[magic man]

i feel that the 15th region should remove the region from the expo center, or at least out of pike county forno team other than pike county teams made it to the finals.... every yr the region is held any where in pike county there is always a pike county team in the finals and sometimes there is 2 pike county teams in the finals....the tournament at the expo was very poorly run this yr....for the expo would not take care of thier media...players or ne other things the hospitality room was a joke and many other things...do not be surprised for the region to vote that they remove the region from the expo...there was many ppl upset over it.............

[Panther Thunder]

I said earlier that I really like having the tournament at the Expo, but then again I also live within a 20 minute drive of the facility. I was just curious, how do some of the people from the 57th area feel about having the tourney in Pikeville every year? That's got to be quite a drive for some of you, especially if your team sticks around for the entire tourney.

if the EXPO was in Paintsville of Louisa I would gladly make the drive to be in such a nice facility... I could understand some would be mad but I think it doesnt matter to that many people.... You don't hear anyway complaining about State being at Rupp every year and there are Lexington schools there...

[LoneStar]

Every school in the region charges more for reserved seats when hosting the region or district for that matter.
BTW..You go to Rupp, you'll pay more for lower arena than upper as well.

Also, the individual schools are the ones that decide how the tickets are allotted so the beef should be with the particular school if any mom or dad didn't get good seats.
BTW, I agree with you...Moms and Dads should get their choice of seats.

Just finished attending 14th region tourny at Letcher County. Charged $5 admission for all.
This is my fourth region tourny attended in E.Ky this year, and all charged the same except the expo center. Not doubting your word, but what region charged 2 different ticket prices and had reserved seating ? I assume Rupp hosted a region tourny ?

[All_Sport#1]

I said earlier that I really like having the tournament at the Expo, but then again I also live within a 20 minute drive of the facility. I was just curious, how do some of the people from the 57th area feel about having the tourney in Pikeville every year? That's got to be quite a drive for some of you, especially if your team sticks around for the entire tourney.

Well im from the 57th and I drove I believe 3 times to the expo this year, and other times I rode with people. It is a long drive but idc if it was in lexington every night for the regional tourney I would still go to see my team play, and I never once thought of it being an advantage to Pike County to tell you the truth. But it is kinda hard leaving an 1 1/2 before the game starts to get something to eat and make it there for the game then feeling wore out by the time you get there but IDC I would still be there to see my team play.

[NEXT]

Last year it was a Johnson Central/Shelby Valley final and that was Pike County.

Last time it was at P-Burg it was an all Pike County Final.

So there goes that argument.

[thepharmacist]

i feel that the 15th region should remove the region from the expo center, or at least out of pike county forno team other than pike county teams made it to the finals.... every yr the region is held any where in pike county there is always a pike county team in the finals and sometimes there is 2 pike county teams in the finals....the tournament at the expo was very poorly run this yr....for the expo would not take care of thier media...players or ne other things the hospitality room was a joke and many other things...do not be surprised for the region to vote that they remove the region from the expo...there was many ppl upset over it.............

maybe we should have it at the Mountain Arts Center its hot and you can smell the popcorn in there when you walk in

[Paco07]

i liked the 15th region being held there, it gave it a special meaning
i like it
go valley at state

[PHS95]

Best facility in this area and most capable of hosting that number of fans. Look at it this way.... the region schools split most of the gate money.... we should be tickled about giving back to our schools by paying for tickets!

[More Cowbell]

i feel that the 15th region should remove the region from the expo center, or at least out of pike county forno team other than pike county teams made it to the finals.... every yr the region is held any where in pike county there is always a pike county team in the finals and sometimes there is 2 pike county teams in the finals....the tournament at the expo was very poorly run this yr....for the expo would not take care of thier media...players or ne other things the hospitality room was a joke and many other things...do not be surprised for the region to vote that they remove the region from the expo...there was many ppl upset over it.............

I don't believe that the Expo gives any advantage to Pike County teams at all. To say that every time the tourney is held in Pike there is a Pike team in the final, proves nothing. Logic says that if half the teams in the bracket are from Pike, then statistically one of the two teams in the final should be from Pike County.

Granted, maybe the Pike teams fared better in the tourney this year (4-1 against non-Pike teams). But last year, the non-Pike teams actually did better (3-2 against Pike) and also won the regional.

[BasketBallonlyfan]

I said earlier that I really like having the tournament at the Expo, but then again I also live within a 20 minute drive of the facility...

I guess it is a good thing that the 57th didnt win it then because they would be complaining about the long drive to Lexington for the sweet 16.

i feel that the 15th region should remove the region from the expo center, or at least out of pike county forno team other than pike county teams made it to the finals.... every yr the region is held any where in pike county there is always a pike county team in the finals and sometimes there is 2 pike county teams in the finals....the tournament at the expo was very poorly run this yr....for the expo would not take care of thier media...players or ne other things the hospitality room was a joke and many other things...do not be surprised for the region to vote that they remove the region from the expo...there was many ppl upset over it.............

Well, how do you know about how they treated the media? With spelling and typos like that you cant be a member of any media. As far as their being Pike County teams in the final, did you look at the teams that was in the tourney from other counties? Pike County teams in the region's record was Shelby Valley, (29-3), Belfry, (24-8), Phelps, (18-8), and Pikeville, (18-12). The total record for the Pike County teams combined was 89-31. The records of the other 4 teams combined, Allen Central, (23-8), Paintsville, (20-10), Magoffin,( 15-16), and Betsy Layne, (11-18), was 69-52. All 4 Pike County teams had a winning record. The other 4 teams outside of Pike County had 2 with winning records, 2 with losing records. Look at the numbers before you try to say that the Expo is biased to Pike County teams.

[Playboy5]

I think it is great for Eastern Kentucky period!

[FOX SPORTS]

Just finished attending 14th region tourny at Letcher County. Charged $5 admission for all.
This is my fourth region tourny attended in E.Ky this year, and all charged the same except the expo center. Not doubting your word, but what region charged 2 different ticket prices and had reserved seating ? I assume Rupp hosted a region tourny ?

You should re-read my original post.

[LoneStar]

Expo center is great for the region tourny. Just no printed tickets with seperate prices. Is it fair when tickets are printed ahead of time, some people have reserved seats to games, days before tickets released to schools and public. The schools should have access first. No other region tourny in eastern ky does this.

[StillAnMCfan]

Expo center is great for the region tourny. Just no printed tickets with seperate prices. Is it fair when tickets are printed ahead of time, some people have reserved seats to games, days before tickets released to schools and public. The schools should have access first. No other region tourny in eastern ky does this.

The schools always had the best lower arena tickets on their appointed side of the court for that particular game. A lot of regular people got those tickets through the schools. Our school allotted 2 tickets for each player or cheerleaders parents. Then sold the rest to school employees and fans from that county. I think each school got 300 tickets for each game.

[pchsgohawksgo]

i believe that the tourney is better there because it prepares the teams for state. They have already played in a large center, they've had thousands of fans watching them, and they are used to shooting on a goal, with seats behind it! That throws your depth perception out of wack, and causes ALOT of missed shots. The Expo Center helps the players prepare for state, what more do u need?

[LoneStar]

The schools always had the best lower arena tickets on their appointed side of the court for that particular game. A lot of regular people got those tickets through the schools. Our school allotted 2 tickets for each player or cheerleaders parents. Then sold the rest to school employees and fans from that county. I think each school got 300 tickets for each game.

Don't disagree. However, I know tickets are printed ahead of time and individuals not associated with the schools do have access to the tickets before the schools. This can all be avoided. No assigned seats and the same ticket price for all. Just as everyother region does in the state.

[gotcha2]

The schools need to make sure that the parents of the players and cheerleaders get seats in the lower arena (if they want them). I know when AC played Pikeville- some of their players/cheerleaders parents were in the 2 rows behind the student section. These parents (some with young children) had to stand throught the entire game to see. AC - like most student sections- stood through the entire game. The middle section of the lower arena was filled with people who had not attended a single game all season.

[BasketBallonlyfan]

The schools need to make sure that the parents of the players and cheerleaders get seats in the lower arena (if they want them). I know when AC played Pikeville- some of their players/cheerleaders parents were in the 2 rows behind the student section. These parents (some with young children) had to stand throught the entire game to see. AC - like most student sections- stood through the entire game. The middle section of the lower arena was filled with people who had not attended a single game all season.

Blame that on the Allen Central School. All schools in the regional tourney had the same amount of tickets. All schools had the same seating arrangements on the side of the court the school was supposed to sit at. It was the fault of the school itself as to who got behind the student section, and who got the tickets. The lower arena tickets were issued to the school and they dispersed them.

[HazzBeen]

I just didn't like the $2.50 bottles of water at the expo. Great atmosphere though!

[gotcha2]

Blame that on the Allen Central School. All schools in the regional tourney had the same amount of tickets. All schools had the same seating arrangements on the side of the court the school was supposed to sit at. It was the fault of the school itself as to who got behind the student section, and who got the tickets. The lower arena tickets were issued to the school and they dispersed them.

If you look closely- I said "The schools", no blame was placed on the Expo center.

[StillAnMCfan]

Blame that on the Allen Central School. All schools in the regional tourney had the same amount of tickets. All schools had the same seating arrangements on the side of the court the school was supposed to sit at. It was the fault of the school itself as to who got behind the student section, and who got the tickets. The lower arena tickets were issued to the school and they dispersed them.

Magoffin gave first choice to the kids and the parents.

[alleycat53]

Pikeville had their student on the end next to the cheerleaders and it was better that way, SV had the student section in the middle and it hurt the adjoining sections bad. On the end is much better for the student section and they can see because they are standing anyway.

[StillAnMCfan]

Pikeville had their student on the end next to the cheerleaders and it was better that way, SV had the student section in the middle and it hurt the adjoining sections bad. On the end is much better for the student section and they can see because they are standing anyway.

Yea, I think Magoffin did the same as you say Pike did, student section on the end Parents and others in the middle and other sections. Players and cheerleaders just got first choice seats for their parents in the sections not designated as "student section".

[TomSportsHack]

Last year it was a Johnson Central/Shelby Valley final and that was Pike County.

Last time it was at P-Burg it was an all Pike County Final.

So there goes that argument.

Took the words right off my keyboard, sir.

Thank you.

[LoneStar]

Blame that on the Allen Central School. All schools in the regional tourney had the same amount of tickets. All schools had the same seating arrangements on the side of the court the school was supposed to sit at. It was the fault of the school itself as to who got behind the student section, and who got the tickets. [COLOR="Black"]The lower arena tickets were issued to the school and they dispersed them.

[/COLOR]
This is only half true. The schools did get lower arena tickets but not all of them. I personally know of individuals getting tickets in the lower arena before the schools, these individuals had no involvement with either school playing. Get away from assigned seats, open the arena 1 hour before the game, and charge everyone the same. Eliminates unfairness and favoritism at the high school level. Give each school 200-300 unassigned tickets and let the schools figure out where to sit, just like everyother region.

[The Fan]

this is stupid there really not a bad seat there unless you sit on the ends . I had lower arena seats everygame and sit up stairs I thought they were better seats . I dont like to sit eye level at games you can see more if your up alittle bit , but that just my views to each his own .

[two color blue]

I always arrive an hour early so I can get one of the best seats, in the upper arena.

[FOX SPORTS]

[/font][/font][/color]
This is only half true. The schools did get lower arena tickets but not all of them. I personally know of individuals getting tickets in the lower arena before the schools, these individuals had no involvement with either school playing. Get away from assigned seats, open the arena 1 hour before the game, and charge everyone the same. Eliminates unfairness and favoritism at the high school level. Give each school 200-300 unassigned tickets and let the schools figure out where to sit, just like everyother region.

There are always going to be reserved seats and people not "associated " with either school....Many times those are corporate sponsors and school system administrators...Any venue with the ability to have reserved seats are always going to have some held back.

BTW, I have checked with some other regions and there are reserved seats outside of the 15th...and they cost more than general admission...and guess what, even a few corporate sponsors that give the region Thousands of dollars get a few of the reserved.

[wildcatgirl789]

First of all I think the Expo center is a great venue for kids in the 15th.
1. Yes, you do lose atmosphere when you take it from the high school gyms but to be honest there is really not any gym in the region that could hold the crowd that was at the regional finals this year.
2. Yes, it is expensive but when you realize the profits go to the schools it really is not such a bad thing. At least you have a clean bathroom to use, a nice backed seat to sit in, the temperture is comfortable, you have adequete parking and you have nice concessions, expensive, but nice.
3. Only one team gets to go to Rupp or Diddle, and this place gives all teams in the region a little taste of what it is like to play in such a large venue. It makes making it to the region a little more special.
4. Yes, it seems as if Pike county had the advantage this year, but look at last year the only other year that was played in the Expo center and you will remember it was Magoffin County and Johnson Central who were the winners.
5. This year the school with the longest drive was probally Magoffin County and it takes about 45 minutes to drive it. Lawernce Co. probally would have the longest drive of anyone in the 15th, but if it was rotated like it was once was those trips could get even longer. This year in the 14th, the kids from Powell County had to drive to Letcher Central, I could be wrong but I think that would over 100 miles. There is no easy answer on this one.
There are problems with which ever route is taken but I think overall the Expo Center is a good thing.

[LoneStar]

There are always going to be reserved seats and people not "associated " with either school....Many times those are corporate sponsors and school system administrators...Any venue with the ability to have reserved seats are always going to have some held back.

BTW, I have checked with some other regions and there are reserved seats outside of the 15th...and they cost more than general admission...and guess what, even a few corporate sponsors that give the region Thousands of dollars get a few of the reserved.

I know all this. Nothing new. I'm part of the system. Doesn't make it right. This thread is about the use of the Expo Center for high school basketball games. I think its a great venue for the games, just don't agree with how revenue and seating is handled at the Expo Center.
Will check into the corporate sponsorship at expo center. Will be interested in whether the schools or the Expo had a share of the monies.