Bush League?
Its just a different philosophy. Does a conference want its regular season championship worth something beyond seeding or not? Winning the regular season championship is a huge accomplishment in the Big Sky considering the conference tourney setup. I like it. Tell me, what did Oakland really earn by winning the Summit League regular season handily?
As far as atmosphere goes its a gamble either way. A neutral site is just that, neutral. There will be some support depending on the geography and demographics of the particular conference always. The champion host format should have great support and a great environment, IF the home team doesn't get knocked out early. If the home team gets upset, Im not sure the championship game would look so hot on ESPN2. I will say that it appears to me that a neutral site for the BigSky tourney is not a viable option. The geography is just too big.