Bank of Kentucky & the 9th and 10th Region - No Radio/Internet Broadcasting

[StickerMann]

A reader brought up an interesting question in a comment on the Ryan Ernst story on this fiasco.

 

Will Ernst be able to blog live during the games? Where do the restrictions end?

 

 

No he won't--No computers will be allowed into the game, not even the stats guys for those teams that have them like Mason County??

[oral32]

No he won't--No computers will be allowed into the game, not even the stats guys for those teams that have them like Mason County??

 

BoKC=Hitler

This is just getting ridiculous with their restrictions!

[mcpapa]

I may alienate myself by doing this, but this is the response from the 9th Region Representative Chad Molley on the e-mail I sent to him and Superintendent Strong this afternoon:

 

"All of the broadcasts that were done in the past were in an effort to bring the games to people who may not have been able to see them in person because of the limited seating in our gyms. That is no longer part of the equation now that we are playing in a 10,000 seat arena. In order for this to work the Bank of Kentucky Center has to generate enough money through ticket sales to cover the guarantee with the 9th Region. We have never felt it was unreasonable for them to hold the broadcast rights to these games.

 

As 9th Region schools we want to encourage people to come to the arena and watch the games. We want to bring back that casual basketball fan that has stayed away for many years because they did not want to fight the long lines and crowds to maybe get in the gym. If we were to broadcast these games via TV, radio, or internet the casual fan may decide to stay home instead of coming to the arena. We have entered a three year partnership with The Bank of Kentucky Center and want to make this endeavor as successful as we can. This is the right thing to do financially for the schools in the 9th Region and for the scores of student-athletes that will get an opportunity to play a Regional tournament in this arena.

 

I am sorry that you will not be able to broadcast the games this year, but again, our decisions were influenced by what was best for our schools and the student-athletes that represent them."

 

I understand there was an athletic director meeting that was held this afternoon and this was brought up as one of the leading reasons for the meeting. Superintendent Strong has invited me to come to his office to discuss.

 

Does anybody have the attendance figures for the 10th region tourney games for the past couple of years? All games - not just the finals?

 

Was there some danger of more than 10,000 fans attending any of those games?

 

Just my opinion - the casual fan isn't going to spend eight bucks on a game, four bucks for a hot dog, etc. That's why s/he is a casual fan.

[westsider]

No he won't--No computers will be allowed into the game, not even the stats guys for those teams that have them like Mason County??

That is truly bizarre ... and utterly ridiculous.

[buttels]

Would I be correct in assuming that the 9th Region probably doesn't have as much radio coverage as many other regions?

 

What's good for the 9th may be totally wrong for the 10th.

Correct. Apart from KR Sports, there is no radio. Not any more.

[letabrotherspeak]

Based on the replies here, it would seem the 9th region fans are fine with this? Really???

 

I think the lack of a radio presence regarding NKY high school sports, particularly basketball has sort of numbed the 9th Region.

I sure miss the days of Dale McMillan and Hardy Tribble (sp?) doing the games on the radio.

[gametime]

I think the lack of a radio presence regarding NKY high school sports, particularly basketball has sort of numbed the 9th Region.

I sure miss the days of Dale McMillan and Hardy Tribble (sp?) doing the games on the radio.

I'd love to be presented with those days again. What we have is all we can get, and the BOK management is shutting off coverage at an even lower scale.

 

It's about to get worse. Sad but true...

[panther15z30]

Does anybody have the attendance figures for the 10th region tourney games for the past couple of years? All games - not just the finals?

 

Was there some danger of more than 10,000 fans attending any of those games?

 

Just my opinion - the casual fan isn't going to spend eight bucks on a game, four bucks for a hot dog, etc. That's why s/he is a casual fan.

 

Yeah but $8 is getting you 4 games on one of the days.

[panther15z30]

No he won't--No computers will be allowed into the game, not even the stats guys for those teams that have them like Mason County??

 

:ohbrother:

[leatherneck]

Thank you Mr. Molley for all of the fans who might live far enough away we can"t casually attend games but love to follow the 9th region, we want to really 'THANK YOU" FOR MAKING HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ABOUT THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. The pros and the college game have already ruined it for me because that's all it's about "DOLLARS". What has happened to the LOVE OF THE GAME it's about the kids not the Money.

 

So at the end of the day, what you are saying is that you want the schools and the BOK to place your interests ahead of the schools, the kids and the fans that can attend the game in a very nice venue. Isn't that kind of being selfish on your part? I don't mean to be offensive, but when it was first announced that the regionals were going to be held at BOK, I read a whole lot of posts saying what a great place it was for the kids to play and how it was going to be great watching the game in a gym where you weren't packed in like sardines, etc., etc. In order for it work financially, BOK must make sure that enough tickets are sold. You may call that selling out for the dollars, but BOK cannot afford to lose it's shirt on this or any other event. That's just living in the real world. If you can't make it to the game and can't follow it on the radio, I'm sure your life will go on just fine. But the kids will get the benefit in playing in a great facility and the fans able to attend will be able to watch the game in a much nicer venue than they otherwise would.

 

At times when I read this board I think we've turned into a nation of whiners when we don't get what we want. Sort of sad. I'm obviously in the minority on my thinking, but it's nonetheless the way I feel.

 

I too wish the games could be broadcast; it would be great. But in case folks haven't noticed, the university isn't aflush with money these days and I'm sure the management of BOK has to be careful in its management of the facility. Given the fact this will be the first year it's being held at BOK, there are a lot of unknowns attendance wise. Perhaps if each school guaranteed a certain number of tickets being sold so that the BOK was certain of the amount of ticket revenue to be generated the BOK would change it's position this year. If not, perhaps they will next year if enough tickets are sold for this year's event.

Edited February 18, 2009 by leatherneck

[mcpapa]

Once again, this isn't about the fans that can attend, it's about those that cannot.

 

And I find it a stretch at best to believe that thousands of casual 10th Region fans are going to look at the broadcast schedule of their local radio station, discover that the game isn't being aired, and haul their families up to the game.

[mcpapa]

Yeah but $8 is getting you 4 games on one of the days.

 

 

That is correct. But the casual fan doesn't want to sit through 4 games.

[mcpapa]

So at the end of the day, what you are saying is that you want the schools and the BOK to place your interests ahead of the schools, the kids and the fans that can attend the game in a very nice venue. Isn't that kind of being selfish on your part? I don't mean to be offensive, but when it was first announced that the regionals were going to be held at BOK, I read a whole lot of posts saying what a great place it was for the kids to play and how it was going to be great watching the game in a gym where you weren't packed in like sardines, etc., etc. In order for it work financially, BOK must make sure that enough tickets are sold. You may call that selling out for the dollars, but BOK cannot afford to lose it's shirt on this or any other event. That's just living in the real world. If you can't make it to the game and can't follow it on the radio, I'm sure your life will go on just fine. But the kids will get the benefit in playing in a great facility and the fans able to attend will be able to watch the game in a much nicer venue than they otherwise would.

 

At times when I read this board I think we've turned into a nation of whiners when we don't get what we want. Sort of sad. I'm obviously in the minority on my thinking, but it's nonetheless the way I feel.

 

I too wish the games could be broadcast; it would be great. But in case folks haven't noticed, the university isn't aflush with money these days and I'm sure the management of BOK has to be careful in its management of the facility. Given the fact this will be the first year it's being held at BOK, there are a lot of unknowns attendance wise. Perhaps if each school guaranteed a certain number of tickets being sold so that the BOK was certain of the amount of ticket revenue to be generated the BOK would change it's position this year. If not, perhaps they will next year if enough tickets are sold for this year's event.

 

I'm not sure that the schools are any more flush with money these days than the BOK.

[bjim]

From Northern Kentucky on up into Ohio, a different world from the rest of Kentucky, people will find out when they go to the regional tournament this year

 

My friend you don't realize how accurate you are. It is night and day!!

[polarbear1994]

On the bolded, it was my understanding that local businesses in the Mt. Sterling area were to guarantee that all 2007 10th Region participant schools would receive revenues equal to the 2006 figure.

 

That was my understanding as well.