Let's discuss something.
I have heard from 2-3 coaches that the hospitality room at the 15th region tournament is charging for food. (Media excluded, they eat in a smaller room to the side.)
If Community Trust Bank is giving as large of a sponsorship as I have heard they're giving -- why is this happening?
Am I the only person who finds this tasteless?
K40 Wrote:Let's discuss something.
I have heard from 2-3 coaches that the hospitality room at the 15th region tournament is charging for food. (Media excluded, they eat in a smaller room to the side.)
If Community Trust Bank is giving as large of a sponsorship as I have heard they're giving -- why is this happening?
Am I the only person who finds this tasteless?
You may want to talk to the Pikeville Athletic Director. Hearing it was his call.
The Expo needs to GO!!!!!!!
There are plenty of HIGH SCHOOL gyms in the 15th that can host a regional tournament.
Now there is no hospitality room at all for Coaches and Staff. Media only.
You know how it is, the business wants to keep the media happy..I don't think its right really to treat the two differently..Heck even Auxier grade school gave its players a free bag of popcorn and can of pop during games
nicker:
Can't wait to see what kind of hospitality room they have at the Sweet 16...
As long as Pike and Floyd vote together it will be at Expo, even if they don't the commissioner picks post season sites. Guess where he will pick?
The Expo also guarantees $50,000, no way they make that at high schools.
I would like it back at high schos too, but no way are people going to show up in any numbers at Magoffin Co., Lawrence Co., East Ride, Phelps, or South Floyd. It's just to far out of the way anymore.
The regional tournament needs to be back in the high schools. There are several schools capable of hosting it. Some schools will want to host it and do split sessions which is a joke. If you have to clear the gym in between games then your school is not big enough to host it. SV, Johnson Central, Pike Central, P-burg or possibly Floyd Central would be great sites on a rotation basis.
Should Host: Johnson Central, Pike Central, Shelby Valley, Prestonsburg, Belfry, Lawrence County & Floyd Central*
Should Not Host: Betsy Layne, Magoffin County, Paintsville, Sheldon Clark, Phelps, Pikeville, East Ridge, Allen Central*, South Floyd* & The Piarist School
Will pike and Floyd have enough votes to keep it at the expo
I think the Expo has a cold, concrete feel. It doesn't feel like a basketball venue. This event isn't large enough to warrant all that seating so you have people sitting all the way up top for no reason and watering down the crowd below. It always feels empty, no matter the numbers or team playing. It's not as exciting of an environment.
I have all kinds of qualms about how it's handled. The hospitality room is only one out of several issues I have with it. It doesn't have a great amount of close parking, for one. Two, there are things that are tacky. My media pass? A sheet of paper with no lamination or even card stock. That's supposed to last me all week long without ripping or other damage. It may sound like I am nitpicking, however, this is a big event that should generate a lot of revenue, so why cut corners? The "secured" wifi connection is extremely unreliable (I struggled with it terribly last night). And let's not forget the ever-popular argument -- the concession prices are absolutely outrageous.
The parking is terrible.
Concession prices are out of sight.
It does feel empty, no matter the size of the crowd.
You loose what makes Kentucky high school basketball great.
It's great to have a venue like the Expo close to home, but we didn't need it before and we don't need it now.
State Championships deserve to be played at a College arena or Multi-Purpose event center.
Kentucky High School Regional Basketball tournaments are the best basketball atmospheres in the World & nothing comes close to replicating them. If Hollywood could just grasp what we get to experience every March, they would be at all 16 regional locations just begging for a little taste.
15th Region AD's, Principal's & Superintendents........ PLEASE vote to move the 15th Regional Boys and Girls Basketball tournaments back to the High Schools.
If it remains at the Expo, here is what should happen.
1) Do away with all district tournaments, have one super regional with all 16 teams participating. Have all 16 teams play each other 1 time during the regular season 8 home 7 away then next year 7 home and 8 away. Seed the teams 1 thru 16 based on regional records
2) Have the top 8 seeds host first round games on 2 nights during district tournament week (girls on one night and boys on the other.) Split gate between both teams after host school pays expenses.
3) Bring the remaining 8 girls teams and 8 boys teams to the Expo and play 8 games on the Saturday of district tournament week. Have girls semis on Wednesday and boys on thursday of regional week. Championship on friday or saturday.
4) Adopt a policy that concession prices be reduced so the average person can enjoy the game and refreshments without taking out a bank loan.
Advantages would be top 8 boys and girls should be at Expo therefore getting more competitive games. Would make a ton of money on the saturday with 8 games.
Just a suggestion, how many times has there been good teams sitting home from a strong district and teams from a weaker district getting to play on. Happened this year in the girls when best 4 teams drew each other 1st round and good teams like East ridge and Paintsville had to stay home because they were in stronger district.
Some schools do not want the hassle of hosting. It takes a lot of hard work to do it right.
They tried that superdistrict junk once and it was horrible. Leave it how it is, bring it back to the schools.
What you have to understand is that because it's in such a large, nice facility, the expectation of EVERYTHING is higher. Game experience, appearances, amenities... you're going to expect better if it's hosted somewhere like that.
I agree with most everything in this thread.
Does not matter though.
Policy board can vote any way they want The KHSAA commissioner has final say on all post season sites.
I've been to the 15th Region Tournament 4 of the last 5 years. Here are my pros and cons of it.
Cons:
Concession Prices. I know there are plenty of dining options in Pikeville but personally, I like to eat during the games. If I'm not mistaken, last year they did offer a meal deal of some sort. I don't remember the specifics but I thought it was pretty fair, but then again if you take a family of 3 or 4 to a game, its going to add up quickly.
Atmosphere. While the high school gyms can get hot and tight in a big game, it only adds to the feel and atmosphere. At the Expo Center, its a bit too cavernous in there. I think some temporary seating behind each goal would be a great addition to the overall atmosphere, perhaps have the student section or at least part of it there.
I don't know if this is an Expo issue or not but, I've not seen any programs for sale at the Region Tournament in a few years. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places though. I always like to pick those up as a keepsake of the games I've been too. I figure too its also nice for the players/parents to have as a memory of these days.
Pros:
I do like the space in the Expo Center. Plenty of room to stretch out for the most part. If you want, you can sit up top and not be packed in, the sightlines are great mid court up top, or at least I feel that way about it. For me its more comfortable there.
Chairback seats. The chair backs are my favorite thing about the Expo Center. Sometimes the bleachers can be unforgiving on the back.
While I've enjoyed my time at the Expo Center watching the region games, it would be nice if they went back to the high schools. With all that money involved though, I don't see it happening.
As far as the hospitality room, if they were going to charge to get in, then they shouldn't have bothered with it to start with. I thought that was the entire point of a hospitality room.
Pulp Fiction Wrote:The parking is terrible.
Concession prices are out of sight.
It does feel empty, no matter the size of the crowd.
You loose what makes Kentucky high school basketball great.
It's great to have a venue like the Expo close to home, but we didn't need it before and we don't need it now.
State Championships deserve to be played at a College arena or Multi-Purpose event center.
Kentucky High School Regional Basketball tournaments are the best basketball atmospheres in the World & nothing comes close to replicating them. If Hollywood could just grasp what we get to experience every March, they would be at all 16 regional locations just begging for a little taste.
15th Region AD's, Principal's & Superintendents........ PLEASE vote to move the 15th Regional Boys and Girls Basketball tournaments back to the High Schools.
Only for the extremely lazy. Parking structure is a 2 minute walk to the Expo. A thousand other parking places within 2-5 minutes.
I think smaller crowds hurt the atmosphere. In the early years sometimes it would almost be full. Crowds way smaller these days.
I agree concessions are absurd. I won't give them a dime.
Still the best place to have the tourney all things considered.
Pulp Fiction Wrote:Should Host: Johnson Central, Pike Central, Shelby Valley, Prestonsburg, Belfry, Lawrence County & Floyd Central*
Should Not Host: Betsy Layne, Magoffin County, Paintsville, Sheldon Clark, Phelps, Pikeville, East Ridge, Allen Central*, South Floyd* & The Piarist School
Don't know how you can say Prestonsburg should host but Pikeville should not. That's a joke.
Time to move away from the Expo. Most boring region tournament in the state with the exception of a few games here and there over the years.
When it's the 57th District's turn to host have it at Johnson Central
58th at Floyd Central
59th at Shelby Valley
60th at Pike Central
PHSForever Wrote:Don't know how you can say Prestonsburg should host but Pikeville should not. That's a joke.
Parking at both spots are horrible
Funny how people who want it moved think it should be at their school. Expo to SV is a huuuuuge downgrade. Really, same with the other schools.
Warthog Wrote:Parking at both spots are horrible
Pikeville parking is a huge upgrade over Pburg. At least you can get more than 50 cars in one lot. Can hardly say the same for Prestonsburg. And realistically, utilizing the bank parking, school parking, etc would still provide enough parking for the typical crowds that show up for even the regional games. Parking is an issue at most schools besides SV, Pike Central, Belfry. In Pike County I mean. But there's no way Pulp can justify picking Pburg over Pikeville. Lol
PHSForever Wrote:Pikeville parking is a huge upgrade over Pburg. At least you can get more than 50 cars in one lot. Can hardly say the same for Prestonsburg. And realistically, utilizing the bank parking, school parking, etc would still provide enough parking for the typical crowds that show up for even the regional games. Parking is an issue at most schools besides SV, Pike Central, Belfry. In Pike County I mean. But there's no way Pulp can justify picking Pburg over Pikeville. Lol
Pburg also has parking over the hill from the gym, and also on the other side of the gym behind the football bleachers. All of which would be closer than walking from the bank at Pikeville.
As far as seating goes, Pburg recently renovated there gym and have some seating with backs. Not to mention Pburg gym I believe seats more than Pikeville.
I personally see pro's and con's for both the expo and the school's, but thought I would defend mine lol.
57th host at JC
58th host at pburg
59th host at SV
60th host at PC
These are schools that are the most convenient for parking and traveling purposes.
Pulp Fiction Wrote:Should Host: Johnson Central, Pike Central, Shelby Valley, Prestonsburg, Belfry, Lawrence County & Floyd Central*
Should Not Host: Betsy Layne, Magoffin County, Paintsville, Sheldon Clark, Phelps, Pikeville, East Ridge, Allen Central*, South Floyd* & The Piarist School
How can you say Magoffin, Sheldon Clark, or Floyd Central (Allen Central & SF) shouldn't hold a region. They are getting new schools and you have no clue of the capacity of their gymnasiums yet.
Pulp Fiction Wrote:Should Host: Johnson Central, Pike Central, Shelby Valley, Prestonsburg, Belfry, Lawrence County & Floyd Central*
Should Not Host: Betsy Layne, Magoffin County, Paintsville, Sheldon Clark, Phelps, Pikeville, East Ridge, Allen Central*, South Floyd* & The Piarist School
Why not magoffin they have a brand new gym that will be opened next season.
Motley Wrote:Time to move away from the Expo. Most boring region tournament in the state with the exception of a few games here and there over the years.
When it's the 57th District's turn to host have it at Johnson Central
58th at Floyd Central
59th at Shelby Valley
60th at Pike Central
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.