Spring Fling and Sunbelt Tournament - how about this idea?

[davidlimbaugh]

MTSU: Baseball stadium available for Fling

 

The Sunbelt Tournament ends on Saturday. Only the Championship Games of Spring Fling are played at MTSU so play them on Sunday with Monday (it is Memorial Day Weekend) as a makeup day.

 

If rain becomes an issue for the Sunbelt tournament the high school Championship games could be moved to Cumberland or Vanderbilt or another local college venue or even to Oakland or Riverdale or another great local high school facility.

[turnin two]

MTSU: Baseball stadium available for Fling

 

The Sunbelt Tournament ends on Saturday. Only the Championship Games of Spring Fling are played at MTSU so play them on Sunday with Monday (it is Memorial Day Weekend) as a makeup day.

 

If rain becomes an issue for the Sunbelt tournament the high school Championship games could be moved to Cumberland or Vanderbilt or another local college venue or even to Oakland or Riverdale or another great local high school facility.

 

 

It can be done, if you want to.

 

Some concerns are : how playable is the field after the Sunbelt is over. Enough Hotel rooms for Spring Fling and Sunbelt.

 

I still think it can be done but there are two good concerns the "powers to be" might have.

[davidlimbaugh]

It can be done, if you want to.

 

Some concerns are : how playable is the field after the Sunbelt is over. Enough Hotel rooms for Spring Fling and Sunbelt.

 

I still think it can be done but there are two good concerns the "powers to be" might have.

 

 

I agree on both fronts. But good problems to have /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

 

With Lipscomb hosting A-Sun and MTSU hosting Sun-Belt a GREAT opportunity for colleges coaches (and fans) to get out and see some great high school ball (and coaches can check out some of the kids) when they are not playing and an equal opportunity for the high school kids and fans to see some great college baseball. Would be a fun week of baseball!

[Wave80]

I agree on both fronts. But good problems to have /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

 

With Lipscomb hosting A-Sun and MTSU hosting Sun-Belt a GREAT opportunity for colleges coaches (and fans) to get out and see some great high school ball (and coaches can check out some of the kids) when they are not playing and an equal opportunity for the high school kids and fans to see some great college baseball. Would be a fun week of baseball!

 

Too much a good thing can be problematic logistically. Hotel rooms are in short supply during Spring Fling. With two conference tournaments in the vicinity, it might be a real challenge for those of us from the farther reaches of the state from Murfreesboro to find accommodations.

[davidlimbaugh]

Too much a good thing can be problematic logistically. Hotel rooms are in short supply during Spring Fling. With two conference tournaments in the vicinity, it might be a real challenge for those of us from the farther reaches of the state from Murfreesboro to find accommodations.

 

 

Lebanon, Brentwood, Manchester, Mt Juliet, Franklin and other areas have hotels - Lets just get a shuttle service set up

[cbg]

Lebanon, Brentwood, Manchester, Mt Juliet, Franklin and other areas have hotels - Lets just get a shuttle service set up

David,

 

IMO, the first obligation for MTSU is to take care of MTSU & the Sunbelt. Let's not forget that charity begins at home & everyone should take care of their family first. If they can work everything out & do both that would be great but if I were the AD I would not pass on the league tournament to host the state high school tournament.

[davidlimbaugh]

David,

 

IMO, the first obligation for MTSU is to take care of MTSU & the Sunbelt. Let's not forget that charity begins at home & everyone should take care of their family first. If they can work everything out & do both that would be great but if I were the AD I would not pass on the league tournament to host the state high school tournament.

 

 

As the DJ at MTSU baseball and a huge fan, I would agree except the City Of Murfreesboro gave MTSU $5 million (that is million with an M) to help upgrade the baseball stadium and track facility with Spring Fling in mind. Some folks in Murfreesboro may be a tad upset over investing those funds and then losing Spring Fling. See what I mean?

 

One thing to remember is that out-of-town attendance of Sunbelt baseball games isn't that great. I have a hunch a lot of the fans at both venues will be overlap, the same people watching both events.

 

Attendance this year at Troy:

 

Day 1 (Wednesday)

 

Game 1 - 714

 

Game 2 - 744 (MTSU vs FAU)

 

Game 3 - 667

 

Game 4 - 975 (Host Troy vs South Alabama)

 

Day 2 (Thursday) 525, 582, 631 (MTSU vs La Lafayette), 728 (Western KY vs Host Troy)

 

Day 3 (Friday) 495, 738 (Troy vs ULM), 627 (MTSU vs La Lafayette), 532

 

Day 4 (Saturday) 732, (MTSU vs La Lafayette), 732 and 517 (MTSU vs ULM Championship Game)

 

So we are not talking a LOT of folks.

 

If anything, I think this is a GREAT chance for the TSSAA, Atlantic Sun and Sunbelt to work together to get more people in more seats for a great week of baseball.....

[Longgone]

As the DJ at MTSU baseball and a huge fan, I would agree except the City Of Murfreesboro gave MTSU $5 million (that is million with an M) to help upgrade the baseball stadium and track facility with Spring Fling in mind. Some folks in Murfreesboro may be a tad upset over investing those funds and then losing Spring Fling. See what I mean?

 

One thing to remember is that out-of-town attendance of Sunbelt baseball games isn't that great. I have a hunch a lot of the fans at both venues will be overlap, the same people watching both events.

 

Attendance this year at Troy:

 

Day 1 (Wednesday)

 

Game 1 - 714

 

Game 2 - 744 (MTSU vs FAU)

 

Game 3 - 667

 

Game 4 - 975 (Host Troy vs South Alabama)

 

Day 2 (Thursday) 525, 582, 631 (MTSU vs La Lafayette), 728 (Western KY vs Host Troy)

 

Day 3 (Friday) 495, 738 (Troy vs ULM), 627 (MTSU vs La Lafayette), 532

 

Day 4 (Saturday) 732, (MTSU vs La Lafayette), 732 and 517 (MTSU vs ULM Championship Game)

 

So we are not talking a LOT of folks.

 

If anything, I think this is a GREAT chance for the TSSAA, Atlantic Sun and Sunbelt to work together to get more people in more seats for a great week of baseball.....

 

David,

 

You are correct - if the money was given for spring fling then yes, folks have a right to be upset. My question is how is this any different with the city giving Oakland $50,000 for facility upgrades and them charging for seating above the concession stand? I don't live in Murfreesboro so my taxes didn't go to building the stands - I can't "officially" complain. I did call last year and talk to Mr. Childress about what was going on over there and he stated that they could not do that. They have and will continue to do as they please as long as no one complains during the regular season. And no, there shouldn't be an additional charge to sit up there weather it is a booster donation or a game fee. Would you have to pay more to sit in any of the other facilities in Rutherford county?

 

I like your idea for the facility use on Saturday. Would there be a day of rest for the athletes possible? That would help pitching staff arms greatly.

[davidlimbaugh]

David,

 

You are correct - if the money was given for spring fling then yes, folks have a right to be upset. My question is how is this any different with the city giving Oakland $50,000 for facility upgrades and them charging for seating above the concession stand? I don't live in Murfreesboro so my taxes didn't go to building the stands - I can't "officially" complain. I did call last year and talk to Mr. Childress about what was going on over there and he stated that they could not do that. They have and will continue to do as they please as long as no one complains during the regular season. And no, there shouldn't be an additional charge to sit up there weather it is a booster donation or a game fee. Would you have to pay more to sit in any of the other facilities in Rutherford county?

 

I like your idea for the facility use on Saturday. Would there be a day of rest for the athletes possible? That would help pitching staff arms greatly.

 

 

That wasn't the City that gave Oakland those funds. That was the County School board. On the question of rest, I have passed on the 'Limbaugh Plan' to the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association and they are supposed to discuss it and perhaps pass it on to the TSSAA as a new format for the post-season. One issue I have had for years is the Tuesday-Friday schedule for Spring Fling. I hate to see a kid throw on Tuesday and then come back on 2 days rest to pitch the championship game. I hate even more that it is on a Friday during the day if he is D-2 or A or AA player and his dad or mom can't get off work to see him play his last high school game if he is a senior. And since the TSSAA opened up their championship events to bid, I want to play the championship games on Saturday to make sure I get a better walk-up crowd to recoup the bid costs.

[kwcoach]

I wish the TSSAA would go to a bid system for each sport. Spread the sports out across (hopefully) the mid-state. Wouldn't they make more money that way?

[Longgone]

County or City money - no difference. They got the money to upgrade the facilities for the Spring Fling and unless you pay their "donation" fee, you can't sit in the stands above the consession stand (unless it is during the Spring Fling). Question - if Oakland gets to the Fling and is playing at home, then do they run out the non-Oakland people trying to watch the game?

[davidlimbaugh]

I wrote a letter to my local paper:

 

http://www.dnj.com/article/20090728/OPINION02/907280308/1014/OPINION/GUEST+COLUMN++Baseball+tourneys+could+be+hit