Lundholm? or Bust?

So for those that went to Lundholm over last weekend I have to ask. Do you think we need a bigger gym? The Telegraph had an article saying we do. Lets start the discussion. Whittemore or Verizon?

I think Verizon would be great. I also think people would be pleasantly surprised as to how full it would get. The schedule would have to be skillfully planned around Monarchs games but it could be done.

What an opportunity for the kids to play in a real arena as well.

I know people could not get into the Class L championship.
They were not happy people!

The Verizon would be a great venue for the semi's and finals. The hockey tournament is held there and it seems to work well. If people are being turned away and there is a larger, first class venue that could accommodate everyone that wants to attend, then why not? Lundholm has gotten to the point where it just isn't large enough anymore and it's time to move on. I would have the semi finals for Class L and I on different days as it is done now, but then have "championship" Saturday where L, I and perhaps even M and S all play the same day. One admission for a great day of championship NH high school hoops.

I don't know why people were being turned away at the Class L Championship. I sat on the Pinkerton side near the student body section about half way up. From 3/4 of the way up to all the way up there were enough pockets of stands that could've easily sat another 30 to 40 people. The only thing I can think of is that they sold the alloted amount of tickets and not every one who bought a ticket after the I game came back for the L game. I left a little after 2:30 after the Milford celebration. They said tickets would go on sale for the L game at 2:30, which they did. There was a line of about 50 people already buying tickets for the L game.

One other reason they may have turned away people even though there was pockets of stands open is the pass situation. Coaches, referees, press and administrators have passes to get into tournament games. Maybe, they allowed for a certain amount of "pass people" who would be attending the game and cut off the tickets at a certain amount. Now, with press row taking up a decent amount of the regular stands instead of the old press row area and with the new stands having many more ailes than the old wooden ones, it does seem tighter at Lundholm for the HS playoffs. UNH must lose at least 150 - 250 seats for regular patrons due to press row and the extra ailes.

Should the HS Championship games be held at the Whit or the Big V? Absolutely.

Will it happen in our lifetimes? Maybe, back at the Whit, but never at the Big V...... too much $$$$$ involved at the Big V to make it feasible. You can always catch the Globetrotters at the Big V for the thousandth time.

Speaking as a fan/media member who covers these games, I'm not so sure moving to a bigger arena is the answer. There were plenty of open seats at both the semis for L and I this year and even the Finals to some extent. For the semis in L and I, really the only time Lundholm(2700 seating capacity now with the new and improved bleachers...I asked the facilities manager) was totally jammed packed was near the end of the 1st games when all 4 teams' fans were gathered at the same time. But after the 1st semi of the night finished, alot of the crowd for that game cleared out leaving room for the fans who were just there for Game 2. Same thing for the Championship Saturday doubleheader, GREAT crowds for both games(which were separate admission) and an overflow, couldn't get any more people in crowd near the end of the I game. But after the Milford celebration wrapped up around 3pm, they cleared out the entire gym and then allowed for the Pinkerton and Winnacunnet crowds to fill in prior to the 4pm tip. Bottom line, the atmosphere was AWESOME for ALL of the games at Lundholm this year and has been for several years.

To me, it's kind of like the idea of expanding the field in the NCAA Tourney from 64(let's face it, it's really 64, not 65 with the stupid play-in or "Opening Round" game) to 96. Not necessary, and it will water it down big time. Why fix it if it ain't even broke? I mean, would you rather see a game or even play on a really nice college court like Lundholm or SNHU or Plymouth in front of a PACKED raucous crowd or attend/compete in front of a far less than capacity crowd at a big arena like the Whit or Verizon? I wasn't at any of the games when the NHIAA did play the Finals at the Whit, but what I've heard is the place which seats around 6500 wasn't even close to being full...so to even think about filling the 10,000 seat Verizon is just plain foolish. Yeah, it would be cool to say you actually played at a place like that, but I think 20-30-40-50 years down the road your memories are going to be even better thinking back about a great game played in front of a GREAT crowd. Sure they play the finals at the Verizon for hockey and at the Fisher Cats ballpark for the baseball Championships and it's very cool for the players and coaches and even for the fans to some extent. I just think you lose alot of the tournamnet ATMOSPHERE in the BIG venues which is really what high school sports are all about!

And the argument that some people are getting turned away at these events? Maybe it is happening. But to how many people? A handful might be, maybe even a few dozen, but I'm guessing it's not even close to 100 or 1000 people.

I think last year was the real problem.... last year the number of people turned away was significant... and there were NO seats left

I know people that did not go because they figured that they might not get in. I think best solution would be Verizon Center with only lower level open like they do for the high school hockey. Look at Mass they use the Garden and the Centrum. I think more people would show up at bigger venue...

For the record, after returning to Milford on championship day many people that could not get to Durham were at the school for the arrival back to town. I am fairly certain more would go if it were more centrally located in NH. The UNH drive is a bit much especially for older fans.
I think all the champs should be crowned on one day. No doubt in my mind about that. I just returned from Indiana and watching all the Hysteria was incredible. Girls on one Saturday and boys the next. Verizon would be nice.

Size of the crowd also depends on the teams in play. This year we didn't have a Manchester team represented, and the Nashua team was that city's smallest school. I think if you had Central vs. Memorial in the final four, you would see a much larger turnout.

If anybody any year is getting turned away its time to find a bigger home. If you build it they will come. We should not be discouraging the sport of basketball in this state in any way. Encouraging fans, especially young ones, to be able to come see the greatest show on wood in our small state is what we need to continue and enhance a greater level of play and excitement amongst our younger generations.

Putting it on the big stage in the states biggest city, and biggest arena is a no brainier in my opinion. There's no "oh's" and "ah's" walking into Lundholm in my opinion, but walking through the doors of the big glass fronted Verizon on game day would be exciting, and really set the stage.

So how do we get the NHIAA to hear our pleas? I guess my real question is who are the NHIAA brass and how do we corner them and get the questions answered? ANyone got connections or is there a way to push this at all? Or are we just blabbering about an election in which we do not even get to vote?

The Assistant is spot on. We have this great venue in Manchester that is the pinnacle of NH sports arenas. The championships are the pinnacle of the season. Kids playing their championship game at the Verizon Wireless Arena...priceless.
Perhaps the first few years, only the lower bowl will be used but it will grow and people will come. Create a little hype and make it "Championship Saturday". Instead of charging $8 per ticket, charge $15 for the day so that people can watch one game or as many games as they want. Nobody should be shut out when the "V" is available. The NHIAA needs to show vision and look to take NH hoops to the next level.

It's not like the verizon won't make any money on this. First off they don't have to pay any performers to come in and do a show and if you do make a $15 dollar cover charge for the day you are talking between 15 to 20 thousand people coming four all the boys divisions that right there is between $225.000 and $300.000 alone on ticket sales never mind food and drink sales and that's only the boys, the girls could go the day before. So after all is said and done with your looking at a nice weekend for the verizon. Sure beats the globe trotters at barely 3000 fans. And last but not least if the NHIAA is in the business of helping the kids and the game of basketball then they would be jumping all over it if not it's just politics as usual and then everyone loses out. And if that were the case then we all should look at the NHIAA office and start demanding some changes in the staff.

Maybe actually get some TV coverage too? It's time for the NHIAA to stop living in the past. It's 2010, they should be televising these games to the State. The VWA allows for Radio, TV and maximum Media layout. Real concessions and plenty of space for school bands, cheer squads and fans.

Instead of filtering people in and out between games everybody gets to enjoy the basketball ALL DAY. Two Thursdays, and Two Saturdays in the middle of March would be enough to time to get the semifinals and finals of the majority of the new "Divisions" to play.

You can effectively play 4-5 games on a Saturday. If you can squeeze 5 in you could do Div I Semis, Div 2 Semis with Div 3 Finals as the nightcap on the first Saturday.

Or how about doing everything the way its done today and saving all 4 divisions tournament finals for the same Saturday? The first Saturday would host the girls, second Saturday the boys. That would be fun. You could still use the regional colleges for semifinal games and VWA for Championship Saturday.

Lots of options, I wonder if its even being discussed in NHIAA's meetings. To answer ChiKids question, I have no idea how we get them to notice. I'm fairly certain we have NHBCO members who read the board, but not sure about NHIAA. My guess is at least a few have graced our presence in at least lurking fashion.

If you really want to get the Verizon to step up to the plate lets picket out front of the next Globetrotters dates. I could think of some good signs to post and maybe sign some petitions to get teh Verizon to want to be involved.
I sat with 18000 in INdy this weekend at Conseco Fieldhouse and I can tell you the gym and atmoshphere was electric.
Highlight of the day was little Washington High beating Gary Lew Wallace in Overtime. Cody Zeller brother of Tyler and Luke Zeller that are at Notre Dame and UNC had a average night. The Junior led his team with 20 points and 26 boards. What a stud this kid is for a true junior. I wonder where he will land? Also saw a kid named Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, the quickest point guard I have ever seen in person. I watch a lot of hoops and this kid was off the charts quick. Just a sophomore but I am certain this kid will play High D1 college ball for sure.

These are the kinds of threads that will keep us from going insane over the next 9 months...

Just 2 1/2 months of going insane, Asst.

Don't forget the BST Summer League starts in mid-June at SNHU and Rivier. I know that AAU and summer vacations take away players and you never know what fortification teams are going to have on any given night, but if you go by the teams that played in the Central and Southern divisions last summer then:

In the Southern Division you would have 2 probable pre-season #1 teams in Milford and BG competing. North, Souhegan and Alvrine would provide some nice competition.

In the Central Division you would have solid teams like Trinity, Central, Pembroke, West, Merrimack, Bedford, Dover and Memorial competing.

I would think this would fill the void nicely until Fall League starts in early September at Rivier.

That 9 months doesn't seem so long doesn't it?

There is no offseason Mike scrimmages tonight. Offseason, Right!