musicman Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Houston has waited 40 years for the Final Four to come back to town.After the city and Reliant Stadium received favorable reviews as regional NCAA Tournament hosts last March, the NCAA wasted no time booking a return date.The NCAA announced Wednesday that Reliant Stadium will be the site of the 2016 men's basketball Final Four, setting the stage for the city to host one of the nation's premier sporting events twice during a six-year stretch.The Final Four will be held April 2-4, 2016.Houston already had been scheduled to host the South Regional in 2010 and the Final Four in 2011, which will mark the 40-year anniversary of the city's first Final Four in the Astrodome.full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadrunner Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Awesome news for the city. Hopefully the light rail network will be up by then, along with some of the rumored high end hotels (W, Ritz, etc.).2011 should be interesting, too. This event is like a Triple A Super Bowl, so comparing how Houston handles an event in 2004 and an event in 2011 should be telling of the city's progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 ...along with some of the rumored high end hotels (W, Ritz, etc.).My first thought was that adding an event(s) like this one can help get those kinds of places here, but then I doubt it. It's only for a week or so at the most they'd be needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Speaking of Texas in their power rankings, si.com made this comment:In the next eight seasons, the Longhorns will have three (three!) chances to win a national title in their home state, at a venue only a three-hour drive away from Austin. The NCAA had already awarded the 2011 Final Four to Houston's Reliant Stadium, and on Wednesday, added a 2014 Final Four in Arlington (at the new Cowboys Stadium) and a 2016 Final Four back in Houston. The three cities snubbed in the latest round of venue announcements were Detroit, this year's Final Four host; San Antonio, last year's Final Four host; and Glendale, Ariz., which was so confident it would be on the NCAA's list that it had already scheduled a celebratory news conference. No one outside of Detroit is crying about the Motor City being left off the list ... since no one seems all that excited about going there this year, either. But San Antonio is a fantastic Final Four city, and Phoenix is a fantastic bowl-game city that was ready to handle a Final Four. Both would have been better spots than Houston. Not cool, NCAA.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...ings/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 It's not like they can change it. They still gave it to us.This is also some no-name's opinion on a team ranking prediction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 It's not like they can change it. They still gave it to us.This is also some no-name's opinion on a team ranking prediction.I wouldn't say si.com hires nobodys. But I wouldn't really care even if a Somebody said that. Salary or fame doesn't necessarily give someone credibility when it's just an opinion anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Oh SI has nobody's. Every sports network does. People who com out once in a blue moon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Oh SI has nobody's. Every sports network does. People who com out once in a blue moon.Regardless, I'm still wondering how he could say that Phoenix would have been a better choice than Houston. Maybe someone who knows both cities well enough can enlighten us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Maybe they're stadium is nicer? I don't know. I think Houston is a better choice than Phoenix . one thing is for sure though, the NCAA LOVES San Antonio. If they had a better stadium, they would have gotten one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deut28Thirteen Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 If Houston wrent so dirty! Hope we do some kind of major beautifaction project so we can keep getting big events although we seem to get alot. Always wanted to go to a final four. IMO best sporting event in the nation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProHouston Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Maybe they're stadium is nicer? I don't know. I think Houston is a better choice than Phoenix . one thing is for sure though, the NCAA LOVES San Antonio. If they had a better stadium, they would have gotten one. I agree on the PHX angle. I think Houston > Phoenix from any way you look at it. I think people see PHX as a sunny retreat and believe that since they're in the BCS bowl rotation that they must be something special. Personally, I think the Fiesta bowl lucked into the BCS bowl rotation. SA on the other hand is a great city for tourism and big sporting events. They always get rave reviews and they know how to host big events like this. I think you can squarely blame the Alamodome in the snubbing of SA. It can no longer compete with Reliant and Jerryworld. Actually, SA might as well blame Jerry, he already owns SA anyhow, now he's taking their events. Lastly, once the NCAA and NBA All Star game go to Arlington, I doubt you'll see them back in the near future. Think about it. Is Arlington really where you want an event like these? Not the cohesive, urban environment you want in a large scale event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Lastly, once the NCAA and NBA All Star game go to Arlington, I doubt you'll see them back in the near future. Think about it. Is Arlington really where you want an event like these? Not the cohesive, urban environment you want in a large scale event.Phoenix news readers were saying similar things as to why they didn't get it; because Glendale, or wherever their stadium is, is next to cow pastures/suburbs and not next to the other rich area they have where all the hotels are.One reader also said that Reliant was in a suburban area. It's not in a completely urban area, but not way out in the boonies either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryartic2112 Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 It's a long time to wait until 2016 but this is my favorite sports event of the year and I can't wait to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 It's a long time to wait until 2016 but this is my favorite sports event of the year and I can't wait to go.The good news is... you don't have to wait until 2016. The Final Four will also be here in 2011. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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