With Kansas City in the first year of a new four-year contract with the Big XII, the conference's commissioner this week affirmed Kansas City's status as the conference's basketball home.
Extended Coverage: Interview with Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby
"The venue has been sold out. The competition has been great. The people have been very happy," said Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. "We are here at least this year and three more. I don't have any reason to think we are going to look any place else."
Kemper Arena first hosted the event 20 years ago. Including that year and this year's event, Kansas City has played host to the men's conference basketball tournament 16 times.
The Big XII held the event in Dallas three times (2003-2004, 2006) and Oklahoma City twice (2007, 2009).
In a one-on-one interview with 41 Action News Sports Reporter Dee Jackson, Commissioner Bowlsby said the Big XII feels like it's got roots here in Kansas City.
"It starts with fair and appropriate competition. The teams like coming here,” Bowlsby said. “It's a big deal when they come into the airport they see the advertising for the tournament. When they come into their hotel, it's all wrapped up in tournament faire and when they come into the venue, it's special. I think that's the reason why there really wasn't a lot of conversation among our athletic directors about moving the tournament any place else when it came time to renew."
And when it comes time to renew again after 2020, other cities will have to beat out what the Big XII Conference loves about the city.
"It's bringing a basketball tournament where basketball is important. This is a great basketball community. I also think it's the BBQ, it's the Power and Light District, it's the good hotels and it's the nightlife. It's also the basketball and I think the combination is really hard to beat,” said Bowlsby.
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Dee Jackson can be reached at dee.jackson@kshb.com.
