The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Basketball Tournament, which tips off March 7 at the Scope Arena, and Norfolk are proving to be a good fit.
Attendance and support increased as money poured into Norfolk each year of the original three-year agreement that brought the tournament to Norfolk in 2013, following a four-year run in Winston-Salem, N.C. That has made it a win-win for the city and the MEAC while leading to a new three-year agreement that begins with this year’s tournament.
“I thought we would have the kind of success we’ve had because the people of Norfolk and the Hampton Roads area are accustomed to good basketball,’’ MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas said. “They’re used to Division I basketball, not that the other cities were not. They just come out and support good basketball. I think it’s is the perfect place to continue to build our tournament. That’s why we signed on for three more years.’’
Official attendance was 32,312 in 2013. It grew to 41,182 in 2014, a 27-percent increase.
In addition to Winston-Salem, previous conference tournaments have been held in Durham, N.C., Greensboro, N.C., Charlotte, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Tallahassee, Fla., Richmond, Va., and Raleigh, N.C.
Norfolk previously hosted the tournament from 1991-93. This time around, it has increased its marketing and promotion efforts as they relate to the tournament and the city. VisitNorfolk, a private non-profit organization that receive 80-percent of its funding from tax dollars, spent $120,000 to promote the 2015 tournament, according to 13NEWSNOW.com. The web site said $32,000 was spent for advertising in publications such as the Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk and the Baltimore-Sun.
Money was also spent to place signage on Tide trains, Norfolk’s light rail system, and Hampton Roads Transit buses and to hang banners in the downtown Norfolk, making it virtually impossible for locals to say they didn’t know that the tournament is town.
Indications are it has been money well spent. The tournament generates $5 million in economic activity for in the Norfolk area.
Geography has been a big factor in the success the tournament is having in Norfolk. Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Savannah State and South Carolina State are the only conference members whose campuses are more than five hours away by car, making for an easy drive for their fans. An even bigger factor: Norfolk State is just two from the Scope and Hampton is only 20 minutes away.
More aggressive marketing by the MEAC has contributed to the uptick in tournament attendance and support. The conference has engaged alumni associations not only on campuses but in the Hampton Roads area. It has also upgraded its marketing on games that are telecast on the ESPN family of networks and it has increased its utilization of social media and its web site to encourage people to come out and support the tournament.
“It’s sort of an integrated, interactive approach,’’ Thomas said, “getting people to respond with their likes and dislikes and engaging fans.’’
Another key component is the entertainment value that the Norfolk area offers. Virginia Beach and historic Williamsburg and Portsmouth are nearby points of interest.
“They enhance all the ancillary things fans can do once they get here,’’ Thomas said.” It’s a good destination.’’
However, the games themselves are the main attraction, and without high level competition the marketing and promotion and ancillary activity would be meaningless.
Thomas takes pride in the unpredictability of the tournament, which was on full display last year. On the men’s side No. 6 seed Hampton rode a hot streak to the championship while winning four games in six days. On the women’s side, No. 8 seed Maryland Eastern Shore upset No. 1 seed Hampton, which had won five straight tournament crowns, and advanced to the title game before losing to Savannah State.
“People know that’s what happens in March Madness,’’ Thomas said. “They know we’re part of March Madness, and that our champion goes on to the big dance. That brings about a lot of energy, a lot of synergy and a lot of enthusiasm It makes it easier to market when the anything can happen aspect is there, and it has been.’’
“It has been tremendous basketball,’’ Thomas said. “The regular season has always gone down to the last week, the last game. It has created interest among the fan base. They want to come to the tournament.’’