In another thread I posted that you have to remember Title IX plays a part in this. What KHSAA does for one tournament, they have to do (in similarity) for all tournaments. So if they take a full page ad for Basketball, they have to do it for all other tournaments they host.

 

On the surface you would ask ok, why wouldn't the do that. When you think about the cost benefit across the board, probably no where near worth it.

 

Have to look at the whole picture.

 

You are completely wrong about the Title IX spin. Has nothing at all to do with ads. Your point is so far off that in your world because Beechwood football offers a program at its game, it means they also have to offer the same at a softball or soccer game. It's not true. Do you think because NewCath has a football program they also have to do one for the cross country team?

You are completely wrong about the Title IX spin. Has nothing at all to do with ads. Your point is so far off that in your world because Beechwood football offers a program at its game, it means they also have to offer the same at a softball or soccer game. It's not true. Do you think because NewCath has a football program they also have to do one for the cross country team?

 

Plantman is not wrong. He's 100% correct. Typically, programs at the school level are paid for and provided by a booster organization, who secure ads, and pay for the printing, not the school and all money earned goes back specifically to that program. As far as the KHSAA goes, in terms of $'s spent, what they do for one sport they must do for all sports.

All arguments seem to have the same theme, I did something wrong as a fan. I am such a scumbag, I am embarrassed. Perhaps will chose to join the thousands of other rabid high school fans and just pass next year. If KHSAA is not open to re-visit the overall "Fan experience" than they will bear the fruits of that ostrich mentality.

Plantman is not wrong. He's 100% correct. Typically, programs at the school level are paid for and provided by a booster organization, who secure ads, and pay for the printing, not the school and all money earned goes back specifically to that program. As far as the KHSAA goes, in terms of $'s spent, what they do for one sport they must do for all sports.

 

You are wrong as well. The KHSAA spends tons more for the football playoffs than any other sport in terms of ads, support personnel, productions for marketing and media, etc. Do you think they are spending the same for the state cross country championship? They also invested a lot of money into this Sweet 16, more than they ever would for a non-revenue sport. They just dropped the ball in forgetting to buy ads in the local media.

Wow plantmanky, sorry you are so in-sensitive to us dinosaurs. Guess you missed that young whipper-snapper Mustang's post of trying to do just what you said and site would only print bottom half. FYI bought programs every year for 40 years; however spent last three winters in Florida. Great to be back, but will be lost at Rupp this week with no program.

 

Look me up on Thursday evening. We can be lost together.

All arguments seem to have the same theme, I did something wrong as a fan. I am such a scumbag, I am embarrassed. Perhaps will chose to join the thousands of other rabid high school fans and just pass next year. If KHSAA is not open to re-visit the overall "Fan experience" than they will bear the fruits of that ostrich mentality.

 

No, you are right with most of your points. The fan experience was not good at this year's Sweet 16, many would agree. There were positives about the event (plenty of cushion seats, accessible from highway, etc.), but the parking and even something as simple as the dropping off of the teams in their bus was totally overlooked. Thankfully they solved where to park the buses before that became a complete disaster. They ended up parking them in a tired lot up the road about 1/4 mile from the arena.

Any pub is good pub. The KHSAA did not even attempt to make deals (signage for full page ad, TV spots, etc.) they could have had for free from newspapers up here and TV stations. Someone would bite. I know newspapers are dying, but getting 100k people looking at it is a good piece of PR. Same with TV and 1 million potential viewers in this area. As is, there was nothing to promote the event in the media.

 

Yes and no. On an ROI basis, not all pub is good pub, especially when it doesn't drive enough traffic to cover the costs. I know how much full page ads costs....and the traffic that would be generated over a few days and 15 games isn't going to cover the costs of the ad. Throw TV on that, and it gets very expensive very quickly. Typically the businesses that can benefit from those types of ads can recoup the costs in just a handful of customers that the ad brings in. The Girls Sweet 16 would have to generate a huge amount of traffic to cover the costs. Again, the people that truly cared about the tourney were already going. You're not going to get people that have no interest in girls high school basketball to go simply by purchasing expensive advertising.

All arguments seem to have the same theme, I did something wrong as a fan. I am such a scumbag, I am embarrassed. Perhaps will chose to join the thousands of other rabid high school fans and just pass next year. If KHSAA is not open to re-visit the overall "Fan experience" than they will bear the fruits of that ostrich mentality.

 

Again here is my point, you claim "KHSAA has been around long enough to understand "fan experience". Saw two very good games, but my fan experience was greatly diluted with no info on teams or players, no back stories. " but yet that is not accurate. KHSAA did have the information out there, the same way the have had the information out there for years. A simple click and print would have solved your "dilutedness".

Again here is my point, you claim "KHSAA has been around long enough to understand "fan experience". Saw two very good games, but my fan experience was greatly diluted with no info on teams or players, no back stories. " but yet that is not accurate. KHSAA did have the information out there, the same way the have had the information out there for years. A simple click and print would have solved your "dilutedness".

 

Please show me any signage that would have directed me. I did have my Ipad, but it wasn't in anticipation of no program. BB&T staff could not direct me, and no one in Murray's fan section had any idea. If signage was there, this dinosaur missed it. Probably clearly printed in the e-program!

Sorry I am such a dinosaur, rabid scumbag basketball fan. I am finished talking to the wind.

All arguments seem to have the same theme, I did something wrong as a fan. I am such a scumbag, I am embarrassed. Perhaps will chose to join the thousands of other rabid high school fans and just pass next year. If KHSAA is not open to re-visit the overall "Fan experience" than they will bear the fruits of that ostrich mentality.

 

Not true. I don't see where anyone said you did anything wrong. I've seen people that have offered you tips that would provide you with the same experience that you are used to. You keep referring to the fan experience as if your experience is the only one. There are many like myself that like the idea of not paying for a printed copy and being able to access the program for free digitally. I'd rather spend my money on a nice meal before the games, than on a program. I still believe that the arguments for a printed program are more based in nostalgia than practicality. Again, I understand, and I'm not here to change your mind. My only point is that if you really take a step back and give it shot, you'll find the digital program works just fine. Aside from being able to touch it and feel it (and it's ability to take up physical space), a digital program is really no different than a printed one.

What we have here is a "failure to communicate".

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

The world is transitioning from a paper, hands-on world that we oldsters knew and embrace, to a techno-cyber world, where everything we could possibly desire is on-line.

We are at a cross-roads, SO rather than jumping from the past, right into the future, there needs to be some transition.

 

IF they are going to discontinue the printed program, which they have, and we never expect to get it back, there could be a manila folder type handout (or minimal charge) that would contain the tournament brackets (which now no longer fall in chronological order) a brief history of past championship games, the leading scorer in said game, and the head coach. There could be local advertising on these. I'm sure that Barleycorn's would have jumped at an opportunity for each out-of-town fan to see a picture of their wings and directions to their eatery.

 

Enclosed in each of these "folders" would be a roster of each team participating THAT NIGHT (or DAY). In the old days many high school programs did this, provide a staple with a picture and roster of the home teams, and stick an insert of the visitors roster.

 

The sample Campbell County roster that Plantmanky provided a link to shows a total of 28 players. 14 of these players have numbers, but in actuality only 15 are permitted to dress. ALSO, I'm not sure where you found the rosters on the KHSAA site, but normally they are restricted to those with usernames/passwords.

 

In a few years we oldsters will have gone over the rainbow, and you newbies will rule the earth, running your life off of your smartphones, and depending on it for your existence. You will no longer remember carbon paper or pull-apart order forms. You will be unhappy unless you have over 100 channels to choose from, and will place your grocery shopping requests from home and pick it up without getting out of your car (Krogers). Restaurant menus will be the next thing to become extinct (Applebees). You already pay your bills without writing a check. You lock your doors from a distant city and are able to look in on the dog.

 

Your world will be a better place (I guess), but in the meantime until we unburden you with our presence, common sense needs to prevail. The basics need to still be provided, and our demeaning existences need to be tolerated. .

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

The world is transitioning from a paper, hands-on world that we oldsters knew and embrace, to a techno-cyber world, where everything we could possibly desire is on-line.

We are at a cross-roads, SO rather than jumping from the past, right into the future, there needs to be some transition.

 

IF they are going to discontinue the printed program, which they have, and we never expect to get it back, there could be a manila folder type handout (or minimal charge) that would contain the tournament brackets (which now no longer fall in chronological order) a brief history of past championship games, the leading scorer in said game, and the head coach. There could be local advertising on these. I'm sure that Barleycorn's would have jumped at an opportunity for each out-of-town fan to see a picture of their wings and directions to their eatery.

 

Enclosed in each of these "folders" would be a roster of each team participating THAT NIGHT (or DAY). In the old days many high school programs did this, provide a staple with a picture and roster of the home teams, and stick an insert of the visitors roster.

 

The sample Campbell County roster that Plantmanky provided a link to shows a total of 28 players. 14 of these players have numbers, but in actuality only 15 are permitted to dress. ALSO, I'm not sure where you found the rosters on the KHSAA site, but normally they are restricted to those with usernames/passwords.

 

In a few years we oldsters will have gone over the rainbow, and you newbies will rule the earth, running your life off of your smartphones, and depending on it for your existence. You will no longer remember carbon paper or pull-apart order forms. You will be unhappy unless you have over 100 channels to choose from, and will place your grocery shopping requests from home and pick it up without getting out of your car (Krogers). Restaurant menus will be the next thing to become extinct (Applebees). You already pay your bills without writing a check. You lock your doors from a distant city and are able to look in on the dog.

 

Your world will be a better place (I guess), but in the meantime until we unburden you with our presence, common sense needs to prevail. The basics need to still be provided, and our demeaning existences need to be tolerated. .

 

When you walk into Rupp Arena on Wednesday, there will be a myriad of "newsboys" hawking the Herald-Leader, that for $1 (or less) will have an insert. In that insert will be a story on each participating team, team rosters, tournament bracket, and some basic history of the event. With your purchase you will get a string of your team's colored beads. Each day thereafter there will be coverage of the previous days' games.

 

While I don't consider this a suitable substitute for the old printed program - AT LEAST IT IS SOMETHING. At the Girls tournament the local papers had this same opportunity, but either didn't think to do it, or were simply uninterested. This would have provided us SOMETHING. INSTEAD WE GOT NOTHING but a cyber address.