[pjdoug]

Now I can travel 1 1/2 hours instead of 3 hours.

[BelfryPride]

Never understood why yall out east complained so much.

41 years is long enough to have the finals in Louisville and Bowling Green. The western part of the state has had that luxury, now it's just time to make it a little more even for everyone involved.

The East has become a powerhouse part of the state in Football with Belfry, Pikeville & Johnson Central being the most recent and repeated trips to the finals. There will be others as time goes on to join that list.

Since UK went to turf, this has been in the making and was just a matter of time before it happened. WKU was a casualty of their own success by being able to host the C-USA Title Game. But this created tons off logistical issues for the KHSAA and for the teams\fans involved if you played on Saturdays.

Kudos to the KHSAA, UK and the City of Lexington!

[RunItUpTheGut]

Lost in the hype of the title games moving to Lexington, the board also approved a few other things.

One of them is they voted to cross bracket football playoffs in 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A just as in 6A.

1A will remain the same.

I do not like that move.

Keep it as an east vs. west final IMO.

[CoachNM0523]

Lost in the hype of the title games moving to Lexington, the board also approved a few other things.

One of them is they voted to cross bracket football playoffs in 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A just as in 6A.

1A will remain the same.

I do not like that move.

Keep it as an east vs. west final IMO.

What do you mean cross bracket? And when will the changes take place?

[Single Wing 77]

I think that's where they draw for which district you play during the playoffs. I don't like it because I like the east vs west dynamic, plus it can mess with some fun mini-rivalries that develop during repeated meetings during the playoffs.

[pjdoug]

Ive been traveling to lexington to watch basketball since the 80's for the finals why complain now. I was always just happy when my team had the opportunity to play on the big stage. Never understood why yall out east complained so much, i can't speak for some out west that might complain now, but i wont. Id go to Belfry to watch the finals. Im kinda lookin forward to a change of scenery, but i think it will be hard to top WKU i thought it was a good atmosphere, but maybe UK will be too. Cant blame them for moving it after the scheduling issues the last 2 years.

A larger crowd in Commonwealth Stadium should make a better atmosphere.

[pjdoug]

Lost in the hype of the title games moving to Lexington, the board also approved a few other things.

One of them is they voted to cross bracket football playoffs in 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A just as in 6A.

1A will remain the same.

I do not like that move.

Keep it as an east vs. west final IMO.

I don't like that move either.

[Football_Maniac]

Best thing KHSAA has done in years IMO. I think attendance from the past two years will double if not triple! Kudos to KHSAA and UK for making it happen.

[TheHotSnakes]

I love the idea of cross bracketing for the playoffs.

Just purely from a change of scenery type of point, the fact that kids now would get the chance to play teams they haven't, instead of the same 2nd round faces year after year after year.

If I was in high school currently, I'd love to have the chance to play somebody different in the post season, regardless of if I was the 1st team or the 4th.

[TheHotSnakes]

STATE FINALS AVERAGE DISTANCE TRAVELED

2016
WKU: 146 miles (1 school)
UK: 96 miles (1 school)
UofL: 103 miles (3 schools)


2015
WKU: 160 miles (2 schools)
UK: 110 miles (2 schools)
UofL: 131 miles (1 school)


2014
WKU: 161 miles (0 schools)
UK: 130 miles (0 schools)
UofL: 117 miles (3 schools)


2013
WKU: 146 miles (1 school)
UK: 109 miles (0 schools)
UofL: 116 miles (1 school)


A point: If a school was in the same town as the finals location, I gave them a mileage of 0. I know there's a difference between traveling across Bowling Green compared to Louisville, but that was an easy way and the difference was very minimal. +/- a few miles didn't make a difference in any of these.

Clearly, WKU isn't the more central choice. Heck, even with Graves and Mayfield making the finals, and that being a HUGE drive to Lexington, WKU was still 3rd in 2014.

The driving distance winner is UK, plain and simple.

[BelfryPride]

From Belfry:

WKU: 287 miles one way (4 hrs, 49 mins.)

UK: 163 miles one way (3 hrs)

From Mayfield:

WKU: 159 miles one way (2 hours, 32 mins.)

UK: 269 miles one way (4 hours, 38 mins)

So as you can see, in essence Belfry & Mayfield has switched places. Mayfield is still closer to UK than Belfry by a total of 4 miles and a difference of 28 mins.

[33 power]

Seen no one mention parking, with school still in session it could be a nightmare.

[panther nation]

This is the best thing khsaa has done in years. I only wish o still love there to be able to go to the games.
All I can say is it's about time.

[Granny Bear]

Bluegrass Airport isn't too far away!

[BelfryPride]

Seen no one mention parking, with school still in session it could be a nightmare.

All surface parking lots surrounding the stadium are cleared the evening before Gamedays.

[bac2369]

Looks like I may be going to my 2nd finals now!!! ( previously went to Louisville in 2008).

[33 power]

All surface parking lots surrounding the stadium are cleared the evening before Gamedays.

They do before UK games but I would be surprised if they do it for HS games. There is no way they clear all the lots.

[Single Wing 77]

There will also be about 40,000 less people than there is at s UK Game. I don't think parking will be an issue.

[BelfryPride]

They do before UK games but I would be surprised if they do it for HS games. There is no way they clear all the lots.

UK will make sure the lots will be cleared. I don't think the parking will be an issue. I had to walk three blocks last year in BG and I was there 2 hours early. If you don't play the first game of the day at 11 am, good luck with parking at WKU.
UK hasn't hosted since 1971, I'm sure they will dot the I's and cross the T's. irateSho

[wildcats fan]

About time this should've been done years ago

[killbilly usmc]

I think the cross bracketing is a bigger deal than the finals location. I like the idea of seeing new teams instead of the exact same teams year after year in the first couple rounds, but I can see it being bad by causing a lot more travel in the first couple rounds for those that don't like road trips like me. Also cost schools more money in travel, for early round games, and less money made on tickets when some will be unwilling to travel. I wonder why it doesn't include 1a, maybe those schools being small they don't want to give them a financial burden.

[Single Wing 77]

UK last hosted it in 1976. Corbin won it the last time it was played there.

I would imagine 1a didn't do it because they are more spread out. 6a has the same number of teams but most of them are located in Louisville, Covington, and Lexington, or the surrounding areas. Plus they have much bigger budgets.

[Pulp Fiction]

Using GoogleMaps, the mileage listed is the shortest distance from Point A to Point B. The distance is from the school address to Kroger Field.

West - Fulton County High School - 304 miles.
East - Belfry High School - 163 miles.
North - Highlands High School - 88.6 miles.
South - McCreary Central - 108 miles.

I don't expect some of these schools to make it to the State Finals, but these are schools from the four corners of our Commonwealth.

[TheHotSnakes]

I think the cross bracketing is a bigger deal than the finals location. I like the idea of seeing new teams instead of the exact same teams year after year in the first couple rounds, but I can see it being bad by causing a lot more travel in the first couple rounds for those that don't like road trips like me. Also cost schools more money in travel, for early round games, and less money made on tickets when some will be unwilling to travel. I wonder why it doesn't include 1a, maybe those schools being small they don't want to give them a financial burden.

I actually will think it might cut down on travel for teams in some situations. If a district has to go way out west or east from their central location, getting another central district would end up cutting down on travel time for them that year at least.

Having districts 2 and 3 play each other cuts down on a lot of the travel for them, but kind of hurts 1 and 4. But, the distance between districts 4 and 5 isn't huge.

Someone is always going to have to travel, and that's never going to change. But, being able to occasionally cut down on annual travel while giving teams a new environment and new teams to play is enough for me to be on board.

[TheHotSnakes]

Using GoogleMaps, the mileage listed is the shortest distance from Point A to Point B. The distance is from the school address to Kroger Field.

West - Fulton County High School - 304 miles.
East - Belfry High School - 163 miles.
North - Highlands High School - 88.6 miles.
South - McCreary Central - 108 miles.

I don't expect some of these schools to make it to the State Finals, but these are schools from the four corners of our Commonwealth.

So, what you're saying is you don't expect Belfry to make the finals? Why not just come on out and say that instead of dancing around the issue!

:Shaking::Shaking:

[pjdoug]

Using GoogleMaps, the mileage listed is the shortest distance from Point A to Point B. The distance is from the school address to Kroger Field.

West - Fulton County High School - 304 miles.
East - Belfry High School - 163 miles.
North - Highlands High School - 88.6 miles.
South - McCreary Central - 108 miles.

I don't expect some of these schools to make it to the State Finals, but these are schools from the four corners of our Commonwealth.

What makes McCreary County a corner?

[pjdoug]

So, what you're saying is you don't expect Belfry to make the finals? Why not just come on out and say that instead of dancing around the issue!

:Shaking::Shaking:

tare:

[Pulp Fiction]

Using GoogleMaps, the mileage listed is the shortest distance from Point A to Point B. The distance is from the school address to Kroger Field.

West - Fulton County High School - 304 miles.
East - Belfry High School - 163 miles.
North - Highlands High School - 88.6 miles.
South - McCreary Central - 108 miles.

I don't expect some of these schools to make it to the State Finals, but these are schools from the four corners of our Commonwealth.

So, what you're saying is you don't expect Belfry to make the finals? Why not just come on out and say that instead of dancing around the issue!

:Shaking::Shaking:

What makes McCreary County a corner?

I said SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS. I didn't say ALL.



McCreary County is due South of Fayette County and is on the Tennessee border. Since the majority of Kentucky's southern border is flat, I called it a corner.

[killbilly usmc]

I actually will think it might cut down on travel for teams in some situations. If a district has to go way out west or east from their central location, getting another central district would end up cutting down on travel time for them that year at least.

Having districts 2 and 3 play each other cuts down on a lot of the travel for them, but kind of hurts 1 and 4. But, the distance between districts 4 and 5 isn't huge.

Someone is always going to have to travel, and that's never going to change. But, being able to occasionally cut down on annual travel while giving teams a new environment and new teams to play is enough for me to be on board.

Don't know the layout in the east, but in the far west you will never get a closer game in the early rounds of playoffs if you are in district 1. Mayfields 1st 3 playoff games last year was Hancock county, butler county, and Owensboro Catholic. If you pair mayfield with any other district besides district 2 the closest opponent would be in Louisville area, so when mayfield doesn't pair up with district 2 they will be playing teams that are farther like green county, glasgow, desales, Cal in the 1st 3 rounds there will never be a year when it gives a far west team closer games in the 1st 3 rounds, the only round it could happen would be semis if they played o cath instead of a Louisville team, but that would mean they had to travel further for 3 rounds just to get a closer opponent for 1 round. Not a good trade off at all out west as far as travel. If you get a 1 seed in your district not as big a deal, but any team like say Murray that has been The number 2 team in the district lately will be losing money on travel. The positive is not having to see the same teams every year in the early rounds, and new places to visit.

[killbilly usmc]

So, what you're saying is you don't expect Belfry to make the finals? Why not just come on out and say that instead of dancing around the issue!

:Shaking::Shaking:

He didn't want to come out, and name names, but I'm sure he was not referring to belfry. He was referring to the team that holds the state record for most mosquito repellant sold from their concession stand.