Fans rally to KC’s defense after call to move Big 12 tourneys from T-Mobile Center
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Fans and journalists defend Kansas City as the Big 12 tourney hub and draw.
- One writer suggested rotating tourney to cities like Las Vegas and Denver.
- Early 2000s stops in Dallas and OKC drew little interest compared with KC.
Who knew that Big 12 Conference expansion would increase the number of cranky people covering the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments?
A year ago, a television reporter from Salt Lake City bemoaned having to travel to Kansas City to cover the Big 12 basketball tournaments, and fans rightfully let him have it.
History has repeated itself.
Greg Hansen of the Arizona Daily Star wrote a story last week calling on the Big 12 to stop having the basketball tournaments annually in Kansas City.
“Getting to Kansas City is a taxing travel issue for all but fans at Iowa State, Kansas State and Kansas,” Hansen wrote. “Worse, the city of Kansas City in mid-March is not an anticipated travel destination for fans at the league’s other 13 schools.”
Hansen suggested the Big 12 rotate where the tournament is played. KC would remain in the mix, but the tourney would also be held in Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, Denver, Dallas and Salt Lake City.
“Rather than spend another decade in Kansas City, marketing and promoting the Big 12 basketball tournament in cities like Las Vegas, Denver, Salt Lake City and Dallas would be more appealing to tens of thousands of fans, the first slam-dunk of March Madness,” Hansen wrote.
What the writer apparently doesn’t realize is the Big 12 tournament was held multiple times in Oklahoma City and Dallas in the early 2000s. It was met with disinterest in those cities and the conference realized the energy was much better in Kansas City.
As for Las Vegas, the Pac-12 played it’s hoops tourney there and attendance was worse than it’s been for the Big 12.
Journalists and fans came to the defense of Kansas City.
ESPN’s Anne O’Neil wrote on X: “HUGE shoutout to @Big12Conference for putting on a First Class Women’s Basketball Tournament. Every inch of downtown Kansas City was marketed and promoted. And every Big 12 employee was in the Arena at 7:30am setting up and greeting teams. A Different League”
Steven Johnson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram shared this: “Kansas City is an awesome city for the Big 12 tourney. The city treats it like an event, you can tell it matters here. I see no reason to move it.”
Reddit users took Hansen to task for his KC take.
“Go to local airport, fly, land in Kansas City. Not very difficult,” one wrote. “This dude is acting like Kansas City is some remote outpost, it’s literally a major U.S. city.”
Another shared this: “I really enjoy going to KC for the tourney every year. The whole city has a good vibe that week. Love seeing the fans from everywhere.”
“I’ve been to two November bb tournaments in Las Vegas, literally no one knows that they are going on,” wrote a third. “The cabs often cannot find the arenas. In KC the B12 tournament is a (big freaking deal) and a blast, no matter how your team plays.”
This story was originally published March 10, 2026 at 10:48 AM.
