After watching the entire first round of the Girls 13th Region Tournament at the all new Arena in Corbin, below are a few of my reflections about the whole Arena experience:

 

1. Atmosphere. With the Girls 1st Round of the 13th Region Tournament in the books, I sat there on press row both nights thinking about how far the fans actually are from the floor. There were times where I couldn't really tell what school everyone was from because they were so spread out throughout the entire Arena. To me, this takes away from the whole atmosphere of the Regional Tournament and how electric the gymanasiums around the 13th Region can be with the student sections close to the floor, right on top of the action creating a very neat environment for all of the participants. At The Arena, the fans are so far from the floor that you can even pick out individual people from different schools from press row. To me, this completely diminishes the whole atmosphere of the Regional Tournament. Also, it takes away from the sense of community. Reason being, everyone from one school/one community can't sit together because there's reserved seats already bought/taken and people are just so spread out that you really can't point to a particular section and designate that as North Laurel fans or Corbin fans, etc.

 

2. Expense. The biggest complaint I have about the Arena is the expense. Let's say perhaps you have two teams (boys and girls) in the Regional Tournament like Clay Co., both of which have a chance to win the whole thing. If you have a family of four, to go watch your beloved Tigers in both the Boys and Girls Tournament, it's going to cost you A) a minimum of $32.00 a night for admission, and that's to sit in places that you can't see a thing in, B) cost of gas to get there each night up to 5 nights and C) not to mention the OUTRAGEOUS cost of concessions. You'd have to consider taking a mortgage out on your home to attend the Regional Tournament ALL nights and buy concessions. That takes away from what a Regional Tournament is all about and it's about celebrating the accomplishments of the KIDS!!! Grandmothers and Grandfathers around Eastern KY can't afford to watch their grandchildren play because of cost with a down economy!!!! Are you kidding me??? The expense of simply going to support your child/grandchild/niece/nephew is just a crime because the Regional Tournament should be a celebration of making it that far, not raping people of their hard earned dollars.

 

3. Hospitality. As a media member, I couldn't help but take a stroll into the Media, or should I say "WORKING" hospitality room at The Arena. Let me say, unless you're a Richard Simmons fan and consistently diet on grapes, bananas, and apples (or please do not let me leave out individually wrapped grapefruit), I wouldn't advise wasting your time. I walk into the Hospitality room to see a bowl of popcorn, potato chips, and fruit along with a fountain for drinks. My first thought was "Whoa, let's pig out". I mean, come on guys!!! I'll never forget the last time the All 'A' Regional Tournament was at Williamsburg. That was the best hospitality room I've EVER been to. The ladies working were so sweet and had prepared such a delicious meal for the folks of media, etc. that I can't help but give them props. They had homemade everything and I almost felt guilty for the expense they endured plus the hard work to put together such a good set up. At The Arena, however, get out your Dexatrim because nobody from the media will dare gain a pound the week of the Regional Tournament, that is unless they choose to splurge out their earnings and buy the $4.00 hot dog ONLY if it's plain, mustard will cost you an extra $.50. I almost feel like I'm single handedly decreasing the Kentucky State budget deficit by just entering into The Arena.

 

4. Setting. Sure, I'll give them credit. The Arena does make you feel like you're walking into Rupp or somewhere of the equivalent. Only problem is there's NO John Wall, there's NO Coach Cal, and most importantly, there's NOT 24,000 others screaming for the SAME TEAM!!!! I'd much rather see the Regional Tournament in a high school gym to celebrate that particular community. What does The Arena celebrate??? Hard earned tax dollars for concerts, tractor pulls, Disney on Ice, and most of all, monster trucks which by the way are significantly overpriced themselves. In my years of covering Regional Tournaments, I can tell you individual people I've met working in places like the hospitality room, the pass gate, the Regional tournament draw, etc. and could identify them with that particular school and community. Now, it just feels like I'm going to Lexington to watch a Knox County middle school tournament. It just doesn't make any sense and it just takes away from the feel of a Regional Tournament.

 

5. Programs. Time and time again at Regional tournaments, the one thing I always collect is the Tournament Programs. They always have sections and sponsors in there for individual towns that have teams in the Regional Tournament. Always, the programs are something I look forward to. However, as I was scanning through my program in Game 2 Monday Night, I noticed one thing was wrong. Harlan Co. was called the Green Dragons, the nickname of their cross town RIVALS!!!!! That's like going to an SEC Tournament in Nashville and finding the Tournament program lists Kentucky as the Cardinals of red and black coached by "that other Italian northeasterner". How humiliating was that??? That alone shows me that the program obviously had ZERO thought put into it and it was just thrown together like the ill-tasting hot dogs as just another thing to make another $20.00 off of. The program is supposed to highlight the players, the coaches, the cheerleaders, and most of all, THE SCHOOL!!!! No matter if it was a mistake or not, that was completely inexcusable and should have infuriated the Harlan Co. faithful. However, God forbid we list North Laurel as the Cardinals or Bell Co. as the Yellow Jackets. There would have been a REVOLT!!!

 

Look, I'm not saying I hate The Arena, want to boycott The Arena, or never want to set foot in there again, but folks let's celebrate our kids of Eastern KY and our communities. A lot of our towns are dying as they are and they, too, need our help. We should not put a price tag on EVERYTHING and get back to the days where small gyms were packed and you couldn't hear yourself think for a Regional Tournament Semi-Final or Final game. That's what people enjoy is fun, the environment, the atmosphere, not selling their car just to watch their kid compete. Perhaps we have all gotten "a little above our raising".

I use to love walking in with the team to a packed house before a regional tournament game!

Mustard an extra 50 cents! That's crazy!

I agree on the prices that the arenas charge. It needs to be adjusted for high school games. But I like the idea of playing regional tournaments in "Arenas" on their way to Rupp. MSU, WKU, EKU, Murray, BOK, etc. are great venues for regional tourneys. Only 16 teams get the experience of playing in Rupp Arena, but if all regionals were played in arenas 128 teams would get the experience. Everyone gets to play in a high school gym during the season, but the experience to run out of the locker room onto that arena floor is awesome even for the end of the bench player that never gets to see action. I am 50 years old and I can still remember playing University Breckinridge on Morehead State University's floor. Awesome!

Good point. Their is always going to be advantages and disadvantages. I hope to make it down for a game.

Hospitality room and programs have nothing to do with the arena. Schools (usually) set an amount they want to spend on the hospitality room, which comes out of the net revenue split among the teams. If you have a big spread, the schools get less money. However, I've been to many tournaments where the schools let local businesses and restaurants to donate their food in turn for some free advertising. Or in some cases, parents cooked dishes and brought them in.

 

Usually the host school is in charge of the program. Normally, the cost is split among schools however I have known some schools to keep the revenue.

 

Neither of these two should have anything to do with the arena

Since I ate prior to going to the game (planned, so not as to have to take a morgage on my house) I did not use the concession stand, I cannot comment on the prices.

 

I will say this, I just flat did not like the tourny there, ZERO atmosphere. I was sitting six rows up from the floor and felt like I was in the upper arena at Rupp. I was just too far from the floor to even feel like I was even there. At Rupp at least when you are up high, there is a large crowd to bring atmosphere. I was looking at the folks across the way (no I did not use binoclulars although it would have helped) they did not seem to be "into" the game either.

 

There are some positives, no split sessions, nice chair backs for everyone, clean,well lighted, parking was a breeze, and exiting after the game was easy.

 

I think the tourny is there to stay so I guess we will just have to make the best of it, maybe with some adjustments it can be made better.

Hospitality room and programs have nothing to do with the arena. Schools (usually) set an amount they want to spend on the hospitality room, which comes out of the net revenue split among the teams. If you have a big spread, the schools get less money. However, I've been to many tournaments where the schools let local businesses and restaurants to donate their food in turn for some free advertising. Or in some cases, parents cooked dishes and brought them in.

 

Usually the host school is in charge of the program. Normally, the cost is split among schools however I have known some schools to keep the revenue.

 

Neither of these two should have anything to do with the arena

 

North Laurel was selling program ads, so I'm guessing someone there messed up on Harlan County's mascot. It sounds like the hospitality room's offerings needs to be beefed up, or maybe it's a hint to the media members that they should be eating healthier.:lol:

 

If the concession prices are that high, I agree that something should be done concerning that, although the best way to combat the high prices is to not buy anything at the concession stand.

 

I hate to say this, but some people will never like the tournament being at The Arena simply because it is in Corbin. Many will not admit to this, but I have been around enough people from the surrounding areas and heard the discussions enough to come to this conclusion.

North Laurel was selling program ads, so I'm guessing someone there messed up on Harlan County's mascot. It sounds like the hospitality room's offerings needs to be beefed up, or maybe it's a hint to the media members that they should be eating healthier.:lol:

 

If the concession prices are that high, I agree that something should be done concerning that, although the best way to combat the high prices is to not buy anything at the concession stand.

 

I hate to say this, but some people will never like the tournament being at The Arena simply because it is in Corbin. Many will not admit to this, but I have been around enough people from the surrounding areas and heard the discussions enough to come to this conclusion.

 

 

I would agree with this more than ever now after being at the arena and hearing some of the comments, but like I said I think it is there to stay and just needs some adjustments, which could be very simple and with no cost which would improve the atmosphere.

 

I certainly don't have all the answers but I think if you could get reps from the schools together and talk about what shortcoming they witnessed then they could be addressed and improved upon in the future....BUT honestly there are some schools that they had the golden key they would still not be happy simply because it is at the arena.

It's a nice facility.

I enjoyed myself there Monday.

 

It is too expensive and a lot of the seats are too far away. The mistake in the ad didn't make the Harlan County people very happy, but Jimmy Durham stepped up immediately and took responsibility and promised to fix it. I admired that.

 

My only problem is the same problem I've had from the beginning. I don't mind going to The Arena for three out of four years, but Harlan County High School has the nicest gym in the history of the 13th Region, one of the most beautiful in the state and deserves a chance to host the regional tournament.

After watching the entire first round of the Girls 13th Region Tournament at the all new Arena in Corbin, below are a few of my reflections about the whole Arena experience:

 

1. Atmosphere. With the Girls 1st Round of the 13th Region Tournament in the books, I sat there on press row both nights thinking about how far the fans actually are from the floor. There were times where I couldn't really tell what school everyone was from because they were so spread out throughout the entire Arena. To me, this takes away from the whole atmosphere of the Regional Tournament and how electric the gymanasiums around the 13th Region can be with the student sections close to the floor, right on top of the action creating a very neat environment for all of the participants. At The Arena, the fans are so far from the floor that you can even pick out individual people from different schools from press row. To me, this completely diminishes the whole atmosphere of the Regional Tournament. Also, it takes away from the sense of community. Reason being, everyone from one school/one community can't sit together because there's reserved seats already bought/taken and people are just so spread out that you really can't point to a particular section and designate that as North Laurel fans or Corbin fans, etc.

 

2. Expense. The biggest complaint I have about the Arena is the expense. Let's say perhaps you have two teams (boys and girls) in the Regional Tournament like Clay Co., both of which have a chance to win the whole thing. If you have a family of four, to go watch your beloved Tigers in both the Boys and Girls Tournament, it's going to cost you A) a minimum of $32.00 a night for admission, and that's to sit in places that you can't see a thing in, B) cost of gas to get there each night up to 5 nights and C) not to mention the OUTRAGEOUS cost of concessions. You'd have to consider taking a mortgage out on your home to attend the Regional Tournament ALL nights and buy concessions. That takes away from what a Regional Tournament is all about and it's about celebrating the accomplishments of the KIDS!!! Grandmothers and Grandfathers around Eastern KY can't afford to watch their grandchildren play because of cost with a down economy!!!! Are you kidding me??? The expense of simply going to support your child/grandchild/niece/nephew is just a crime because the Regional Tournament should be a celebration of making it that far, not raping people of their hard earned dollars.

 

3. Hospitality. As a media member, I couldn't help but take a stroll into the Media, or should I say "WORKING" hospitality room at The Arena. Let me say, unless you're a Richard Simmons fan and consistently diet on grapes, bananas, and apples (or please do not let me leave out individually wrapped grapefruit), I wouldn't advise wasting your time. I walk into the Hospitality room to see a bowl of popcorn, potato chips, and fruit along with a fountain for drinks. My first thought was "Whoa, let's pig out". I mean, come on guys!!! I'll never forget the last time the All 'A' Regional Tournament was at Williamsburg. That was the best hospitality room I've EVER been to. The ladies working were so sweet and had prepared such a delicious meal for the folks of media, etc. that I can't help but give them props. They had homemade everything and I almost felt guilty for the expense they endured plus the hard work to put together such a good set up. At The Arena, however, get out your Dexatrim because nobody from the media will dare gain a pound the week of the Regional Tournament, that is unless they choose to splurge out their earnings and buy the $4.00 hot dog ONLY if it's plain, mustard will cost you an extra $.50. I almost feel like I'm single handedly decreasing the Kentucky State budget deficit by just entering into The Arena.

 

4. Setting. Sure, I'll give them credit. The Arena does make you feel like you're walking into Rupp or somewhere of the equivalent. Only problem is there's NO John Wall, there's NO Coach Cal, and most importantly, there's NOT 24,000 others screaming for the SAME TEAM!!!! I'd much rather see the Regional Tournament in a high school gym to celebrate that particular community. What does The Arena celebrate??? Hard earned tax dollars for concerts, tractor pulls, Disney on Ice, and most of all, monster trucks which by the way are significantly overpriced themselves. In my years of covering Regional Tournaments, I can tell you individual people I've met working in places like the hospitality room, the pass gate, the Regional tournament draw, etc. and could identify them with that particular school and community. Now, it just feels like I'm going to Lexington to watch a Knox County middle school tournament. It just doesn't make any sense and it just takes away from the feel of a Regional Tournament.

 

5. Programs. Time and time again at Regional tournaments, the one thing I always collect is the Tournament Programs. They always have sections and sponsors in there for individual towns that have teams in the Regional Tournament. Always, the programs are something I look forward to. However, as I was scanning through my program in Game 2 Monday Night, I noticed one thing was wrong. Harlan Co. was called the Green Dragons, the nickname of their cross town RIVALS!!!!! That's like going to an SEC Tournament in Nashville and finding the Tournament program lists Kentucky as the Cardinals of red and black coached by "that other Italian northeasterner". How humiliating was that??? That alone shows me that the program obviously had ZERO thought put into it and it was just thrown together like the ill-tasting hot dogs as just another thing to make another $20.00 off of. The program is supposed to highlight the players, the coaches, the cheerleaders, and most of all, THE SCHOOL!!!! No matter if it was a mistake or not, that was completely inexcusable and should have infuriated the Harlan Co. faithful. However, God forbid we list North Laurel as the Cardinals or Bell Co. as the Yellow Jackets. There would have been a REVOLT!!!

 

Look, I'm not saying I hate The Arena, want to boycott The Arena, or never want to set foot in there again, but folks let's celebrate our kids of Eastern KY and our communities. A lot of our towns are dying as they are and they, too, need our help. We should not put a price tag on EVERYTHING and get back to the days where small gyms were packed and you couldn't hear yourself think for a Regional Tournament Semi-Final or Final game. That's what people enjoy is fun, the environment, the atmosphere, not selling their car just to watch their kid compete. Perhaps we have all gotten "a little above our raising".

 

I am going to respond to each of your points by the way you numbered them.

 

1.) Monday night the arena sold over 1,000 seats for the 1st round girls tournament. Last year at Bell County they sold a little over 500, so there were more people at the arena and in reallity neither of those crowds will make an "atmosphere" there isn't enough people. I was sitting in the reseved seats and had no problem seeing any of the action. Maybe you should get an your eyes checked if you had that much trouble watching the game or the fans in the stands from press row.

 

2.)It is the same price at the arena as it would be if one of the high schools were hosting it. Its $8 per person to attend 2 games. If it were at a high school and they had split sessions the admission price would be $5 per game. Also the concessions are a little higher than at most high school gyms but not as drastic as you make it out to be. The arena changed its prices for the region tournament from its normal concert concession prices.

 

3.) Hospitallity...seriously you are really reaching hear. The schools don't have to provide a media hospitality, so take what you get and move on.

 

4.) The arena provides these kids an opportunity to play in a big arena that most kids will never get. Lets face it most kids athletic careers are over after high school and playing at the arena gives them an opportunity to play in front of a huge crowd and a large venue. This opportunity to play at a large arena is something these kids will always remember.

 

5.) The program situtation has been taken care of. It was a mistake by the printing company and NL has taken care of that.

So....if you wanted to watch a good basketball game tomorrow night, would you recommend driving two hours to watch the game in this new arena??

So....if you wanted to watch a good basketball game tomorrow night, would you recommend driving two hours to watch the game in this new arena??[/quote

 

Both games tomorrow night should be very good games.

I am going to respond to each of your points by the way you numbered them.

 

1.) Monday night the arena sold over 1,000 seats for the 1st round girls tournament. Last year at Bell County they sold a little over 500, so there were more people at the arena and in reallity neither of those crowds will make an "atmosphere" there isn't enough people. I was sitting in the reseved seats and had no problem seeing any of the action. Maybe you should get an your eyes checked if you had that much trouble watching the game or the fans in the stands from press row.

 

2.)It is the same price at the arena as it would be if one of the high schools were hosting it. Its $8 per person to attend 2 games. If it were at a high school and they had split sessions the admission price would be $5 per game. Also the concessions are a little higher than at most high school gyms but not as drastic as you make it out to be. The arena changed its prices for the region tournament from its normal concert concession prices.

 

3.) Hospitallity...seriously you are really reaching hear. The schools don't have to provide a media hospitality, so take what you get and move on.

 

4.) The arena provides these kids an opportunity to play in a big arena that most kids will never get. Lets face it most kids athletic careers are over after high school and playing at the arena gives them an opportunity to play in front of a huge crowd and a large venue. This opportunity to play at a large arena is something these kids will always remember.

 

5.) The program situtation has been taken care of. It was a mistake by the printing company and NL has taken care of that.

 

First of all, if you think there were one thousand people there Monday Night, you must have been watching Big Monday on ESPN instead of the Pineville vs. North Laurel or Harlan Co. vs. Whitley Co. games at The Arena. So, yes all of those kids got the "experience" of a lifetime playing in front of 8,000 empty seats. I'm sure the kids from Pineville and Whitley Co. will NEVER forget it. It was life changing I'm sure. I got the same feeling I did in 1996 when i walked into the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ for Kentucky and UMASS in the Final Four. Chill bumps came up all over me and I could feel the screaming fans from all corners. I'm sure the kids from Pineville and Whitley Co. felt it too, just ask them. Also, for your information, there's nothing wrong with my eyes, maybe my binoculars that I was looking through trying to find my family in Row Z.

 

Secondly, as far as ticket prices, there HAVE NEVER been split sessions for first round girls games at the high school venues. I have been covering Regional Tournaments probably since you (Scott Baio) wa a big hit on "Charles in Charge" so I think I'd trust my judgment over yours. Therefore, Monday through Thursday, people would be paying four or five dollars at the high schools compared to nine, ten, or a hundred (if you bought concessions) at the Arena. Not to mention, if your wife and kids were with you (if you have any), you were out a minimum of $32.00 like I said in the previous post (and that's in the corners of the Arena where you probably have to bring a portable telescope to see the score let alone the game.

 

Third, about the hospitality, the only thing I was "reaching" for is something to carry all the grapes, bananas, and apples I could possibly carry out of there from the City of Corbin. I wanted to make sure if I was going to have to eat Corbin's "freshly grown fruit", I was going to wipe them out so maybe they could afford some peanuts and possbily pretzels for the next night (even though I know that's stretching it a bit, Rold Gold pretzels are getting pricy these days). I think people who leave work and then drive to cover a double header should at least be given finger sandwiches and not just "the finger" by making them eat grapes, apples, and oh yeah let's not forget "wrapped grapefruit". Come on, people working for "their kids and their communities" should be treated a little better than that Baio. I think we should put "Charles in Charge" of the media hospitality room next year. On a side note, since you said I was really "reaching hear", maybe you should learn that it's "here" and not "hear" because obviously, there's something wrong with your grammar, or maybe even your "HEAR-ing"? Who knows?

 

Fourth, kids are going to remember the success or failure they had at the Regional Tournament, not where it was held. I mean, what kid from Pineville is going to go to a "Carrie Underwood" concert at the Arena in a couple of months and talk to their friends about what an exhilerating experience it was to play on that floor and get beat 73-46 by North Laurel in front of a packed house that was going nuts Monday Night at the Arena?

 

Finally, you're telling me that the Printing Company thought it was the Harlan Co. Green Dragons. OK, well maybe when the Tournament is back at the high schools in a few years, that the same printing company will think Scott baio is still popular and put him on the cover as a marketing strategy. Do you think that will work? Come on, you know the printing company printed the info they were given, it was NL's fault. They turned in the wrong info, probably because they wanted to anger Harlan Co. for wanting to have it in their "State of the Art" facility that's recently been committed. I guess that's a crime too isn't it?

 

So Baio, I leave you with the parting words of the 1980's, since that's probably the era you remember best like these kids will remember playing in The Arena, "THANK GOD Charles is NOT in Charge of ME!!!!!"

God Bless

Edited March 4, 201016 yr by Birdsfan

Everyone has complained about the concession prices up here at The Bank of Kentucky Center at Northern Kentucky University yet I still see people buying the $4 large pop, the #3 bottle of water, the $7 order of chicken tenders and fries...if people are hungry enough, they're gonna eat it. I would suggest that everyone hit up that mom and pop hot dog stand there in Corbin or any of the other fast food places there in Corbin or get something before you leave your hometown.

 

As far as the hospitality room for media is concerned, we get sandwiches and chips with canned soda up here at the BOKC this year. Last year they didn't have anything for either the 9th or 10th Region tournaments...but its not really the facility's role in providing that....its the host school so I would chat up whoever the host school for the 13th Region is so they can make it better for future dates if not this year.