Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 25, 1992 TAG: 9203260040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bob Teitlebaum
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This year, the VHSL held its basketball tournament over two weekends instead of trying to cram three games into one Thursday-through-Saturday segment.
The result was it created a "Final Four" atmosphere for all three classifications at University Hall on the Virginia campus in Charlottesville, and it enabled fans to see first-round games in facilities nearer their homes.
It also created some problems. At Lord Botetourt, a Group AA-size gym, people were turned away for the March 14 doubleheader featuring Twin Springs against Covington in a Group A first-round contest and Patrick Henry versus Chantilly in Group AAA.
"Maybe we were a little too successful," VHSL programs supervisor Larry Johnson said with a smile, referring to the fact that people were turned away at other sites across the state.
So how successful was this new format if fans were turned away? In previous years, the VHSL split the Group AAA tournaments from the AA and A at two sites. The AAA was held in either Williamsburg or Richmond, and the other two were played in Charlottesville. Nobody was turned away.
"We learned one thing, that you can't play doubleheaders," Johnson said.
Turning away a few fans might not be all bad. For one, it creates interest when there is a premium on tickets. It also means more money for the VHSL, which last year took a hit with low attendance at the state tournaments even though Waynesboro, which is 25 miles from Charlottesville, played in the Group AA final.
Johnson says conservative estimates are that first-round games took in around $40,000 more than last year's opening games at two sites. Closer estimates, after all advance tickets are accounted for, are likely to be $70,000-80,000 more. Also, attendance for the semifinals Thursday and Friday seemed to be up, meaning the first-round interest spilled over.
The most surprising crowds were at the first-round games involving Timesland teams. At Christiansburg (Blacksburg vs. Northside), that facility was about 50 people short of closing the doors thanks to a crowd of 1,500. At Emory & Henry (Laurel Park-Virginia High), there were nearly 2,000 in attendance, but nobody was turned away. At Botetourt, there were 2,100 for the boys' doubleheader involving Patrick Henry and Covington and more than 1,000 for the girls' games featuring Cave Spring and Pulaski County.
"I knew by the end of the week that Twin Springs [which played Covington] was going to bring a big crowd. They had a presale of 700," Lord Botetourt athletic director Gary Snyder said.
Snyder says Botetourt could have handled one boys' game, but had a difficult time with two. The Cavaliers have attracted big crowds for games against archrival Northside the past few years, but people never were turned away.
So what happened in Daleville? There were some disgruntled fans who didn't get into the game.
The PH-Chantilly game had been scheduled for Salem High, but the Spartans found out at the last minute their gym was committed to another event. The game could have been held there Friday night, but VHSL officials didn't want Chantilly players to miss a day of school. The decision was made then to hold two games at Botetourt.
Part of the blame for this snafu rests with the Roanoke school system. It has two Group AAA schools with inadequate gymnasiums and, although it is one of the bigger school districts in this part of the state, it constantly has to look to Salem, the area civic centers or neighboring counties when it comes to holding a big event.
It's hard to believe that Henry County has two gyms (Bassett and Magna Vista) seating 3,000 that could have handled the doubleheader, but the city of Roanoke has none. Henry County schools are Group AA-size.
Help is on the way so the Botetourt problem can be avoided in the future. Johnson said Virginia Tech athletic director Dave Braine has invited the VHSL to hold two doubleheaders involving Regions C and D (Group A) and III and IV (Group AA) every year.
The regions still have to accept the proposal, but it's safe to say the VHSL will not abandon the format.
by CNB