Six weeks before his Kentucky team boards a flight to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational, Calipari told The Danville Advocate-Messenger that he wishes the tournament wasn't part of the Wildcats' schedule. Kentucky had apparently agreed to participate prior to Calipari's hiring last year.
"When I saw it, I didn’t like it," Calipari said. "It takes away from what you have at home. That’s what you buy into. Instead of having 31 games, you have 30. That one game for this program is $600,000.
"In general, I don't like the three road games. You have Florida right now every year playing three (games) at home (in a tournament) and then maybe a fourth at home in a home-and-home. That's their tournament. They may get four home games and we get three on the road."
It's certainly true that home games generate money to help support the basketball program and Kentucky's non-revenue sports, but playing in a prestigious tournament like the Maui Invitational also has value from both a marketing and competitive standpoint.
You think Kentucky won't receive some exposure from a potential nationally televised top 20 grudge match against Washington in the semifinals or a possible showdown with Michigan State in the title game? And you think Kentucky's freshman won't benefit from the experience of playing big games on a neutral floor months before postseason play begins?
Furthermore, if Kentucky is going to leave Lexington in the preseason, there are worse places they could go than Maui. The flight might be long and the lost revenue might be significant, but at least the destination is worth it.
(Thanks, John Clay's Sidelines)
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