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AN UNFAIR EDGE: MAAC TOURNAMENT CREATES
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
By Kevin Quinn
Last year’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament caught criticism from members of the media, coaches, and fans due to what many viewed as an unfair home court advantage for the host team, Siena College.
The tournament was held at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York. Siena College, the team whose home court is at the Pepsi Arena, went on to win all four of their tournament games, including one against number two seeded Marist College, on their way to the MAAC Championship crown. With a seventh seed in the tournament, Siena’s win came as a shock to many after their dismal 12 win, 18 loss, season.
Siena’s success led many to question the fairness of holding a conference tournament at a team’s home court. One argument points to the hostile atmosphere that other teams must face when playing the host team.
Last year, Siena faced Marist College in the quarterfinals of the MAAC tournament. Marist was coming off a regular season where they were co-champions, along with Rider University, and the Red Foxes had beaten Siena in both of their regular season meetings.
As the number two seed, Marist was considered the home team in the quarterfinal game. However, by watching the game, one would never suspect that Marist was the “home team.”
Colin Sullivan, associate athletic director for external affairs at Marist College, blames the way in which the Pepsi Arena staff handled the game, rather than the location of it.
“They treated the game like it was a Siena home game by playing music like ‘who let the dogs out’ and not being sensitive to the situation,” said Sullivan.
Brendan Copes, a senior forward for Marist, agrees with Sullivan.
“Last year was tough because while we were supposed to be considered the home team, our fans were up in the 300 section while Siena’s rowdy fans were in the courtside student section.” Copes added, “It was incredibly loud because Siena’s fans were screaming and smacking their Thunder Stix together all game long.”
Regardless of the advantage that the tournament’s location may give some teams, many people, including Sullivan, continue to support the current approach.
Sullivan feels that it is important to have the tournament held at arenas that will be packed with spectators. That way it can create a good image to television viewers and those who are unfamiliar with the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
“I don’t think that having a school host the tournament usually creates a unfair advantage because history has shown that the majority of the tournaments have not been won by the home team,” Sullivan said, adding, “Siena was the exception last year.”
Gary Holle, a sophomore forward for Siena, agrees with the MAAC’s current system. “I think that they should have the tournament where is draws the most fans, regardless of whose home court it is,” said Holle.
Most people agree that fan support at the tournament is essential for promoting the game and creating positive publicity. However, this does not erase the fact that some teams get a slight advantage.
“Having the tournament at sites like the Pepsi Arena has both its pros and cons,” said Copes. “On the one hand, it will bring in money for the MAAC because it will fill the stands, however, the system can never be completely fair unless each team gets their own arena. That way, hosting the tournament could be rotated to every team.”
One measure that has been taken to try to prevent what happened last year from repeating itself is a new format for the MAAC tournament. Last year the top two seeds, Marist and Rider, were eliminated in their first games of the tournament, shedding light on a need for higher seeds to be rewarded more for their regular season success.
This year’s format will ensure that the highest seeded team gets a bye, meaning an automatic bid, into the semi-finals. In addition, the second, third and fourth seeded teams will get automatic byes into the quarterfinals.
“I like how the new format protects the higher seeds against initial upsets,” said Sullivan. “A lot came out of the situation last year,” he added.
Unfortunately, the new format seems to have come a season too late for the Marist Red Foxes and the Rider University Broncs.
This year’s tournament will be held at the Sovereign Bank Arena, the home court for Rider University. This has led many to wonder if a similar situation to last year will exist again.
Rider men’s basketball coach, Don Harnum, does not think history will repeat itself.
"It won't be the same home-court advantage Siena got in Albany, not even close,” said Harnum.