KHSAA Football Finals Moved to UK for 2017 & 2018

[BigRedDiesel]

The kids I've spoken with are ecstatic about the prospect of playing at Kroger field. I sure hope they get the opportunity. At one time, there was some talk about east/west cross-bracketing the playoffs. Has that been shot down?

[tcjkbt]

While in the 1960s and early 1970s the KHSAA used to play the A and AA championships in Lexington and the AAA in Louisville, I can't imagine a modern situation where the state finals would be split between venues.

I agree. I think the only reason it was split then is that AAA was made up of Jefferson County schools exclusively.

[Harry Doyle]

I can dig it.....BG, KY is my favorite town in the state, but I'm good with UK/Lex for sure. Distance wise...it doesn't matter...unless it's a complete dark hole; I'm 2/2.5 hrs from everywhere in the state.

[Mayfieldsportsfan]

My son said he didn't care one way or the other where the game is played. He said he would not play for Kentucky even if he had the chance.

[UK#1fanisback]

Everyone that complained about location and wanted it in the middle of Kentucky better show up this year no excuses!

[Toothpick]

After WKU entered C-USA, that weekend became a big problem due to Western hosting the conference title game a couple times. Made the schedule a real pain. This was inevitable.

 

This

 

 

I hate it though, way to big and worst of all it will mean I have to drive a lot further

[Adopted Purple]

I live in Bowling Green and hate to see it go, but I didn't like the three days of games​. Losing the Russell sponsorship was the nail in the coffin. It doesn't matter, I would go watch it if it was played in Whitesburg.

[Geek61]

Article I read stated "Move to UK in 2018" is there an official press release?

[kypride]

I live in Bowling Green and hate to see it go, but I didn't like the three days of games​. Losing the Russell sponsorship was the nail in the coffin. It doesn't matter, I would go watch it if it was played in Whitesburg.

 

They didn't LOSE the Russell sponsorship. The KHSAA voided the contract.

[thehotsnakes]

While in the 1960s and early 1970s the KHSAA used to play the A and AA championships in Lexington and the AAA in Louisville, I can't imagine a modern situation where the state finals would be split between venues.

 

I actually think some states might have 2 different venues.

 

For some reason, North Carolina sticks out as one. I think they play half the games at Wake Forest and the other half at NC State.

[CyrusJS]

Long time reader here, and registered for this site today just so I could comment on this thread (and more in the future, of course).

 

I somewhat understand the argument of the C-USA CCG being a factor in moving the site. However, I doubt that it hindered attendance very much at all. If you were going to watch the championships, you were going to go one way or another. Additionally, you got to watch great football in WKU while you were in town. Bonus football.

 

Second, a local beat writer for WKU posted on twitter earlier that a big factor in moving the championship was also that they wanted to "spread the championships around." If by spread, he must of meant consolidate, because now UK has MBB, WBB, and FB championships for the next few years. I believe this has little to do with fans/athletes, and more to do with this pervasive bias towards UK that has infected this state. Why give WKU/NKU/EKU anything, when they can benefit UK?

 

Lexington is not more centrally located than BG. BG is virtually the same distance to the geographic center of KY than is Lexington. The geographic center is Lebanon, KY. 20 miles difference between Lex to Lebanon and BG to Lebanon.

 

However, I guess it is nice that the KHSAA is allowing a championship game to be played at UK. After all, it has never happened in the history of football.

 

And, yes I am clearly salty. :isurrender:

[theguru]

Long time reader here, and registered for this site today just so I could comment on this thread (and more in the future, of course).

 

I somewhat understand the argument of the C-USA CCG being a factor in moving the site. However, I doubt that it hindered attendance very much at all. If you were going to watch the championships, you were going to go one way or another. Additionally, you got to watch great football in WKU while you were in town. Bonus football.

 

Second, a local beat writer for WKU posted on twitter earlier that a big factor in moving the championship was also that they wanted to "spread the championships around." If by spread, he must of meant consolidate, because now UK has MBB, WBB, and FB championships for the next few years. I believe this has little to do with fans/athletes, and more to do with this pervasive bias towards UK that has infected this state. Why give WKU/NKU/EKU anything, when they can benefit UK?

 

Lexington is not more centrally located than BG. BG is virtually the same distance to the geographic center of KY than is Lexington. The geographic center is Lebanon, KY. 20 miles difference between Lex to Lebanon and BG to Lebanon.

 

However, I guess it is nice that the KHSAA is allowing a championship game to be played at UK. After all, it has never happened in the history of football.

 

And, yes I am clearly salty. :isurrender:

 

Great first post!

 

Welcome aboard @CyrusJS

[theguru]

I've been on the WKU Bandwagon for years because it was a great venue for the State Football Finals. However, like mentioned above, once WKU starting hosting Conference Championship Games on the same weekend it totally disrupted the natural flow of the State Final Games and I support the move.

 

Additionally, even though UK stinks in football and should be embarrassed by their lack of success, UK is still recognized as our Crown Jewel and I think playing the State Championships at UK is a really nice move.

 

Hopefully the games will be supported by larger crowds at UK.

[BigRedDiesel]

I guess I need to move my hotel reservations. Any suggestions?

[CyrusJS]

I've been on the WKU Bandwagon for years because it was a great venue for the State Football Finals. However, like mentioned above, once WKU starting hosting Conference Championship Games on the same weekend it totally disrupted the natural flow of the State Final Games and I support the move.

 

Additionally, even though UK stinks in football and should be embarrassed by their lack of success, UK is still recognized as our Crown Jewel and I think playing the State Championships at UK is a really nice move.

 

Hopefully the games will be supported by larger crowds at UK.

 

Like I said, I totally understand how the CCG was a factor. Big reason it moved from UofL. Not sure if UK is considered the Crown Jewel. I'd lean more towards UofL recently, although it is impossible to say when Western can't get a spot in this "Governor's Cup" thing.

 

Kids from all over KY grow up being UK fans. I could see how a player might think it would be more exciting to play at Kroger Field than Smith Stadium. UK is still SEC. However, the game experience is going to be severely less fun with how much the tiny crowds will get swallowed whole. WKU was a nice size.

 

Most games were in the 4-8k attendance range, and Western hold 24k, whereas Kroger holds nearly 68k. I went to many games while it was here in BG, and I just don't think it can be overstated how terrible the atmosphere is going to be the next couple years.