Keeping MWC basketball tournament in Las Vegas only benefits league's bank account

I love trips to Las Vegas. I’m a golfer and love being able to play golf when the courses up here are closed or frozen. I also play a little poker now and then. So I’m kinda glad that the Mountain West Conference decided on Tuesday to keep the conference’s basketball tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center at least through 2013. After all, what would I have done for four or five days in Denver, or Laramie?
But if I’m a coach, unless I’m UNLV coach Lon Kruger, I’m not a happy camper right now. I don’t care what happened this past season, statistics show that UNLV has had an advantage when the tournament is played on the Rebels’ home court. So for conference officials to keep the tournament there, it had to come down to money. And I agree, no other venue would attract as many fans and as much interest, or generate as much money.
But, considering the lack of respect the conference got this year from the NCAA bid committee, there’s simply too much at stake with the tournament’s automatic bid to give one team an advantage. I hope, and I’ve heard, that conference officials recognize the problem, are trying to figure out a way to eventually come up with a more fair tournament site or selection formula that won’t hurt the conference financially. But it won’t happen now for another four years.
Here’s a bit from the conference’s press release on Tuesday’s conclusion of the Board of Directors meetings in Denver. And in case you are wondering, the MWC Joint Council is comprised of the Athletic Director, Senior Woman Administrator and Faculty Athletic Representative from each of the nine institutions.

Here’s part of the conference’s press release:

The MWC Board of Directors concluded its annual spring meeting yesterday at the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Denver, during which it took action on a number of items integral to the business of the Mountain West Conference and to national issues in intercollegiate athletics. Among the key topics addressed by the Board, which is comprised of the Presidents from the nine Conference member institutions, were the following:

* Reviewed in detail the MWC’s ongoing efforts to accomplish change in the current Bowl Championship Series (BCS) system, including the elements of the previously-submitted BCS Reform Proposal and other strategic initiatives.

* Considered the work of the MWC Basketball Championships Future Site Subcommittee and had a broad discussion with members of the MWC Joint Council regarding options, including the concept of rotating the basketball championships annually among multiple sites and the potential of awarding the championships to a neutral site. The Board also reviewed revenue implications and data compiled from extensive fan research. After further deliberation, a majority of the Board voted to award the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas the 2011-13 Mountain West Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.

* Established a Basketball Working Group to explore ways to further improve the men’s and women’s basketball enterprises in the Mountain West Conference. Agreed the Board would identify the areas of focus for the Working Group, including, but not limited to, scheduling and RPI, improving league perception and future basketball championships site locations.