I don’t think anyone is saying it isn’t “fair”. It’s just dumb. The Staples Center will probably be half full (if that) when we play them and we just spent a bunch of money making huge improvements to our arena. I’m sure the almighty dollar is the main consideration as it usually is but it’s still unfortunate college games aren’t played in college arenas. And I don’t mean to make a big deal out of this because I know it’s not that big a deal. It’s just a stupid trend that has infiltrated college football and basketball.
I don't particularly recall a great crowd at last year's game against Nevada at the Staples Center (admittedly, I'd just spent two and a half hours trying to get the heck out of San Antonio after a high school football playoff game -- great road construction planning, TXDOT! -- so I'm not sure how much I remember about that night is accurate), but I'd like to propose a consideration beyond money. How 'bout the players?
While money is certainly everything, it's not the only thing. (Where's Yogi when you need him?) And I think that's Coach Dixon's point another poster referenced earlier (or in the other thread?). I wonder if any of our players would have minded playing a game at Staples Center in front of a couple of hundred people?
In any case, I very much doubt the highly regarded recruits Dixon brought in this year -- the guys who are going to give us a few years' worth of awesome games on campus -- would call it dumb. If playing a relatively large opponent or two at Dickies Arena every year nets us games in noteworthy places like Staples Center or a random neutral site game against a noteworthy nonconference opponent, it can only make life easier on the recruiting trail for our coaching staff. That (continued recruiting momentum) is what is going to allow them to continue to build -- and sustain -- a program that has seen a meteoric rise and give us meaningful, marquee conference games on campus for years to come.
Maybe my view is skewed and I'm not seeing the big picture -- I think the last meaningful TCU game I attended prior to KU this past season was Cincinnati back in '04-'05, and there is literally zero comparison between those two experiences -- but, if our program sustains its success, I'd be pretty satisfied with nine conference home games in the toughest basketball league around.
Granted, I probably won't be able to afford tickets for those games for much longer. After all, money is everything.
