SEC baseball tournament staying put through 2016

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) - The Southeastern Conference baseball tournament is staying in Hoover for at least five more years.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive announced an agreement Thursday with the Alabama Sports Foundation and the City of Hoover to keep the tournament at Regions Park through 2016.

The league had also sent bid packages for hosting the five-day, double-elimination tournament to Montgomery, Ala., Memphis, Duluth, Ga., Jacksonville, Fla., and Jackson, Miss..

It has been held in Hoover since 1998, but the previous deal expired after the 2011 tournament, which runs from May 25-29.

The SEC said the event drew tournament records of more than 126,000 fans and 10,000 per game last year.