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VTChip VTChip OP
May 12, 2026 at 09:17 PM ET
SEC versus ACC Tournament Attendance
I ran across the attendance number for the SEC tournament today and, just for giggles and grins, I compared them with ACC numbers. I was pleasantly surprised. The SEC tournament was held at Kentucky and ran for five days. Total attendance was 14,523 The ACC tournament was held in Charlottesville and ran for four days. Total attendance was 12,179 SEC Championship between Texas and Alabama drew 2,353. ACC Championship between Florida State and VT drew 2,240. Next year, the SEC is moving their tournament to a neutral-site, Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama (greater Huntsville area). The league has signed a four-year contract and is hoping to potentially double the attendance numbers. "Toyota Field has over 5,000 permanent seats with berm seating and standing-room areas that expand capacity to approximately 7,500. With sunshine and blue skies, the attendance record for the tournament could skyrocket." Here's an interesting quote from Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy, per D12 softball: “It hasn’t been anything against the host schools. Everybody has put on a good show. However, now is the time to elevate this tournament. Baseball guys have played in Hoover (Ala.) for years. I go over to it. I love it. I love college baseball. Playing in front of 9,000 people in Hoover gets you ready for Omaha. And hopefully, we will be playing in front of 6,000 people in Huntsville to get us ready for 12,000 in Oklahoma City. “It’s time the young ladies get that opportunity like the young men have had for years and years and years in Hoover. Every player that plays in the SEC Tournament next year will get spoiled rotten by the City of Huntsville and the City of Madison and all the fans that go to that tournament. It’s time for softball to do it and I’m really glad the SEC decided to do it.” Let's hope the ACC considers something similar. Can we nominate Salem???? ** Edited by VTChip at 5/12/2026, 9:27:06 PM

14 Replies

J
J2KHokie
2mo
That is amazing
since the VT/FSU game was mostly Hokies (exception of 200-300 FSU fans)!I wonder the split on the TX/Bama game?? I watched the end but really didn’t notice the crowd.
hokiepro hokiepro
2mo
Salem could put some pretty tall bleachers around the outfield a la
OKC and get about 3,000 or more
VTChip VTChip OP
2mo
I understand they are considering that for next year's Hokie Open
That would be a huge plus
MidloHokie MidloHokie
2mo
Here's what that place looks like. . .
HokieAllMyLife HokieAllMyLife
2mo
So I assume temp fencing and modified infield?
V
VTsportscaster
2mo
Went and found the Bama photo gallery from test event
V
VTsportscaster
2mo
Yes they hosted a test event last year
It completely changes to a softball field, so complete dirt infield the whole 9 yards. It is temporary fencing, but from pictures I saw it looks like 6-7 feet tall, not that short white breakaway stuff.
R
RJHokie
2mo
As I noted in a previous post, the ACC would probably hold the
tournament at a Charlotte area high school.
PokieHokie PokieHokie
2mo
Question for you guys? If push come to shove, if VT did get to host this
season, couldn't they have used Moyer in Salem for the regional? Many more rooms in the Roanoke/Salem metropolitian area. Plus other rooms within the requirements of the NCAA. Was this considered by VT and the NCAA? Hell, they have played the division 3 and 2 national championships there at Moyer. They could put bleachers around the outfield walls and accomodate a large amount of fans.
VTChip VTChip OP
2mo
That was mentioned in the Roanoke Times story
"Helms and the travel agency also looked into the idea of hosting the regional at the Moyer Sports Complex. That would have made Salem the center of the radius instead of Tech. But the agency discovered that hotel rooms in the Salem area are just as scarce for Tech graduation weekend as they are in Blacksburg."
VTChip VTChip OP
2mo
I think they could have, BUT…
The hotel problems extend to Roanoke. I had a friend that needed a room this weekend for graduation and the best I could do was a room at Hotel Roanoke for almost $1,000 per night.
King of Hokies King of Hokies
2mo
There's only a problem if you try to book it last minute. If you book it
years in advance there is zero issue.
R
RJHokie
2mo
You would think so.
That may have been considered, but it could be a rule that the site has to be on campus of the host school.
H
Hokie-2x
2mo
I specifically asked Nick and even Dublin was considered