The Iowa State men’s basketball team went from winning the Diamond Head Classic championship in Hawaii to hanging out in the ballroom of a hotel, simply because the university wanted to save a little money.
According to a report from Travis Hines of the Ames Tribune, Iowa State administration forced players and staff to check out of rooms early in order to avoid paying for an extra night. Hines said:
“The morning after winning the tournament, ISU administration told the Cyclones to check out of their hotel rooms to save a night’s charges even though they wouldn’t depart for hours, according to sources.”
Hines notes sources called the move “bush league,” “mid-major” and “incredibly cheap,” especially because Iowa State is a member of the Big 12.
What’s worse, though, is Iowa State received 14 regular rooms, one suite and a $20,000 travel stipend to attend the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii.
If the university wasn’t prepared to support its basketball team, the administration shouldn’t have agreed to sending the Cyclones to a tournament. That’s not fair to the players, staff and anyone else who accompanied them.
For a more comprehensive look at the troubles at Iowa State—which includes a rift between former Iowa State, now-Chicago Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg and athletic director Jamie Pollard—take a few minutes to read Hines’ piece. It’s absolutely worth the time.