Sioux Falls, S.D. (KWSN and KELO AM) - One of the state's most well-known basketball venues has set up shop at the National Association of Basketball Coaches convention in Phoenix to drum up some future business.
Jessie Smith and the marketing team at the Sanford Pentagon say it's a great way to get the Pentagon brand out there and make a push to bring some of the biggest named in college basketball to town.
Smith says with the recent national exposure the Pentagon has received, including last week's nationally broadcast Division II championship game; it's becoming easier to bring in business. "It helps that people know who we are now, we don't have to continually tell our story. People recognize us and know what we do," Smith told KWSN's SportsTalk with Craig and John on Thursday. That exposure and pedigree has led to what Smith called some serious discussions on the convention floor, "We've had some really promising leads already, even to the point of exchanging some available dates with some teams. Hopefully we get some big news to come out of this one."
Some of the Division I blue bloods that Smith talked with on Thursday included Michigan State and Kansas. Nebraska coach Tim Miles, a Doland, SD native, has also been in touch with the Pentagon (The Huskers are one of the only major D1 programs in the area that have yet to schedule a game at the venue). In many cases schools may already have their schedules set for the 2017-18 season, but Smith says most of them have expressed interest in scheduling a game for two or three years down the road.
One of the advantages the Pentagon can offer teams is the freedom of a one-game commitment. "Sometimes teams just need one game, so they'll consider a neutral site game for various reasons; financial, geographic, or maybe they are recruiting a kid in the area." The one game contract also saves the schools from having to find a common open date in subsequent seasons. In some cases, the Pentagon has paid out a guarantee to the participating schools. Previous games have been described as "Cash in, cash out" situations where the venue breaks even or turns a small profit.
The Pentagon already has one Division I game lined up for the 2017-18 season when Colorado and Iowa will clash at Heritage Court on December 22nd. Tickets for that game go on sale September 1st. Smith expects a quick sell out for that game based on the number of ticket requests the Pentagon box office has already fielded. He adds that both USD and SDSU have committed to playing a Men's game at the venue as well, however those dates and opponents are still under wraps.