for a third-tier tourney. Granted, all of us would love to see the Sycamores in any post-season tourney, but could the athletic department afforded, or made, that kind of money to justify the ends. Would there have been enough sponsorhip and gate to make money on the venture, which we all know is what athletics, in the end, are about.
Just a question I wanted to post as the season draws nearer. Hopefully we won't have to worry about being in that tourney, but the two above it, this year.