2018 March Madness Regional

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iamjacobm
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2018 March Madness Regional

Post by iamjacobm »

Having trouble finding out for sure, but have seen a couple tweets saying that we are going to host a regional in 2018. That would be Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games rather than opening rounds.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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http://www.ksfy.com/home/headlines/Siou ... 44441.html
Des Moines, Iowa won the right to host first and second round games in 2016, while Omaha will host one of the four Regional rounds in 2018.
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iamjacobm
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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HUGE NEWS!!
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Brad
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Wow! That's Awesome!
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Creighton article on it:
http://www.gocreighton.com/ViewArticle. ... =209768640" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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This doesn't suck at all!

Omaha, Los Angeles, Boston and Atlanta.
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iamjacobm
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Brad wrote:This doesn't suck at all!

Omaha, Los Angeles, Boston and Atlanta.
That's some company.
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skinzfan23
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Wow, I wasn't expecting that. Going to get some even greater pub for the city.
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iamjacobm
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Brad
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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skinzfan23 wrote:Wow, I wasn't expecting that.
Same here. I thought the sweet 16/elite 8 were all moved to dome stadiums.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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It looks like they are maybe moving away from the dome stadiums hosting that round. I think that is good for basketball. The domes ruin the atmosphere.

The only things I like better in hosting the earlier rounds is 8 teams instead of just 4 and usually there are more upsets in the first rounds, which is more exciting to watch for the average fan. That sad, I am still super excited to have Omaha joining the "major" cities and hosting the regional.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Brad wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:Wow, I wasn't expecting that.
Same here.  I thought the sweet 16/elite 8 were all moved to dome stadiums.
"It is a tremendous coup for Omaha to get a Regional," said Rasmussen. "There are no Regionals in 2016, '17 and '18 that will be held in domes, so the basketball environment for the Regionals wil be tremendous."
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skinzfan23
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Hopefully the Shamrock Marriott will be up and running by then.
twiztid1
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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The early rounds are always great to host, but this is a big upgrade for Omaha.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

Post by MadMartin8 »

WOW This is HUGE news! Didn't see this coming. Figured we'd always be stuck with the first two rounds.



skinzfan23 wrote:Hopefully the Shamrock Marriott will be up and running by then.
:lol: :lol:
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skinzfan23
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Shatel: NCAA basketball regional finals may be Omaha's most elite event
“The committee is already impressed with what Omaha has done in the past, in 2008 and 2012,” Rasmussen said. “Great attendance, great facility, convenient to the airport, and the NCAA’s good relationship with Omaha, all played into it.”
Because the CenturyLink Center is Creighton’s home court, the Jays can’t be there. But Nebraska — and UNO — can. Tim Miles and Derrin Hansen, start recruiting for a Final Four run through Omaha in 2018.
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Greg S
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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skinzfan23 wrote:It looks like they are maybe moving away from the dome stadiums hosting that round. I think that is good for basketball. The domes ruin the atmosphere.

The only things I like better in hosting the earlier rounds is 8 teams instead of just 4 and usually there are more upsets in the first rounds, which is more exciting to watch for the average fan.  That sad, I am still super excited to have Omaha joining the "major" cities and hosting the regional.

I agree. There definitely seems to be a retreat from domes. Better atmosphere in arenas plus I think ticket demand in a dome is a concern.

Great prestige with this but again I agree it's a little bit of a bummer only getting 4 teams for this vs 8 for the earlier round games.

Greg
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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'A huge win for Omaha': Choice of city to host 2018 NCAA men's basketball regional propels us toward 'big leagues'
OWH wrote:From 2009 to 2018, more than 20 cities will have hosted regional championships in the Division I men’s basketball tournament. Omaha, with a metropolitan-area population of 865,000, is the second smallest. It’s larger only than Syracuse, New York, home of Syracuse University basketball and the 49,000-seat Carrier Dome.

The NCAA announced sites Monday for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 tournaments. Des Moines was selected for early-round games in 2016. Lincoln did not bid to host games.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

Post by iamjacobm »

Might be less game but I is a lot more eyes on each game. I genuinely didn't even think a regional was on the table. Now let's add a B1G basketball tourney and finish out the decade strong.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Also from that article:
The regional semifinals and final involve only three games, fewer than the earlier rounds that Omaha has held before. But they draw many more TV viewers. In 2014, Sweet 16 game viewership ranged from 3 million to 10 million. And 7.2 million to almost 15 million viewers watched Elite Eight games.
On March 23 and 25, 2018, only one other city will be hosting March Madness games on the same day as Omaha.
“If it hits about 7 to 8 million viewers, then we are in the big leagues,” Adidam said.
That is a ton of eyes on Omaha. I just wish they would show some more outside shots or aerial footage similar to Monday Night Football.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Not to mention that even when they are covering the first and second round they will still be referring to the games as the "Omaha Regional"
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Brad wrote:Not to mention that even when they are covering the first and second round they will still be referring to the games as the "Omaha Regional"
I didn't even think of that. Every little mention is worth it.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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For those who are 750 miles away is there any news of the Marriot and the rest of that development? It would show better than a parking lot for the NCAAs.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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The regional will be much bigger for TV. The NCAA likes all their sites to look the same so exposure gets watered down in the early rounds when several games are played at the same time. Omaha will get a lot more eyes in 2018.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Speaking of 2018 March Madness...
NCAA March Madness on Twitter wrote:Creighton's Bruce Rasmussen named vice chair of DI Men's Basketball Committee: http://on.ncaa.com/29GYj8r
Rob Anderson on Twitter @_robanderson wrote:If you don't understand now how prestigious Bruce Rasmussen's job as chairman is, you will in 2018 when he hands out championship trophy.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Huge news, big props for CU also!
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Shatel: As Omaha prepares to host 2018 NCAA regional final, it can learn from an old hand, Kansas City
Absolutely. We’ve had three “first weekend” NCAA tournaments. And those are great fun. You get underdogs, no names, long shots, upsets, four games in one day, all the stuff that makes the NCAA tournament stranger than fiction.

But the regional final is a different level.

Different intensity. Different nerves. Different noises.

In some ways, a regional final is better than a Final Four. Because it’s like an old-school Final Four, played in a basketball arena.

Where fans can see. Where fans can be heard.

The way college basketball was meant to be seen and heard.

You’re in for a treat, Omaha. And you’ve earned it.

Omaha. Boston. Atlanta. Los Angeles.

Three NBA arenas. And the home of the Creighton Bluejays.

Glad to hear they are already actively seeking to host in future years as well:
Now here we are, a year from the event, and Rasmussen is already talking about the next one. The committee will vote in April on sites from 2019-22.

“We (Creighton/Omaha) have bid for the first weekends and regionals in 2019-22,” Rasmussen said. “Typically, they won’t give a city a second regional until they have hosted one, so I would be a little surprised if we get a regional from 2019-22 because we haven’t hosted yet.

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we get one the next cycle after that.

“I’ll be real surprised if we don’t get a first-weekend regional (for 2019-22).”
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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During the broadcast of the Oregon-Michigan game in KC last night I saw Bruce Rasmussen in the 1st or 2nd row. Not sure if he was scoping out ideas for next year's regional or cheering on an old friend. Probably both. It should be a good experience next year, and I would bet that if KU gets a #1 seed next year they will be put in the Omaha regional. I wonder how far along they will be on Capitol District by then.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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That's a good point, I had assumed the Capital District would be open by then. Is that correct?

Greg
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Greg S wrote:That's a good point, I had assumed the Capital District would be open by then. Is that correct?

Greg
Well the Marriott and the apts should easily be open (they are scheduled to be open by August 2017). The outdoor ice skating area is supposed to be completed by this fall/winter. As for the office buildings of the complex, who knows.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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skinzfan23 wrote:
Greg S wrote:That's a good point, I had assumed the Capital District would be open by then. Is that correct?

Greg
Well the Marriott and the apts should easily be open (they are scheduled to be open by August 2017). The outdoor ice skating area is supposed to be completed by this fall/winter. As for the office buildings of the complex, who knows.
Will be interesting how they plan construction around the plaza and surrounding area.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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If it all goes chalk, Omaha will host Kansas, Duke, Michigan St. and Auburn!
Just voted the most competitive regional by CBS.
They just said to get ready for great steakhouses.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Not sure how rabid Auburn basketball fans are, but those other 3 schools would be amazing to have.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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The national pub Omaha will get from this regional will be priceless!...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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It's still crazy to see that we got a regional, especially compared to the other 3 sites. Hopefully we continue to impress!
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Louie wrote:It's still crazy to see that we got a regional, especially compared to the other 3 sites. Hopefully we continue to impress!
Omaha has worked very hard over the past 15 years and has really carved niche as a first class event city. The Olympic Committee has seen it and the NCAA has for decades..

Omaha knows how to host an event- Big, medium or small..

It’s nice to see hard work and success rewarded with Omaha landing the regional this year. This is HUGE for Omaha and I have little doubt, the Big O will knock this out of the park :thumb: ...

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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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The banner on the skywalk from the Hilton:
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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Good thing Omaha represents better than Dallas for the tournament. I get that the Florida vs St. Bonaventure is 11 vs 6, but it looks like there is only a few thousand there at most. That is pathetic. I think the midwest in general does a much better job supporting the events. Cities like Omaha, Des Moines, KC, Minneapolis are always full when there are games in these sites. I remember the Creighton game a few years ago in North Carolina, there was no one there and the arena looked like a dump.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

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skinzfan23 wrote:Good thing Omaha represents better than Dallas for the tournament. I get that the Florida vs St. Bonaventure is 11 vs 6, but it looks like there is only a few thousand there at most. That is pathetic. I think the midwest in general does a much better job supporting the events. Cities like Omaha, Des Moines, KC, Minneapolis are always full when there are games in these sites. I remember the Creighton game a few years ago in North Carolina, there was no one there and the arena looked like a dump.
Wichita was surprisingly empty too. I think they both struggled from games starting late making it nearly midnight local time by the time they were wrapping up.

Also the Boise Arena looked pretty small and had one of the worst camera angles for basketball I have ever seen. Wiki says it holds less than 13K for basketball and opened in '82.
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Re: 2018 March Madness Regional

Post by skinzfan23 »

I agree about the Boise arena. The camera was so high and there were numerous times that I couldn't tell if a basket was made because of the camera angle making it hard to distinguish the net and the white lettering on the court.
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