Madison Square Garden, Big East Close to Tournament Extension 13/03/2009 |
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The Big East is sticking around the Big Apple.
The college sports conference and Madison Square Garden are close to a contract extension that’ll keep the Big East’s postseason basketball tournament in New York past the current agreement, which expires in 2011.
“Our membership continues to believe that Madison Square Garden is the best possible venue for us, and hopes that this longstanding marriage continues into the future,” John Marinatto, the conference’s senior associate commissioner, said in an e-mail. “We believe we are close to terms to extend our current partnership.”
Marinatto will replace the retiring Mike Tranghese as commissioner in June.
The Big East tournament has been held at Madison Square Garden since 1983. Before that, it was played at the Providence Civic Center; Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York; and Hartford Civic Center. It is the only major conference to have a permanent home for its postseason tournament.
Joel Fisher, executive vice president of MSG sports and arena renovation, wouldn’t disclose specifics of the negotiation.
“We love them being here,” he said.
Three Big East teams -- Pittsburgh, Connecticut and Louisville -- are in the top five of the Associated Press rankings.
Officials at MSG last year announced a $500 million plan to renovate the arena. It’s scheduled to be completed in time for the 2011-12 National Basketball Association and National Hockey League seasons.
MSG is a unit of Cablevision Systems Corp., which also owns basketball’s Knicks and Liberty and hockey’s Rangers.
The Big East tournament championship game is scheduled for Saturday night.
(Source: Bloomberg)
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