Tucson is no place for Sun Devils, Suns and D-backs

ASU athletic director Ray Anderson has scheduled a six-city athletic caravan tour May 10-24. The itinerary won’t include Tucson. The negative kickback from a stop at a Tucson restaurant two years ago was enough to know Tucson isn’t big enough — or neutral enough — to survive a marketing blitz by the Devils. Arizona, meanwhile, will take coaches Sean Miller and Rich Rodriguez on a caravanthat includes a Wednesday night stop in Tempe. ASU isn’t alone in lacking a Tucson presence; the Suns and Diamondbacks have no real base in Tucson. This is much more a town that follows the Lakers, Warriors, Cubs, Yankees and Dodgers. The only sports entity in Tucson with a core of Southern Arizona followers is the Cardinals. The NFL sells everywhere. 

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