Do you go to all the state championships?

 

I have been to multiple, in a variety of sports, yes...

So, is that the issue? The KHSAA pays for the hotel and all expenses for everyone? I can see the issue if that is it. Didn't a lot of money get cut that was used to send coaches and other school and program personnel to the Sweet 16? If that money was cut, it doesn't look good for the KHSAA to dole out money to everyone on their side and say come on down. Someone (BB?) fill in the blanks for me.

 

Now I believe you are onto what my concern is....two weeks paid vacation in the spring to watch premier sports on KHSAA dime.

Lots of rumors swirling around the BB&T Center tonight. Two of the top ones are:

 

NKU vs WKU - The Commissioners are "Happy with the way things are going" at NKU this week. No decision has been made for 2018.

 

Combining the Girls and Boys State Tournaments in the future - It is already pretty much common knowledge that the basketball seasons shorten by a week next year, and that the Boys State Tournament is moving up a week to "avoid a conflict with the NCAA Tournament." Interpretation - Blame the NCAA Tournament for loss of revenue from the Boys State Tournament at Rupp Arena. The KHSAA cash cow is hemorrhaging and the KHSAA is desperate to find a solution, rather than to accept the 2017 demographics.

Under this premise it does make sense that they would look at combining the two tournaments in a single week format.

 

This is exactly why the entire staff does not need to be on site for each tournament....costs for participation continue to rise and the KHSAA can't seem to figure out why ?

- It is already pretty much common knowledge that the basketball seasons shorten by a week next year, and that the Boys State Tournament is moving up a week to "avoid a conflict with the NCAA Tournament.".

 

Do you mind elaborating in this? My knowledge is not as common as others.

The boys Sweet 16 is dying a slow death at Rupp. It is the bell cow for the KHSAA.

What has happened? By in large the new Redbook rules that were put in place a few years ago really restricts who pays for rooms and tickets for coaches to attend. In the past the tickets and rooms could be paid for the coaches by their respective schools.

With the new rules in place coaches are expected to pay for their tickets and their rooms. That is a decent chunk of change to pay out of pocket.

4 nights of lodging and multiple rounds of tickets, especially with the tournament going to a Sunday final.

Attendance has been slipping over the last few years at the state tournament. You can blame the conflict of times with the NCAA tournament and you could blame the participating schools, but many will point to the cost out of pocket that the coaches are expected to pay over the duration of the tournament.

Some others are frustrated from the size of the trophy's awarded to the champion or to the elimination of the state tournament programs.

Changes are coming and I think we will end up seeing a combination of the Boys and Girls Sweet 16.

 

The part I emboldened is the main cause of less attendance. It really has hurt the tournament fan turnout and revenue. Regardless who was paying the dime, the school or the individuals, it still made money for the KHSAA. Now a huge chunk of that money is gone.

I know things are crazy complicated w/ contracts and $$, but (for the kids/coaches) pick a place and stick with it. When the tourney switches from venue to venue, it becomes less and less special for the teams setting the goal to play in the tourney. Its always a dream for a teenage boy to play in Rupp Arena and the girls aren't even sure where they will be playing this next Sweet 16..

It seems to me that moving the boys tournament to "avoid NCAA conflict" only creates a different one...the mens SEC basketball tournament.

I know things are crazy complicated w/ contracts and $$, but (for the kids/coaches) pick a place and stick with it. When the tourney switches from venue to venue, it becomes less and less special for the teams setting the goal to play in the tourney. Its always a dream for a teenage boy to play in Rupp Arena and the girls aren't even sure where they will be playing this next Sweet 16..

 

You can't force a venue to host the tourney and sadly you have to go to the one that will provide the best deal. Otherwise you are going to end up in a high school gym.

It seems to me that moving the boys tournament to "avoid NCAA conflict" only creates a different one...the mens SEC basketball tournament.

 

The week before that.

Like volleyball playing state at Valley H.S. Should be at a college/university.

The week before that.

 

They're talking about bumping it up two weeks?!?

Like volleyball playing state at Valley H.S. Should be at a college/university.

 

Why?

It seems to me that moving the boys tournament to "avoid NCAA conflict" only creates a different one...the mens SEC basketball tournament.

 

The week before that.

 

They're talking about bumping it up two weeks?!?

 

2018 SEC Tournament is March 7-12 in St. Louis. That means the boys Sweet 16 would be February 28-March 3. I'm assuming the girls tournament would fall after the boys, so the boys regions would be February 19-23. The district tournaments would be February 12-17, one week earlier than in most previous years.

 

An added point to this: If the KHSAA plans to play the Sweet 16 the week before the SEC Tournament, then UK will either have to play a road game the last day of the season or the Sweet 16 will have to work around a Saturday afternoon UK home game like it did a few years ago. I don't see UK giving up their bi-annual Saturday senior day so the KHSAA will have to make adjustments.

Avoiding the SEC tournament is also a big factor. A lot of the same people who would attend the SW16 would also be heading to the SEC tournament.

Avoiding the SEC tournament is also a big factor. A lot of the same people who would attend the SW16 would also be heading to the SEC tournament.

 

Indeed. I'd imagine more Sweet 16 guests would be affected by conflicting dates with the SEC Tournament than they would the NCAA, in part because the SEC dates/location are set years in advance, whereas you can only confirm the NCAA dates a few days in advance (unless you're just guessing).