Signs, everywhere Big 10 signs

If you haven’t heard by other means, perhaps you’ll learn about the upcoming Big 10 basketball tournaments at Conseco Fieldhouse from the street signs downtown.

The tournament, which runs tomorrow through Sunday for the women, and then the following Thursday through Sunday for the men, has prompted the usual renaming of familiar streets after the teams.

Take the intersection of Meridian and Maryland streets, for example. The original green street signs are still there, but they’re overshadowed by a bright red Badger Place sign and another that says Wolverine Blvd.

The signs are a fun way to get visitors’ attention and make it clear the city recognizes and appreciates fans who travel to Indianapolis for the big game(s). But is renaming streets really the best way to enhance tourists’ experiences as they try to navigate an unfamiliar town? Is the Hampton Inn telling guests to look for the hotel at the corner of Badger and Wolverine?

Hard as it is to believe, we’re hearing reports of delivery people getting lost — and these folks shouldn’t have to rely on street signs to find their way around.

What do you think about the annual street-name shuffle? Is it a help or a hindrance?