If weather is being blamed on attendance what about next yr? Aren't the finals later due to the extended start of the season?

I still think that fan support is dwindling in Ky as much as I hate to admit it. I know that Mayfield, Danville and Paducah Tilghman's fan support has dwindled over the years, it may be up in the more urban areas but it is seeming that in the rural places attendance is way down compared to past years.

I still think that fan support is dwindling in Ky as much as I hate to admit it. I know that Mayfield, Danville and Paducah Tilghman's fan support has dwindled over the years, it may be up in the more urban areas but it is seeming that in the rural places attendance is way down compared to past years.

 

 

Having the games on a Thursday and Friday I think had more to do with it than anything else.

If weather is being blamed on attendance what about next yr? Aren't the finals later due to the extended start of the season?

 

You can't figure that moving the game back 1 week in December is going to definately make it a bad weather weekend. Heck, there have been 30 degree days in early November and 60 degree days in Mid December. One week isn't going to make that big of a difference in my opinion. Some years your just going to have better attendance than others due to many variables. It isn't rocket science.

Three of the four classes saw a decrease in attendance compared to last year.

 

1A - 4,396 (was 4,709 last year)

 

2A - 6,814 (was 7,726 last year)

 

3A - 7,379 (was 5,875 last year)

 

4A - 10,623 (was 21,424 last year)

 

Total - 29,212 (was 39,734 last year

 

 

Attendance was over 48,000 in 2003.

The only privates in 2003 were in the 4-a game correct? I just don't think fans who don't have teams involved in the championship game are going to flock to PJS to watch private schools play at the lower level.

The only privates in 2003 were in the 4-a game correct? I just don't think fans who don't have teams involved in the championship game are going to flock to PJS to watch private schools play at the lower level.

 

I don't think that fans without a vested interest in the games will "flock to PJS" to see anyone play- including the publics. However, I believe that the statistics will show that the privates bring more of their fans than do the publics.

 

As for the weather, as I recall I stood in PJS on a miserable day (cold and rainy) to root for Russell last year. Late November-December weather in Louisville is not usually kind to fans of outdoor sports.

 

I still say the Class 4-A matchup, or lack thereof, was the main cause of the decrease in attendance. Weather contributed some as did the Thursday night time. However, none of that would have mattered with two high power Louisville schools playing. With all due respect to Ryle, we all knew that they were merely the sacrificial lamb and that there would be no suspense to the game other than the number of points Trinity would choose to score. Trinity won the state championship when they defeated Male after Male defeated St. Xavier.

 

If Louisville continually has the best Class 4-A (or Class 6-A or whatever you choose to call it), then those teams should be playing for the championship. It may be "nice" to include others from around the state. However, "nice" produces just exactly what happened Thursday night.

There seemed to be very little neutral fans there as compared to past years.

 

Mercer and Cov Cath crowds really helped the attendance figures.

Weather, gas prices, distance of travel for some, time of games played and radio and internet access all factor in the attendance or lack thereof.

Football is the same as the basketball state tournament when you put an event in Louisville the casual fan will not turn out which lowers attendence. I realize Commonwealth Stadium is not suitable but unless you have Trinity versus St. X this is what you get far as Louisville attendence.

Why is Commonwealth not suitable? Lexington is more centrally located to the rest of the state, I think having it there would raise attendance. I know alot of people who don't goto the games, because they don't enjoy going to Louisville.

If good attendance is what the KHSAA wants, then move the games to "normal" high school times, such as Friday and Saturday nights. I would love to have went to the Russell game but 11:30 am? GEEZZZ! What about the working people?

:thumb: I agree 100%. This was terrible planning by KHSAA. The game at 11:30 AM is a little ridiculous. If they want to have better attendance, schedule the games when folks can actually attend and not have to use "vacation time" to do so. I thouht the 4A matchup really hurt #'s also.

There seemed to be very little neutral fans there as compared to past years.

 

Mercer and Cov Cath crowds really helped the attendance figures.

Mercer helped the attendance? Maybe thats why KHSAA worked so hard to get them in the game.With the way KHSAA handled this year they can expect even greater losses in the future.This bunch is supposed to oversee H.S. sports and they failed miserably .See guys when you don't do things on the up&up it can come back & haunt you.I truly hope someone steps up & dismisses the people who got this year so messed up .

Horrible weather and Bad timing, really crappy that U of L controlled the KHSAA enough that they could make teams and kids travel hours to play at 11:30 am and have the marquee game be on a Thursday night.

Mercer helped the attendance? Maybe thats why KHSAA worked so hard to get them in the game.With the way KHSAA handled this year they can expect even greater losses in the future.This bunch is supposed to oversee H.S. sports and they failed miserably .See guys when you don't do things on the up&up it can come back & haunt you.I truly hope someone steps up & dismisses the people who got this year so messed up .

I think you just volunteered yourself!!

Football is the same as the basketball state tournament when you put an event in Louisville the casual fan will not turn out which lowers attendence. I realize Commonwealth Stadium is not suitable but unless you have Trinity versus St. X this is what you get far as Louisville attendence.

Sorry but when the football finals were in Lexington last the low attendance was one of the reasons for moving it back to Louisville.