Quote:
Originally Posted by JetMetFan
I know hoops is huge in the state so they want a large venue but is there no place it could've been held which had a regulation H.S. court? It looks really confusing.  |
Towns submit bids to the IHSAA to host the state tournament. Since class basketball in 1998, it has been said that it is harder to make money hosting the tournament.
Indianapolis is ideal, but new venues such as Canseco and Lucas (both have been used) are expensive and easily booked for other events. They do not want to commit to multiple year contracts with the IHSAA. College gyms (Hinkle) in the Indy area do not want to make multiple year contracts because of conference tournaments.
Ft. Wayne loves High School basketball and would probably host it every year but the southern part of the state doesn't like that. Ft. Wayne and Evansville being the two largest cities behind Indy are on exact opposit ends of the state. Apparently Evansville has not submitted a bid to host the state tournament.
Looking for a site located near central Indiana but not Indy, pretty much leaves Terre Haute. Which pretty much leaves Rose-Hulman (Fighting Engineers) and ISU. They probably did the best they could with their court considering it was just a one year contract. Although IN has some of the largest HS gyms in the country, I cannot remember a HS hosting a state tournament game.
Many blame class basketball, many blame the new venues in Indy and others blame the IHSAA. I'm sure all have had an effect on what towns are willing to do to host the state tournament.