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.

 

[backinky2018]

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.

THIS. Also, the NCAA repeatedly tells us that this tournament has no bearing on our seed. Lunardi went into Sunday saying that Florida had the final 1 seed regardless of UT game outcome. Not sure why, but that was the storyline.

It's a pointless money grab. it's still fun to win, and I know our fans like taking over Nashville and Atlanta, but to me, if my dollars are limited, then I'm using that money for first round tourney weekend or sweet 16 weekend.

 

[backinky2018]

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

I guess, but for every UK-Arkansas 1995, there are five or six UK-Florida 2011 or UK-Ole Miss 2001.

 

[backinky2018]

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).

This is the best explanation I've seen. I'd quibble with the "getting tickets to rump is hard" point (I disagree, especially if you don't care where you sit), but the rest of it makes perfect sense.

Question - why not go to the first weekend of the NCAAT instead?

 

[backinky2018]

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.

I've been. I understand what you're saying, but I don't have the same love for it.

 

[CincinnatiWildcat]

I love competition and College basketball tournaments can be some of the best competition. If they want to add 3 more tournaments after the NCAA's I'll watch all those too and hope the cats win those. Having 14-16 fanbases with UK dominating that portion helps the environment too. If you love teams fighting for their basketball life and a few days full of basketball what's not to love?

 

[U Go UK]

Because it’s OUR tournament.

 

[thebluestripes]

You'd never see these type of threads if uk was actually still winning the sec.

 

[JonathanW]

This is the best explanation I've seen. I'd quibble with the "getting tickets to rump is hard" point (I disagree, especially if you don't care where you sit), but the rest of it makes perfect sense.

Question - why not go to the first weekend of the NCAAT instead?

Funny (that I provided the best explanation), since I've not been to an SEC-T (unless you count the one in Lexington when I was in Grad-school at UK in 93). But I do understand the plight of us who live far from Lexington (since I grew up in KY 1 hr from Nashville, 2.5 hr from Lexington, and have spent the last 31 years 8+ hours from Lexington.

 

[ukwild1234]

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.

31 titles and able to get descent seats for a change

 

[Blue wood]

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've been to 7 and they are a blast so you don't know what you are talking about

 

[notelvis]

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).

THIS - Because in a best case scenario it is a chance to watch Kentucky play 3 games in a row.

 

[bigbluedon]

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 feel the same way . We just got finished playing an18 game schedule and people get excited about playing some of the same teams again. I say play each conference team once and play the balance of the schedule as u see fit. Season for every school is 30 games before ncaa starts. I hate and despise the SEC anyway so I sure don’t want to play those teams over again.

 

[Rockford]

It's a meaningless money grab by our greedy conference

'Merica

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

'Merica

Long live "Florida Man"

 

[WeWant9]

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 think the vast majority would rather go to the NCAAT, but that’s easier said than done. Where/when you are playing doesn’t get announced until the Sunday before, then you have to scramble to buy tickets, accommodations, travel, etc. Unless you are the run away top seed, it’s all up in the air and prices can be high.

Compare that to a set location that people can plan for well in advance and it’s not shocking many use that as their opportunity to see the Cats.

 

[Emarc]

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.

Nashville the real greedy one. The way they jack prices up.

 

[michaeluk26]

Cause you used to get 3 games in 3 days, which was awesome. Experiencing the 2010 tournament in Nashville was the best sporting event I've been to in my adult life. I also went to the Pyramid in Memphis in 94 where we beat eventual champion Arkansas in the semis and final four team Florida for the title. The fans are so much better than they are at Rupp games too.

 

[KadizKat]

Since the Tubby days, I've enjoyed going to Nashville, I live about 1 1/2 from there, I rarely go to the games, I enjoy the UK crowd, the vibe and day drinking especially at Tin Roof downtown.