[commodorecreeker]

How many people can get in the cougar pit?
:thanks:

[Downtown10]

Obviously not enough...

[hitter]

I would say 2500 people at tops

[ILoveMyKids]

capacity at LCC is 2700...

[Warthog]

You would think a newer school would hold at least 4500.

Only 2700 that is crazy s,all

[Warthog]

You would think a newer school would hold at least 4500.

Only 2700 that is crazy s,all

^ small

[LOOKAYANNER]

Their gym is too small for a school that size, almost 1,000 students.

I think the best way to handle the rotation of the regional tournament sites and to make it fair for everyone is to allow each of the four districts to choose a site within their district to host it, and reduce it down to four schools. For the 53rd district the obvious choice would be Knott County Central. The 54th member schools would no doubt choose Perry County Central. The 55th would choose Breathitt County. The 56th would choose Powell County.
With this rotation plan no district would be hosting the region more than once in the cycle. And no county or city would be hosting it more than once. It would eliminate Hazard and Letcher Central, but someone would have to go from those districts due to them having two teams in the present plan. Also, they are the two smallest gyms of the six present host sites, and in Hazard's case, a very poor parking situation.

[hitter]

I think the region should always be held at perry central or knott central because the gyms. Are big enough and they have the most parking. They should just rotate who gets the money for hosting the region.

[LOOKAYANNER]

I think the region should always be held at perry central or knott central because the gyms. Are big enough and they have the most parking. They should just rotate who gets the money for hosting the region.

That would be wonderful for the 53rd and 54th district schools and fans. But not so much for the 55th and 56th districts. Their areas of the region would be completely shut out of the rotation, and their fans would be the ones who would have to travel the longest distances every time the regional tournament rolls around, while people in Perry, Knott, and counties close to them would have the tournament locally every year. Real convenient for the southern districts in the 14th but not so much for the districts in the northern section. Sometimes you just have to make it a fair deal for all schools and fans.

[ballboy]

Play it at Knott or Perry Knott got the best gym Perry got the best parking.

[hitter]

That would be wonderful for the 53rd and 54th district schools and fans. But not so much for the 55th and 56th districts. Their areas of the region would be completely shut out of the rotation, and their fans would be the ones who would have to travel the longest distances every time the regional tournament rolls around, while people in Perry, Knott, and counties close to them would have the tournament locally every year. Real convenient for the southern districts in the 14th but not so much for the districts in the northern section. Sometimes you just have to make it a fair deal for all schools and fans.

Both of those gyms are more centrally located. When they have it at Powell county, for example, it is all the way on one side of the region.

[cksportsfan]

You would think a newer school would hold at least 4500.

Only 2700 that is crazy s,all

Umm, what?

There have been several schools which have opened since 2000 (North Oldham, Cooper, East Ridge, Harlan County, Letcher County Central, John Hardin, Thomas Nelson, South Warren, Collins). IIRC, NONE of them hold 4,500.

There are 200+ schools in Kentucky. Less than 20 -- fewer than 10 percent -- hold 4,500.

And 2,700 would put it among the bigger gyms in the state, not smaller.

[OutsideLookingIn]

If the crowds are to large and seating is a problem, you could always go to one game per session. 6:00 pm and clear the gym for an 8:15 second session. I know they used to do that at Mason County for the semi's finals.

[LOOKAYANNER]

Both of those gyms are more centrally located. When they have it at Powell county, for example, it is all the way on one side of the region.

How far do you think it is to drive from Stanton or Irvine to Hindman? Somewhere in the neighborhood of 100+ miles, over 200 mile round trip. That's "on one side of the region" for those fans to have to drive, too. And Powell and Estill are the 3rd and 4th largest high school enrollments in the region which means they have lots of people/fans living in those counties. Not all fans in the 14th region are located in Perry, Knott, and Letcher. The "centrally located" argument is not effective for them, not to mention other locales such as Beattyville, Booneville, and Campton.

That's the problem with the 14th region, too many think that it only consist of 3 counties.

Again, a 4 district rotation between Knott Central (53rd), Perry Central (54th), Breathitt County (55th), and Powell County (56th), is the best and fairest rotation plan.

[Trust Me]

I'd rather drive 100+ miles and have adequate seating capacity and parking, as opposed to having the tournament in my hometown and then having to stand in the aisle and park 3/4 of a mile down the road.

Regionals at Hazard's gym are a nightmare.

[vundy33]

We have the Expo Center in Pikeville for the 15th. But to be perfectly honest, I miss it when it was in a smaller gym, like East Ridge which is big enough for Region I think but of course the furthest from everyone. I remember back in 2002-03 when ER won Region, it was held at PBurg's tiny gym (at least I remember it being tiny lol)...it was crazy, I loved it. Still one of the loudest places I've ever been.

[The_OC]

Mason County used to do split sessions for the whole tournament, they still do split sessions for semi-finals.

[ILoveMyKids]

just got home from the games, didn't look like we needed more than 2700 seats...wasn't even packed...

[alleycat53]

We have the Expo Center in Pikeville for the 15th. But to be perfectly honest, I miss it when it was in a smaller gym, like East Ridge which is big enough for Region I think but of course the furthest from everyone. I remember back in 2002-03 when ER won Region, it was held at PBurg's tiny gym (at least I remember it being tiny lol)...it was crazy, I loved it. Still one of the loudest places I've ever been.

I've been to watch Knott play a few times in last 2 years and I gotta say there's nothing like the atmosphere in their gym or Perry's, watched them in in the district finals against Cordia and it it was nearly packed.

[LOOKAYANNER]

just got home from the games, didn't look like we needed more than 2700 seats...wasn't even packed...

The semifinals is when the regional games are usually packed. The first round games are usually not as crowded, with most of those games frequently mismatches (but not always).

Most the people from my area say they're not going to attend this year's region. The distance is almost 100 miles and the local school is not in it. Whitesburg is a pretty good distance. Thankfully WYMT is televising the semi's and championship game, at least that's what I'm hearing.

[new guy]

I wont be going to the 14th region tourney this year and have talked to alot of people who feel the same way. Its not worth the aggravation to go to the first game then everyone in the gym have to go outside and stand in line and then pay to get back in again. I can understand the idea of wanting to let the second teams fans in the game but if you gym is so small you cant handle the crowd for 4 teams then you shouldnt be allowed to hold the tourney.

[15thRegionSlamaBamma]

We have the Expo Center in Pikeville for the 15th. But to be perfectly honest, I miss it when it was in a smaller gym, like East Ridge which is big enough for Region I think but of course the furthest from everyone. I remember back in 2002-03 when ER won Region, it was held at PBurg's tiny gym (at least I remember it being tiny lol)...it was crazy, I loved it. Still one of the loudest places I've ever been.

I absolutely agree with you, I was a sophomore at Pike Central at the time and it was a great experience. Parking sucked but I do not care to walk a little ways to watch some great basketball. Heck if you go to watch Kentucky Football you have to walk for days unless you have a parking pass or pay an arm and a leg (granted that is college football). P-burgs gym is one of my favorite gyms, of course though I'm partial to the Hawks Nest. Both with the way seating is allows a host of students close to the floor and it is SOOOOO loud. The Expo Center does bring a nice touch though and more of a bigger stage feel for the kids. 13th use to have theirs at the Arena in Corbin not sure what happened with that. 14th really does need something more central, only viable place with seating and parking is Perry.

[LOOKAYANNER]

I agree with the post above about dislike for split sessions. Schools that host the tournament should be big enough gyms to not have to do that. If its a money making issue, heck, charge a little more for tickets. That would be better than the inconvenience of asking people to leave their seats and go back outside to get in line to wait for another ticket purchace.
Being from the 56th district I was very happy to see Powell County enter the regional rotation plan, but I was disappointed the last time they hosted the region when they decided to go to split sessions too. The first times they hosted it they didn't do that. Powell's gym seats 3,500. They don't need split sessions. And Perry and Knott definitely don't. Letcher does need split sessions due to their small size, which is one reason they and Hazard don't need to be hosting the region.

[OrangenowBlue]

I hate to bust your bubble but Letcher's gym is as big as Powell Countys. Anybody that thinks Powell holds almost a thousand more than Letcher is crazy. Most every school in the region with the exception of Knott has lied on the numbers

[LOOKAYANNER]

I hate to bust your bubble but Letcher's gym is as big as Powell Countys. Anybody that thinks Powell holds almost a thousand more than Letcher is crazy. Most every school in the region with the exception of Knott has lied on the numbers

I hate to bust your bubble right back but Powell County's gym seats 3,500. Counted and certified, and on the wall as you walk into the gym. And they also can get around 60 more on the stage. Fire marshal approved.
Powell's gym fools people on its size at first glance, but their bottom and top rolls on the sides are numerous and run from one enzone wall to the other.
Powell also has one of the best parking situation of any of the host schools, and their entry and exit routes back out to the Mountain Parkway are quick and easy.