Midnight Madness...its the quintessential event that marks the beginning of the collegiate basketball season. An event that is as tied to bigtime basketball programs as cheerleaders and court side bands.
Naturally, Syracuse University has avoided holding a Midnight Madness event for years, possibly for fear that fans would use up all their Orange spirit too soon or perhaps because they couldn't find a way to make enough money off of it selling crappy merchandise with bank logos on it.
All hail Dr. Daryl Gross and his General Sherman-esque march through the traditions of SU. For the first time in more than a dozen years, the Syracuse University basketball team will start its season with a Midnight Madness event. This will be only the second-ever MM on campus. An event prior to the 1994-95 season drew approximately 3,000 fans to Manley Field House. To put that in perspective, Alabama pulled in 456,000 into their latest Midnight Madness event. Get crackin' on that column, Bud.
Sounds like we have TK99 and Galaxy Communications to thank for all of this. With the announcement that the station is taking over broadcasting duties, they announced the event will take place.
"Midnight Madness is a fixture at places around the country, whether it's Kentucky or Indiana or schools like that," Ed Levine [chief executive officer and president of Galaxy communications] said. "I've always been mystified as to why we didn't have a great Midnight Madness every year just to kick off the official practice season for the basketball team."
Levine also promised some surprise happenings at the event. Look out for a Gerry McNamara appearance, something tells me his schedule will be flexible.
Some would assume that Manley Field House would make the most sense to host the event, but leave it to the good Doctor to add an entirely new level of excitement and anticipation in the venue choice.
"We're going to figure that out," Gross said. "Wherever it is, it's going to be funky, I'll tell you that."
Easy there. There's many kinds of "funky" in this world, Big D. Let's keep this one kid-friendly, whuddya say?
Naturally, Syracuse University has avoided holding a Midnight Madness event for years, possibly for fear that fans would use up all their Orange spirit too soon or perhaps because they couldn't find a way to make enough money off of it selling crappy merchandise with bank logos on it. All hail Dr. Daryl Gross and his General Sherman-esque march through the traditions of SU. For the first time in more than a dozen years, the Syracuse University basketball team will start its season with a Midnight Madness event. This will be only the second-ever MM on campus. An event prior to the 1994-95 season drew approximately 3,000 fans to Manley Field House. To put that in perspective, Alabama pulled in 456,000 into their latest Midnight Madness event. Get crackin' on that column, Bud.
Sounds like we have TK99 and Galaxy Communications to thank for all of this. With the announcement that the station is taking over broadcasting duties, they announced the event will take place.
"Midnight Madness is a fixture at places around the country, whether it's Kentucky or Indiana or schools like that," Ed Levine [chief executive officer and president of Galaxy communications] said. "I've always been mystified as to why we didn't have a great Midnight Madness every year just to kick off the official practice season for the basketball team."
Levine also promised some surprise happenings at the event. Look out for a Gerry McNamara appearance, something tells me his schedule will be flexible.
Some would assume that Manley Field House would make the most sense to host the event, but leave it to the good Doctor to add an entirely new level of excitement and anticipation in the venue choice.
"We're going to figure that out," Gross said. "Wherever it is, it's going to be funky, I'll tell you that."
Easy there. There's many kinds of "funky" in this world, Big D. Let's keep this one kid-friendly, whuddya say?