Sweet 16 at NKU

[NEERFAN]

This is coming from a person with a participant pass

 

It was nice to park behind the arena for free as long as I had my team badge. Being I live 2 minutes from the arena it was nice not having to go to the high school to catch the bus. The KHSAA people I had to deal with were great but I also see them at another state tournament so they know who I am and were very helpful. I will say not BB&T but the events people had no clue what was going on. As of 6:00 PM on Wednesday they still couldn't figure out which badge could go where. They were going to kick one of our non-dressed players off the bench because her badge did not look like their image (their image did not have the region sticker on it).

 

Coming from my neighbor who came to watch my team play, she loved her seats, she parked for free at the old city building but thought $18 for 2 pretzels ($10) & 2 bottles of water ($8) was ridiculous.

 

I think there is a lot to be improved. I went to City BBQ after our day game and I asked them if they knew there was a state basketball tournament going on, she said, "We did not until some of the parents came in for a meal." This is sad to me and shame on KHSAA & Highland Heights Chamber of Commerce.

 

Also having a team stay in Richwood, KY when the KHSAA staff is staying at the airport seems a little wrong. That is problem with the tournament in NKY there are not enough hotels in the area to hosts all the teams. Hypothetically if GRC won the 10th wouldn't they need a hotel? Where would they go?

 

That is absurd. Now I would consider an Annie Anne's type pretzel but I'm picturing standard issue arena pretzel .

[Ranger]

I purchased tickets for three different sessions. The arena is first class for basketball; Diddle is nice but I don't think it is as nice as NKU. Promotion might have bolstered the attendance but the attendance didn't affect our experience of going and supporting the tourney.

*Parking was a breeze and reasonable- better than WKU,

*tickets affordable ($11 vs the $18 for boys tickets that I see online)

*concession stand prices are reasonable- between high school and pro arena (small cheese pizza $6, pretzel $4, Bread sticks the size of a small pizza $3, Large Popcorn less than movies, chicken tenders and fries like $7, jumbo drink $5)

*concession stand service was quick; personnel were friendly. On Saturday night, a manager was directing traffic so that there was virtually no wait.

*A hotel within 30 minutes of the hotel is reasonable to me. SK stayed at an absolute dump on a visit to girls state tourney back in 08; it was 20 mins from the arena but I wouldn't stay there and I'm not all that picky.

 

I hope it stays at BB&T. I've attended KHSAA state championships in football, boys and girls b-ball (both locations), baseball and wrestling and say; pay up St. E and keep the tourney in NKY!

[jakeandabby]

In the pre-tourney info each region is assigned a hotel. The school must be located more than 40 miles away to be eligible for reimbursement from the KHSAA for hotel and meals.

This is where some of the rub with teams exists. The hotels were not willing to work with teams (at least some). We stayed in a hotel with a team--KHSAA reimbursement is $13 per night per person in the official party (33 people). If you put 4 in a row that is only $52. The hotel we were in charged $140 per night so the school is on the hook for $88 per night. It should not cost teams that kind of $ to play in the state tourney! We were told that hotels were one of the biggest issues the KHSAA had with the event.

[sweet16]

A school loses a lot of money when they make the Sweet 16.

 

It is worth it but reimbursement is really a joke.

[Mustang]

We stayed in a hotel with a team--KHSAA reimbursement is $13 per night per person in the official party (33 people). If you put 4 in a row that is only $52. The hotel we were in charged $140 per night so the school is on the hook for $88 per night.

 

It sounds like the All "A" does a better job of providing hotel/motel funding.

Each team is assigned a hotel, and given 8 rooms free of charge. Any additional rooms can be reserved in advance but are not covered by the All "A". Once eliminated you can also stay as long as you wish. The KHSAA ushers you out following breakfast of the day you are eliminated.

 

There are plenty of suitable hotels on Beechmont Avenue (Rt 125) just off of I-275 in Ohio - 15 minutes from NKU. I guess the KHSAA has a hangup with Ky teams staying in Ohio.

[EZ Living]

Sounds to me like the major problem all the way around was lack of useful information and maybe some communication starting from the top down.

[maxpressure]

I agree with most! The hotels were nice but too expensive! The arena like i said it first class and not a bad seat in the place. The lockerooms they assigned the teams were like a crackerbox! At WKU you get to use the mens and womens lockeroom-they were off limits at BB&T. That is not a huge issue but like I said I just assumed (I know you are not suppose to do that) NKU and just the area in general would really wine and dine teams to make sure it stayed. Sad but if KHSAA is not making money they don't care about it! Raffertys was a sponsor so they had meal discounts but what kind of cash did they give KHSAA? It is an awesome experience for the kids and community to go to the SWEET 16 but there is no telling what it cost each school to send a team and stay the entire time between hotels, meals, busses etc.! I agree with an earlier post that there should be more financial help from KHSAA to these deserving teams. Kids and coaches work way too hard and spend way too much time not to get the royal treatment as a reward for all their hard work! It is back at NKU next year so maybe they will discuss ways to improve! Like I said they have a top notch facility to work with!

[Jesse James]

I have been attending the state tourney for many years now, in different capacities. Most I talked with said the same thing. Back to BG after two years. The location is not central. The security details were horrendous and KGB like. Look at the attendance. That will tell the tell. Unless you had the two northern Kentucky teams playing, well one of them, it was not near as good as WKU and the numbers showed it. Like the Arena alot. Its nice. But thats not enough for the trade offs.

 

How far is Murray from BB&T? Think about the travel. You have the event in one corner of the state. Lets take it to Murray State after this contract is up. See what is said then. Same concept.

[dallaslaredo]

I just assumed (I know you are not suppose to do that) NKU and just the area in general would really wine and dine teams to make sure it stayed.

 

Were teams truly "wined and dined" at previous locations? Or is the grass always greener? What about other sports? Does Owensboro go crazy over hosting the Softball State Tourney?

[dallaslaredo]

The location is not central.

Neither is WKU. Hence the name.

 

Look at the attendance. That will tell the tell.

It broke the attendance record for a session in the quarter finals.

[magicfan217]

Neither is WKU. Hence the name.

 

It broke the attendance record for a session in the quarter finals.

 

WKU is a lot more central then NKU. It doesn't matter what the "name" of the university is.

 

I cannot speak on attendance, but it did seem like there were less people at the tournament overall. But we don't have to debate that...they have actual numbers for attendance (and I dont know what those were).

[dallaslaredo]

WKU is a lot more central then NKU.

No it's not. Not to the majority of Kentuckians. This isn't about distances on a map, but where the population center of Kentucky is. The 3 biggest population areas in Kentucky are in order: 1. Louisville 2. Lexington 3. Northern Kentucky. The fact is, more people in Kentucky are closer to NKU than to WKU. That's a good enough reason to me to leave it there.

[TAC]

A school loses a lot of money when they make the Sweet 16.

 

It is worth it but reimbursement is really a joke.

 

Most regions have payouts to the teams that qualify to play in the region. i think some actually share between all teams in the region. This would subsidize the extra costs. Or at least make it less painful.

[paNDA]

If they could move it closer to my house I would appreciate it. I had to drive a solid 20 minutes. Having said that my opinion is probably not going to count. But I did like the venue. WKU was nice but just not going to get me to go without a kid in the game.

[magicfan217]

No it's not. Not to the majority of Kentuckians. This isn't about distances on a map, but where the population center of Kentucky is. The 3 biggest population areas in Kentucky are in order: 1. Louisville 2. Lexington 3. Northern Kentucky. The fact is, more people in Kentucky are closer to NKU than to WKU. That's a good enough reason to me to leave it there.

 

Well the state sends winners from 16 regions separated by geography. The people that attend the girls state tournament usually are there because their team is in it. You don't think Murray would have had a better crowd in a more central location? Same for several of those teams.

 

Look I think th facility is great, but it's hard to hold a state championship in a corner of the state.