LOS ANGELES — Lute Olson will not be suspended for criticizing the Pac-10's all-league team, but he received another punishment Friday.
He will have to return to the Staples Center for the Pac-10 tournament every year, probably as long as he coaches the Wildcats.
Fox Sports Net announced Friday it is keeping the Staples Center as the Pac-10 tournament site through 2012, bypassing offers from four arenas outside of Los Angeles and Olson's stated wish.
Olson has complained in the past month that the Pac-10 should not bow to the wishes of FSN, but the matter was already out of his hands: The league's contract with FSN, also through 2012, gives the network the right to hold the tournament wherever it wishes.
Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen said he did ask FSN if it would accept bids from other arenas and, according to Fox Sports Enterprises executive Mitch Huberman, arenas in Portland, Seattle, San Jose and Phoenix were considered.
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But ultimately, Hansen said, the idea of rotating was not terribly practical.
"You have to build such a great infrastructure to put this on," Hansen said. "A coach really doesn't see all of that. I've talked to other conferences that have changed sites, and it's a very difficult thing to do.
"The coaches, of course, all want it to be on their home court. I'm sure Lute remembers the year it was held in Tucson (1988) very fondly."
Officials said the tournament attracted a record of about 75,000 fans over five sessions last season — although it added a fifth session by inviting the ninth- and 10th-place finishers — and, with 48,022 over its first three sessions this year, is on a similar pace.
Hansen, who said he would not discipline or reprimand Olson for blasting the league's nine-man all-league team, said Los Angeles has a good alumni base for all of the schools, as well as the ability to attract fans from other cities. But Olson has maintained it should rotate to different semi-neutral sites.
"Not only in fairness to the teams but also to the fans," Olson said. "I think you could see this year, if this were being held in Seattle, you'd see more enthusiasm and expectation out of the fans."
Arenas in Seattle and the other cities may have offered more money, too. Huberman would not say if they did; he said the deal was more about synergy. Not only is FSN's home in Los Angeles but also there are several hotel and entertainment projects under construction adjacent to the Staples Center.
"Some of the pieces will come on line next year," Huberman said. "The tournament in 2010 is going to be a phenomenal experience."
