[cksportsfan]

HDE,

Nice, thought-out, logical response with basis. Kudos. Seriously.

Now I wasn't one of those that questioned if HCHS was big enough. However, with you having been to said tournament, is HCHS big enough -- WITHOUT having split sessions -- to hold the crowds reported in the past?

I'm not one of those naive to say HCHS should be forbidden from hosting, especially when it has a capable site within the KHSAA bylines for region hosting.

I deal with that where I'm from. Central Hardin has the biggest gym in the 5th Region. Huge parking lot. Easy to get to. Restaurants close by. No need for split sessions. No overcrowding near bathrooms or concession area.

However, Green County (a haul), Marion County (a haul), Hart County (easy drive) and Nelson County (cake drive) all insist on being in the rotation. And although technically they seat enough, the other four are lengthier drives for the 5th Region fanbase compared to Central Hardin. Alll in smaller towns with less restaurants. Parking sometimes an issue. And they usually have to have split sessions.

Colleges are not an option. Campbellsville, Lindsey Wilson and St. Catharine have college floors, but their gyms are all less than 2,000 each IIRC. Plus, not near the population base (Hardin County-Nelson County) for the region.

So in years Central Hardin doesn't host, the 17th District (which has the most titles in the region, no matter where it is played) will complain. And rightfully so. It's gotten so bad that even Central Hardin's district rivals -- namely Elizabethtown and North Hardin, which do not have gyms capable of hosting region because they are way too small -- rather have it at a rival's court than travel to the other four.

And it's not like Central Hardin has homecourt advantage -- NEVER won the boys' region. Most of the time, CHHS isn't in the region tournament no matter where it's at.

But getting back to HCHS. Should they be able to host? Sure.

Should they be free from complaints (some very well warranted)? No.