Monarchs got sizable discount to play in CBI

NORFOLK

While the University of Virginia estimates its participation in the College Basketball Invitational could cost at least $150,000, Old Dominion's role as host of a first-round game didn't cost the Monarchs anything.

According to documents released by ODU on Friday, the school will send $5,784.21 in net proceeds from its March 18 game against Rider to the Gazelle Group, the organizer for the first-year tournament.

The Gazelle Group was left scrambling late on Selection Sunday, March 16, as it looked for participants for its 16-team

field - particularly those who would play host to a first-round game. ODU, knowing it would have fewer than 48 hours to promote the Tuesday night game, was able to negotiate a deal waiving the tournament's gate guarantee of $60,000.

In documents released to The Virginian-Pilot, ODU included the Gazelle Group's 10-page contract, which stipulates the $60,000 guarantee. However, neither party signed it.

Meanwhile, U.Va. played host to three CBI games, with the standard gate guarantee to the Gazelle Group of $60,000 per game applying in each case.

According to a Global Spectrum spreadsheet from ODU's home game with Rider, ODU took in $14,884 in ticket sales. The attendance of 2,036 was an all-time low for a men's game at the 6-year-old Constant Center.

Minus taxes, game-night expenditures and tournament incidentals, the net proceeds were $5,784.21, all of which were to be paid to Gazelle Group within 10 days of the end of the tournament.

ODU beat Rider 68-65, then lost at Virginia 80-76 in the second round.

Bradley, which beat Virginia in the semifinals, will meet Tulsa in the best-of-three championship beginning Monday, with the first game at Tulsa.

ODU men's basketball coach Blaine Taylor declined to comment on the financial aspects of his squad's participation in the tournament.

"I really think there is a place for the CBI. We loved being in postseason play and felt we put our best foot forward," Taylor said. "All we did was try to help a new tournament get off the ground and do what we could.

"In the process, we also did what was right for our program."

ODU athletic director Dr. Jim Jarrett declined comment and referred inquiries to Rick Giles, president of the Gazelle Group.

Contacted Friday morning, before ODU released the details of its agreement with the CBI, Giles said, "Our deal and contract template is the same for everyone. We didn't cut any special deals."

Calls Friday afternoon to Giles' office in Princeton, N.J., were not returned. Jon Oliver, Virginia's executive associate athletics director, also declined to comment on the ODU deal.

"I can see where some institutions might have sour grapes if they didn't cut a better deal than what was offered, which is what it seems ODU did," said Dan Hauser, assistant athletic director of Ohio University, which paid the $60,000 fee for hosting a first-round game against Brown. "I don't have any remorse, though. I do see that the challenge for the people running the CBI is that they will have to change that contractual obligation a little bit in the years to come.

"But I'm very surprised by everybody's fixation on the monetary aspect. With any NCAA event, you have to submit a bid to host and it has similar financial commitments. It's not unique for a school hosting a tournament to have financial risks."

Rich Radford, (757) 446-2463, rich.radford@pilotonline.com