This isn't Indiana

[Nevadaref]

We seem to have a problem with our basketball games out here. No one watches them. Here are some quotes to show how poor the attendence is:

"The NIAA has held its all-classification state basketball tournament at UNR’s Lawlor Events Center since the early 1990s. However, no Northern 4A team has won a state title since South Tahoe in 1992, and no Reno-area team has made the large-school state finals since Galena in 1998. Consequently, all-south championship matchups have been played before virtually empty stands."
“.... what we have right now is pathetic at the state basketball tournament. You can hear the echo of a basketball bouncing during the boys 4A championship game. Nobody’s there."


And is isn't any better down south:
“Until you get to the semis and the finals, (Southern Nevada) attendance has been embarrassing,” board member and Sierra Vista principal Bill Garis said. “Our first- and second-round attendance was sickening, and our regular-season attendance wasn’t good either. We had one game between Cheyenne and Gorman (two of the strongest Southern 4A programs) where we had a $1,200 gate. That’s like 200 people total.”

I have to say that we miss out on the energy and atmosphere that fills most HS gyms around the country. Officiating is simply not as much fun here as it was for me in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C.

Why doesn't anyone care here?

[Rich]

One question I'd ask is why they're charging an average of $6 admission for a high school basketball game? Until the state tournament, the adult fee here is $3. I know, cause I paid admission for the first time a few weeks ago.

But I doubt that free admission would drag them in.

An interesting thing I noticed this season is that the best attendance was in the small, rural towns and the worst attendance was at the biggest schools in the city. I don't think yours is a unique problem. Although there will be about 10,000 at our girls state this weekend for the championship sessions.

--Rich

[tomegun]

I will chime in since I have experience in all three. In Las Vegas there is just too much stuff going on. People work odd hours because Vegas is driven the the casinos that stay open 24/7. The gyms are too large for the regular season and they seem empty. I saw the same people at the games for years. Also, the schools are mostly new so there is no tradition. The coaches are relatively new coaches and they don't have programs they have good teams when they have good talent. Sad but true.
Here, in the MD/DC area basketball is king! There is so much talent here it is amazing! People are fans because they went to the school, their kids go to the school and/or they are just basketball junkies and want to see the next great player to come out of high school. Even the players follow other teams all over town! There is just some serious programs here with great coaches. DeMatha, Montrose Christian, Riverdale Baptist, Paul VI, O'Connell, St. Albans, Georgetown Prep, Southern Maryland, National Christian, Oxen Hill, Friendly, Magruder, Springbrook, Gonzaga, St. Johns, McNamara, Good Counsel and the list goes on and on. I thought I worked a lot of games in Las Vegas until this season. It isn't even over yet! Crazy!

Now I'm from Indiana. Last week my brother told me that there was an artical in USA Today about the biggest high school gyms in America. I think he said 8 out of 10 were in Indiana or something like that. My high school, Richmond, was number 4. The Tiernan Center seats around 8,000! I was a freshman when it opened and we went to the state finals 2 of my four years. The team was ranked as high as 14 in the nation and Woody Austin won Mr. Basketball over Shawn Kemp in 88'. Let me tell you, when we had a game the joint was packed! People I've met from all over ask me if I played in high school, uh no. Hoops is big time and I wasn't even into it like all that in high school. I can still tell you where you can get a game during lunch hour with some ball players. It is just part of our culture. If you are on the high school team where I'm from everyone in the town and the surrounding area will know who you are.
It is just going to take some time for Vegas to gain credibility but it will come. Things like the Centenial girls team definately helps. They have won 3 straight state titles and their main players are juniors. But, they have a freshman who is their best player! Even coming off two straight titles I knew she would be their best player and although they have a great coach and play good team ball she scored 42 in the state semis! As a freshman! That team could help basketball in the state.

I have to agree with the statement about attendance at games involving bigger schools vs. smaller schools. I worked a freshman game here at an inner city school which involved another inner city school, and attendance was paltry in the "old" gym (which is about 1/3 the size of the main gym). Another time, I worked a freshman game for the same classification, but involving suburban schools, and the "old" gym (which is about 1/2 the size of the main gym) was packed for that one. Worked a freshman game at a school in a small city, one classification below those mentioned above, and they used the regular gym, and one whole side was packed (they only pulled bleachers out on one side because it's a huge gym).

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by tomegun
I will chime in since I have experience in all three. In Las Vegas there is just too much stuff going on. People work odd hours because Vegas is driven the the casinos that stay open 24/7. The gyms are too large for the regular season and they seem empty. I saw the same people at the games for years. Also, the schools are mostly new so there is no tradition. The coaches are relatively new coaches and they don't have programs they have good teams when they have good talent. Sad but true.
Here, in the MD/DC area basketball is king! There is so much talent here it is amazing! People are fans because they went to the school, their kids go to the school and/or they are just basketball junkies and want to see the next great player to come out of high school. Even the players follow other teams all over town! There is just some serious programs here with great coaches. DeMatha, Montrose Christian, Riverdale Baptist, Paul VI, O'Connell, St. Albans, Georgetown Prep, Southern Maryland, National Christian, Oxen Hill, Friendly, Magruder, Springbrook, Gonzaga, St. Johns, McNamara, Good Counsel and the list goes on and on. I thought I worked a lot of games in Las Vegas until this season. It isn't even over yet! Crazy!

Now I'm from Indiana. Last week my brother told me that there was an artical in USA Today about the biggest high school gyms in America. I think he said 8 out of 10 were in Indiana or something like that. My high school, Richmond, was number 4. The Tiernan Center seats around 8,000! I was a freshman when it opened and we went to the state finals 2 of my four years. The team was ranked as high as 14 in the nation and Woody Austin won Mr. Basketball over Shawn Kemp in 88'. Let me tell you, when we had a game the joint was packed! People I've met from all over ask me if I played in high school, uh no. Hoops is big time and I wasn't even into it like all that in high school. I can still tell you where you can get a game during lunch hour with some ball players. It is just part of our culture. If you are on the high school team where I'm from everyone in the town and the surrounding area will know who you are.
It is just going to take some time for Vegas to gain credibility but it will come. Things like the Centenial girls team definately helps. They have won 3 straight state titles and their main players are juniors. But, they have a freshman who is their best player! Even coming off two straight titles I knew she would be their best player and although they have a great coach and play good team ball she scored 42 in the state semis! As a freshman! That team could help basketball in the state.

Thanks T,
I was hoping that you would respond to this. (One reason I chose to title the thread as I did.) Anyway, I'm glad you like things back there. I used to work games at many of those same schools you listed, so you know why I liked officiating there so much and can understand how frustrating it is to watch this little association out here run things the way they do. They wouldn't know good basketball if it bounced off their heads!

[Hawks Coach]

We paid $8 for MD yesterday.

[Forksref]

Try $11 for large school regionals in North Dakota. They play boys and girls games in a domed stadium, games played on two end to end courts separated by a curtain. Games are not quite simultaneous. They are staggered a bit.

You can only watch one game at a time, so I think the $11 is excessive, but the association and the schools need the money. But, I'd rather spend it on these kids than steroid geeks like Barry (asterisk)Bonds.

[Hawks Coach]

We get 4 games back to back for $8, but in reality, most fans see 1 or 2. The HS kids are in and out with their team, but usually catch the end of the game prior. College coaches, HS coaches (not sure that they pay), AAU coaches, refs, and general hoops fans stay for more, but most of my neighbors changed from game to game (maybe I need new deodorant).

[TigerBball]

Our girls just finished as runner-ups in the 4a state finals in IN. Conseco Fieldhouse hosted the event. $10 a ticket, about 10,000 in attendence. We played a team from Indianapolis, our town is a small town. We had about 3000 fans to their 500 or so. They had a 10 min drive, we had 2.5 hours. Goes to prove that rural vs. city school thing.