How about the "A" Tournament moving back home!

[Theoldguy]

In about two years Northern Kentucky University will be home to the new Bank of Kentucky Arena (proposed seating to be about 9 to 10 thousand). I was wondering if the powers to be will allow Northern Kentucky to bring back the "A" Tournament to where it all started years ago when the local small school AD's came up with the idea. It would be a nice way to honor the area and these men who started it all. I realize that Northern Kentucky is not centrally located, but if ever an area deserved to host a State Tournament this is one that the powers to be should allow Northern Kentucky to host.

[All Play No Work]

In about two years Northern Kentucky University will be home to the new Bank of Kentucky Arena (proposed seating to be about 9 to 10 thousand). I was wondering if the powers to be will allow Northern Kentucky to bring back the "A" Tournament to where it all started years ago when the local small school AD's came up with the idea. It would be a nice way to honor the area and these men who started it all. I realize that Northern Kentucky is not centrally located, but if ever an area deserved to host a State Tournament this is one that the powers to be should allow Northern Kentucky to host.

 

Not a bad idea in theory given the history except there is a lot more to hosting the tourney than having a floor and 10,000 seats.

 

The location would hamper attendance. And make it very difficult for fans to commute to and from. Plus while the NKY area has enough hotel space there is not enough around NKY to host teams. It is one thing to be 3 minutes away from EKU's arena and another to be 20 minutes away in Florence from NKU's.

[Theoldguy]

Not a bad idea in theory given the history except there is a lot more to hosting the tourney than having a floor and 10,000 seats.

 

The location would hamper attendance. And make it very difficult for fans to commute to and from. Plus while the NKY area has enough hotel space there is not enough around NKY to host teams. It is one thing to be 3 minutes away from EKU's arena and another to be 20 minutes away in Florence from NKU's.

 

Why would the location hamper attendance? NKU is right off I-471. If you are talking about playing in Northern Kentucky, well Bowling Green has the Girls State Tournament and it isn't really centrally located for us in NKy. I would say that if your school was playing in the All "A" Tournament, the location wouldn't prevent you from attending.

 

My guess is that you haven't heard about the Hotel that will be built on the campus of NKU. I did a search on AAA and found only three motels on the same exit as EKU (Best Western, Comfort Suites, and the Jameson Inn) so my guess is that the Hotel that is proposed to be built on campus will be large enough to Host the Teams playing in the Tournament.

[Statmaster]

Sure, host it there. Why not, since that's where it all began. They should also use the same standards in classifying eligible teams as they use in football. There are too many legit 2 A teams playing in this.

[Theoldguy]

Sure, host it there. Why not, since that's where it all began. They should also use the same standards in classifying eligible teams as they use in football. There are too many legit 2 A teams playing in this.

 

Until the other day when I was talking with some parents from O-Cath, I thought that all the schools playing in the all "A" tournament were the same as football "A" schools. It was when they told me they were looking forward to the all "A" Tournament, that I realized that the all "A" was different than the football "A". The only thing I can think of is when it all started, they needed enough school to play in it, so they increase the size of an "A" school for this tournament

[BIGZIG]

It would be great to have the All A at NKU but I agree with those who say there are not enough hotels within a few minutes of the new arena to consider making a change at this point. Hopefully that will change.

[BIGZIG]

Sure, host it there. Why not, since that's where it all began. They should also use the same standards in classifying eligible teams as they use in football. There are too many legit 2 A teams playing in this.

:thumb: I agree 100% but wait until you see some of the responses you will get thinking otherwise.

[nWo]

 

My guess is that you haven't heard about the Hotel that will be built on the campus of NKU. I did a search on AAA and found only three motels on the same exit as EKU (Best Western, Comfort Suites, and the Jameson Inn) so my guess is that the Hotel that is proposed to be built on campus will be large enough to Host the Teams playing in the Tournament.

 

 

There are more that three hotels located at the same exit you mentioned. The Hotels at exit 87 here in Richmond are as follows:

 

Holiday Inn Express

Best Western

Hampton Inn

Jameson Inn

Quality Quarters Inn

 

 

There are several more at exit 90 which is only about 4 miles from EKU's campus. With the new addition to the EKU By-Pass open people staying at the hotels at exit 90 don't even have to get on I-75 to get to Eastern's campus.

[dubbbledribbble]

The All A has turned into a $$$$$ thing. That's why it is not a true small school tourney anymore. Way too many 2A schools in it. It is really lost it's fire since they started letting so many teams in. So if Northern KY can give them enough $$$ then the tourney will move there, that's all they're after these days!!!!

[HDE]

A couple of things:

 

When you said back home, I thought you meant Alumni Coliseum, which is where it started in its current format. Northern is not centrally located enough to have it there every year.

 

They didn't just start "letting teams in." It was a slow process because, as Westsider always points out in our debate on this, the numbers (425 in grades 10-12) have stayed the same since it started in 1990. The problem is that more and more schools fall below this number, and it since it hasn't been adjusted there have been too many 2A schools competing.

 

As NWO says, there are more motels nearby on the other exit, but you never had to get on I-75 to get there, even before the bypass.

[Theoldguy]

A couple of things:

 

When you said back home, I thought you meant Alumni Coliseum, which is where it started in its current format. Northern is not centrally located enough to have it there every year.

 

They didn't just start "letting teams in." It was a slow process because, as Westsider always points out in our debate on this, the numbers (425 in grades 10-12) have stayed the same since it started in 1990. The problem is that more and more schools fall below this number, and it since it hasn't been adjusted there have been too many 2A schools competing.

 

As NWO says, there are more motels nearby on the other exit, but you never had to get on I-75 to get there, even before the bypass.

 

All I wanted was to bring it back when we get the new arena at NKU to honor the men and the schools from NKy who started this Tournament before everybody in the rest of the state wanted in.

 

While it has grown into a premier event in the state, it's roots are still up here in NKy and if it wasn't for people like Stan Steidel of Dayton, Father Ed Heile of Covington Latin, Bill Frey of Covington Holy Cross and others, I question if the event that you see today would be want it is has become.

 

 

History of the All "A" Basketball Tournament

[dchooch]

I think it would be good to at least give it a try. At least give it a chance to honor the area in which it started.

[westsider]

EKU basically gives the All A Classic the run of the place for several days, and the tournament has developed a pretty good relationship with its hosts ... it will be difficult for NKU or any other entity to provide all the perks that Richmond has for over a decade.

[wire]

I could be wrong but with the exception of Lexington Cath. in 1992 there has been no winner of the All "A" that has not been a true 1A school (in terms of the football classification system).... so why should they change the 425 number???? I think if NKU can support the tourney with hotel space.....go for it!!!!!

[HDE]

I could be wrong but with the exception of Lexington Cath. in 1992 there has been no winner of the All "A" that has not been a true 1A school (in terms of the football classification system).... so why should they change the 425 number???? I think if NKU can support the tourney with hotel space.....go for it!!!!!

 

 

Jackson County won several on the girls side.

 

Winning it is not the only issue. Just getting there would be a huge accomplishment for a lot of teams who are beat out by 2A schools in the regionals.