Wyoming men’s coach Steve McClain half-jokingly shouldered part of the blame for the Mountain West Conference Tournament failing to draw bigger crowds in Denver.
If the Cowboys hadn’t gone one-and-out the last two years, the sizable Wyoming contingent might have stayed longer.
It wasn’t McClain’s fault Wyoming’s first-round MWC game last year was played in the afternoon. And it wasn’t McClain’s fault that Air Force also bowed out early, or that Colorado State fans turned out for the 2004 semifinals in fewer numbers than New Mexico fans did for the women’s championship game that year.
“I feel bad for the Pepsi Center. About the time we go back to Vegas, we are going to be pretty good again,” McClain said. “If one of the Front Range schools would have been a little better during this era, the numbers might have been different. That’s unfortunate, but I do know our fans love to go to Las Vegas.”
The MWC’s three-year run in Denver ends this weekend, then it’s back to Las Vegas for the conference tournament.
During the 2000-03 run in Las Vegas, the tournament’s average attendance ranged from 9,674 to 13,483. It plunged to an average of 8,322 in 2004, the first year in Denver. Last year it improved only slightly to 8,974, and it’s not expected to increase much, if any, this week.
Fans may not have shown up in droves, but coaches and players appreciate the Pepsi Center.
“Kids love the idea of playing in the Pepsi Center,” McClain said. “When they sit and watch a building on TV and know NBA guys make their living there, a college player gets excited about that.”
Or, as CSU forward Micheal Morris once said: “Las Vegas is for the parent. Denver is for the players.”
The MWC Tournament was doomed in Denver its first year, which came a week ahead of the men’s NCAA Tournament at the Pepsi Center. Last year’s attendance was rescued by New Mexico reaching the finals and a crowd of 10,628 for the men’s championship game.
MWC coaches originally wanted to move the tournament from UNLV’s home court to a neutral site. The league office also believed playing in a neutral city, in an NBA arena, would enhance the MWC’s national profile.
But the fans haven’t followed.
“No disrespect to Denver, but it’s not a destination point,” said San Diego State men’s coach Steve Fisher.
No one is happier the tournament is moving back to Las Vegas than UNLV men’s coach Lon Kruger. “I’m sure Denver will do a great job this week,” he said. “We’re very excited to have the tournament back in Vegas and make this an even bigger event.”
Footnote
Fans can buy a $15 device called a “smart bug” to listen to radio broadcasts of the tournament games as well as postgame news conferences.
