Why do UK fans like the SEC tourney so much?

[backinky2018]

I'll probably be tarred and feathered for this, but I hate the SEC tournament. I watch it, and root for UK to win it, but it has always puzzled me as to why UK fans worship it.

It's a meaningless money grab by our greedy conference. The committee has shown us time and again that the results don't matter, especially on Sunday.

I would much rather attend NCAA tourney games, as each and every one is hugely meaningful. I know the SECT is a good chance to party in a cool town for 2-4 days, but otherwise, I don't get it.

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

Because Kentucky used to dominate it and hopefully will again, because winning the SEC has been a major part of Kentucky’s storied tradition, because it’s an easy road trip, and because when you’re winning, it’s a lot of fun.

I hope it becomes all of those things again. I will say this, though, if it continues to operate as a five-day tournament, and if the conference continues to play extremely physical, Kentucky has to prioritize earning a double bye or playing to survive physically for the NCAA.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Because Kentucky used to dominate it and hopefully will again, because winning the SEC has been a major part of Kentucky’s storied tradition, because it’s an easy road trip, and because when you’re winning, it’s a lot of fun.

I hope it becomes all of those things again. I will say this, though, if it continues to operate as a five-day tournament, and if the conference continues to play extremely physical, Kentucky has to prioritize earning a double bye or playing to survive physically for the NCAA.

It is funny because our fans say it's all about final fours and national titles but our fanbase also worships a conference tournament.

I wouldn't get your hopes up of dominating it to the extent we used to. Don't see the sec going back to the cupcake conference it used to be sadly.

 

[Smashcat]

It's a meaningless money grab by our greedy conference. The committee has shown us time and again that the results don't matter, especially on Sunday.

Can't argue with that.

 

[Wildcat Sheli]

It represents a golden era for me, the high stakes drama of games like UK vs Arkansas in 1995, for example. Fun times! In fact, under Coach Pitino we only lost ONE SEC Tournament Game (1992-1997), the final in 1996 just prior to our NCAA Tournament Championship.

Kentucky SEC Tournament Games

 

[JohnnyGreen1975]

I'll probably be tarred and feathered for this, but I hate the SEC tournament. I watch it, and root for UK to win it, but it has always puzzled me as to why UK fans worship it.

It's a meaningless money grab by our greedy conference. The committee has shown us time and again that the results don't matter, especially on Sunday.

I would much rather attend NCAA tourney games, as each and every one is hugely meaningful. I know the SECT is a good chance to party in a cool town for 2-4 days, but otherwise, I don't get it.

Proximity is why I love it. It always feels like a home game and a tournament that we should dominate.

 

[JonathanW]

That is an easy one OP.
Getting tickets to games in Rupp, while easier now with the internet, isn’t easy.
Also many UK fans don’t live near (within 2 hrs) of Lexington. In fact many of us live out of state 6+ hours away, and it ain’t cheap to fly into Lexington.
Games in Rupp can often be disappointing because of the sitting Blue-Hairs, and all the music.
Lastly, the SEC-T is a chance to see not just 1 UK game, but hopefully 3 or 4. Again a bigger deal for us who live far enough away to have to take a vacation day to even watch 1 game (like I did 2 weeks ago for me and my son to see UK-Auburn because was early Sat game).

 

[fatguy87]

Because it’s a fun vacation.

 

[65pacecar]

Since the league has turned into full contact basketball I would be fine if they ended the tournament and just added two more games to the schedule that week. Maybe the Big 10 had it right for all those years.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

I'll probably be tarred and feathered for this, but I hate the SEC tournament. I watch it, and root for UK to win it, but it has always puzzled me as to why UK fans worship it.

It's a meaningless money grab by our greedy conference. The committee has shown us time and again that the results don't matter, especially on Sunday.

I would much rather attend NCAA tourney games, as each and every one is hugely meaningful. I know the SECT is a good chance to party in a cool town for 2-4 days, but otherwise, I don't get it.

It’s hard to explain. But it’s about more than the games.

We don’t get to Lexington often for games but we make some. We do go any UK games in Chicago, Indy, Vegas, NY, Atl, any of the made for TV games. We’ve gone to London, Canada, the Bahamas and Maui.

We’ve got the FF anytime UK plays in it.

But the SEC crowd is different than any other.

It’s like a family reunion. UK taking over the town is just an awesome sight.

It was a little different this year. But still far more UK fans up and down Broadway than will ever fit in Bridgestone.

We ran into some Tn fans at breakfast Friday morning. It was their first SEC tourney. They just couldn’t get over how many UK fans were in town.

Friday afternoon we met some young Alabama fans at JBJ’s rooftop. It was their first SEC tourney. Same thing. They were just awed at the sheer number of UK fans.

For the most part the UK fans at the SEC are the salt of the earth UK fans. It’s the only time they ever see UK play live.

They use their vacation time and save up all year to go. It’s just an experience.

It’s one of those things you just can’t explain if you haven’t gone. But if you do ever go it doesn’t need an explanation.

 

[GermantownDawg]

I'll probably be tarred and feathered for this, but I hate the SEC tournament. I watch it, and root for UK to win it, but it has always puzzled me as to why UK fans worship it.

It's a meaningless money grab by our greedy conference. The committee has shown us time and again that the results don't matter, especially on Sunday.

I would much rather attend NCAA tourney games, as each and every one is hugely meaningful. I know the SECT is a good chance to party in a cool town for 2-4 days, but otherwise, I don't get it.

I’m not sure from a Kentucky fan’s POV, but I still love it as a Georgia fan and it hasn’t loved me back much.

 

[TheAnonymous13]

It’s great environment with a lot of basketball. What’s not to like?

 

[the nail at the foul line]

I’m not sure from a Kentucky fan’s POV, but I still love it as a Georgia fan and it hasn’t loved me back much.

It looks like you all are getting a 9. Do you know which eight you would prefer?

It looks like Marquette, Memphis, Connecticut and Creighton. Which sounds like a really strong group of eights.. I guess they've had somewhat down years.

 

[Ron Mehico]

It’s a relatively easy road trip where you can watch UK play multiple times and you can get as rowdy and loud as you want watching.

 

[Boisgreat]

Now that the rest of the conference is trying to be good in basketball it makes the SEC tournament grueling. The good teams (which is most of them now) need to focus on the NCAA tournament and not play through another round of “rock fights” in the SEC tournament.

You see this in baseball. For years LSU and Miss State were dominate and now most SEC baseball teams are very good. The SEC baseball tournament can kill your pitching going into the College World Series.

In the past most schools only cared about football and it was easier to compete in basketball and baseball. Now it is much tougher.

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

I feel like I read or heard somewhere before that the old coaches hated the idea of the SEC Tournament, meaning Rupp and Hall. I don’t know how true that is, but I like more games. The SEC Tournament potentially means more games. If they replaced the SECT with four more regular season games I would be a happy camper personally.

 

[wcc31]

I'll probably be tarred and feathered for this, but I hate the SEC tournament. I watch it, and root for UK to win it, but it has always puzzled me as to why UK fans worship it.

It's a meaningless money grab by our greedy conference. The committee has shown us time and again that the results don't matter, especially on Sunday.

I would much rather attend NCAA tourney games, as each and every one is hugely meaningful. I know the SECT is a good chance to party in a cool town for 2-4 days, but otherwise, I don't get it.

It’s a celebration of the season. The pressure is generally low. Think of it as Mardi Gras before the pressures of the Dance.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Just looked on line. Lower level tickets can be bought for $100.

Uppers for $50

But if they wanted to end the SEC tourney and add 3-4 games to the season it would suit me.

I would like to see us only play each SEC team once too. That would free up 3 more games.

None of that will happen. The SEC tourney is a money grab.

 

[GermantownDawg]

It looks like you all are getting a 9. Do you know which eight you would prefer?

It looks like Marquette, Memphis, Connecticut and Creighton. Which sounds like a really strong group of eights.. I guess they've had somewhat down years.

I’ve seen us matched up most often with Memphis. Behind that, UConn and Creighton. We played Marquette earlier this year, so I would doubt that one. I’d love to face Memphis. But I also live outside of Memphis, so that could be why.