Went to games Thursday and Friday. Very competitive games. Interesting to watch. My rooting interest was Stafford, Clopton, and Van-Far. Great venue. Food was great and the hosts friendly but you could not pay me enough to go back to Springfield to watch a game. the parking was horrible and the traffic was bad. If they are going to continue having the games there they will have to fix the parking situation. Plus not to mention the 4 hour drive and I know some fans drove a lot longer or did not go because of the distance. I hope Mshsaa is making a lot of money to have the games in Springfield but as for me I will not go back
games in springfield
- Thread starter BONE62
- Start date
Peter Quill
Well-Known Member
Parking will always be an issue and someone will always have to drive four hours no matter the location.
I’m all for rotating the championship location .
Glad it’s in Springfield this year.
I’m all for rotating the championship location .
Glad it’s in Springfield this year.
There is a huge parking lot in front of the gym but unfortunately is was already full with cars belonging to faculty, staff and students. If they could clear that out for a couple of days it would be great. The facility is very nice, but the bear logo on the court is dark and distracting to me. I do kinda feel for any schools north of I-70 making the trip to Springfield, but it's true that someone is going to have a long drive no matter where the game is being played.
Personally I like Springfield cause it's a 30 minute drive, traffic is normal in Springfield and parking is not any worse then for the Blue and Gold or Tournament of Champions, just know where to look or have to walk. It is all a matter of perspective.
I think MSHSAA should think about what KSHSAA does every year. Play each class at a different site, moving them around every year. Then expand the field to 8. I really like how they do it. What do all of you think about that idea?
It won't go. That's what they did in Idaho. Championship game in all classes was played at BSU. Girls season started earlier so they were done two weeks earlier. The state tourney was really a tourney, 8 teams. State divided into 6 districts, champions moved on, 2nd place teams kept going and played the other 2nd place teams till narrowed down to two to go to tourney.
Horrible traffic? Have you ever been to St Louis?
Its a college campus, parking is an issue at Mo State, Mizzou, would also be bad at SLU or UCM
I did not attend.
But I kinda laugh reading this. I heard complaints about parking when we built a new football field in a small rural school. I mean walking was thrown at me every time we discussed the project.
My folks were not happy walking 200-300 yards.
Bone I’m not questioning your experience. Just made me remember an old discussion.
But I kinda laugh reading this. I heard complaints about parking when we built a new football field in a small rural school. I mean walking was thrown at me every time we discussed the project.
My folks were not happy walking 200-300 yards.
Bone I’m not questioning your experience. Just made me remember an old discussion.
I just posted my opinion. I am not trying to debate anyone. But I have attended the Final Four in Columbia probably 25 times and I never had to walk for 15 minutes from my parking place or drove around for 20 minutes to fine a parking place. And yes, I have driven in St. Louis for 50 years. I think another poster referred to a parking lot across from the field house being closed that would help. Also, lot attendants would help. For older people shuttles would help. I am not anti-Springfield or am I pro-Columbia. At least Columbia has parking lots that or used to having crowds for 50,000 people for football game and there were people directing traffic. Again I will not go back to Spring field but I am sure I will not be missed.
Bone I don’t doubt your experiences in Springfield.
I’ve been to several state activities. Football in St Louis. Several wrestling trips. Two basketball trips.
My complaint with Columbia would be the hotel gouging. Hotel, food, and ticket costs make attending pretty expensive for some families.
I’ve been to several state activities. Football in St Louis. Several wrestling trips. Two basketball trips.
My complaint with Columbia would be the hotel gouging. Hotel, food, and ticket costs make attending pretty expensive for some families.
I went Thursday and was going to use the garage between Cherry and Elm, but it was closed to all but Hammons Hall patrons. Damn that Lion King. Used the lot on the NW of HSC.
There are two large garages, neither if which are more than a five minute walk away
Bottom line, people would rather wait six hours in the drive through at McDonalds than park the car and walk 40 feet to an empty counter and place an order.
If you think they're going to be happy making a 15 minute anywhere, you're probably not paying attention.
If you think they're going to be happy making a 15 minute anywhere, you're probably not paying attention.
.........Good morning.. Back from a very enjoyable weekend of overindulging on every class 1.2.3 final-four game possible.
I understand where Bone and others are coming from as we continue to love high school basketball at an advanced age. Things like walking long distance, stairs, driving late at night etc, are not easy tasks any longer. I'm very fortunate to have an awesome wife of 55 years that shares our interest..
We've attended every final-four since 1987 and experienced many changes. Some we were not in favor of but we continue to attend because we both receive much enjoyment from the games.
Us remember the years when we had to clear out the arenas between sessions... we all hated that..!
Personally I always thought the best times were in the Hearnes Center with 4 classes. We've adjusted and now like the JQH arena and the city of Springfield.
The log-jam in the lobby before they open the gates needs to addressed.
Our drive is just under 200 miles.
We enjoyed watching some awesome games and visiting with may OLD friends and making new ones too and of course we look forward to a return trip this next weekend for class 4 & 5...
Be sure and lookout for the guy behind the one in from you...
C (dogpa..=)~
**Our A.D. Jeff Anderson is retiring, so Mexico has an opening for a new A.D.
I understand where Bone and others are coming from as we continue to love high school basketball at an advanced age. Things like walking long distance, stairs, driving late at night etc, are not easy tasks any longer. I'm very fortunate to have an awesome wife of 55 years that shares our interest..
We've attended every final-four since 1987 and experienced many changes. Some we were not in favor of but we continue to attend because we both receive much enjoyment from the games.
Us remember the years when we had to clear out the arenas between sessions... we all hated that..!
Personally I always thought the best times were in the Hearnes Center with 4 classes. We've adjusted and now like the JQH arena and the city of Springfield.
The log-jam in the lobby before they open the gates needs to addressed.
Our drive is just under 200 miles.
We enjoyed watching some awesome games and visiting with may OLD friends and making new ones too and of course we look forward to a return trip this next weekend for class 4 & 5...
Be sure and lookout for the guy behind the one in from you...
C (dogpa..=)~
**Our A.D. Jeff Anderson is retiring, so Mexico has an opening for a new A.D.
Only way I would fight the maddening herd is if I had a dog in the hunt. I enjoyed the process when I was coaching, and when my kids were school age, but it belongs to a different crew now.
Peter Quill
Well-Known Member
Wouldn’t all The SWMO teams in the final four be the reason for this?
How many total ?
The Hearnes Center is a great basketball venue and the four classes for the weekend made for the best of viewing experiences.
I realize the new facility was built for the "box people" not ordinary Joes like me and they can just have the whole damn thing as far as I'm concerned. Never even realized I had any claustrophobic tendencies until I attended a game there.
It seems there are always a good number of teams from our area. Springfield radio reported over 5000 on the first day alone. SW Missouri supports basketball very well. Over the course of time, the people of this area have proven that they will support basketball, over any of the other sports offered. The attd. at the T of C is a good indicator of that.
Truth. Once you get to your seat, the game experience in Hearnes is MUCH better than Mizzou Arena. JQH and Hammons aren't as far apart. But man, Hammons can get rocking when that place is packed. It's more like Hearnes, much steeper.
I have gone the past 2 years because it is not in Columbia. I really did not like it up there. I will go as long as it is in Springfield, but I was told there is no way they will get the bid again, a board of director told me that Columbia will work harder next time to get the games. The town of Springfield is much more equipped to have the MSHSAA championships. The crowd in Springfield will always be bigger, locals will come out to just appreciate the basketball. Next weekend the crowds will be down, but they always are with the upper classes. Rogersville will bring a bunch with both teams being there and so close. I do agree the crowds might be bigger because of the local teams, but Thayer would have brought a bunch up to Columbia also, they support their kids like crazy down there.
Springfield is a much better host, no comparison really. The only things Columbia offers is its central location and the (mistaken) mystique of playing in Mizzou Arena. But then you get there and play and realize you're playing in a 75% empty cave. Keep it in Springfield and give the kids the experience they deserve.
Keep
ALL games back at the Hearns.
People who havent been to JQH Arena dont realize how nice that place actually is. Great facility
I like the seating at mizzu. I felt packed in at Hearnes. I have not been to the new gym but I use to go to sms games all the time at the old gym and I enjoyed the seating
I've been to both. Parking isn't an issue at either. If you're struggling to find a place in Springfield, it's probably just a little lack of campus knowledge. Which is totally understandable. It's a totally different setting than the parking at Mizzou Arena/Hearnes. But it available and ample every time I've been.
I always find it a little easier to park at Mizzou, but I like the venue at Springfield better. I think the town is more familiar to me because of spending so much time there, and that makes it a lot easier to get around. Nothing wrong with either.
They need a parking garage for the dorms. That would free up the lot between JQH and Greenwood big time. Make it a commuter and events lot. The parking garages are easy to find and easy parking.
Of course my old favorite parking spot is now gone with the apartment building boom. Used to have an ally way just off Monroe which was perfect place to park.
The old Pappa Bear lot (south of HSC) needs to be a parking garage with "student" athlete dorms on the first level.
Lol. That cracks me up. Parked there for three years for every home Bears and Lady Bears game from 96-99. Pull up 10 mins before game and have a spot, then take about 3 mins to get out. I was amazed that nobody seemed to know those spots were there.
I wouldn't like that because I wouldn't be able to watch multiple classes. I'm assuming you mean they have them on the same dates in different locations.
Positives in Columbia:
- Central location
- Padded seats in Mizzou Arena for those of us who watch all day
- The experience of playing in the premier basketball facility in the state
- It was run very professionally and felt like a state championship
- There wasn't a log jam in the foyer in the mornings
- In-game stats on the LED ribbon
- Distance between buildings
- Roped off the bottom four rows of seating
- Due to the size of the bottom bowl the crowds look smaller
- We can sit in the front row
- Buildings are close together
- Crowds seem bigger due to smaller bottom bowl
- No padded seats
- Not as professionally done although this year was an improvement over last year
- Scoreboard problems in JQH at times
- Parking
- Long drive from the north part of the state
- No in-game stats on the ribbon
- I also thought the big crowds during the first weekend had a lot to do with the location of the teams involved.
- They need to put the records back in the regular program like they used to. We'll pay the extra $2.
- I hate the schedule they started using last year during the first weekend. They should go back to having all semi-finals on Thursday with the 3rd place games on Friday and Championships on Saturday. Teams should have a day to prepare for the biggest game of their lives. Selfishly, as a fan who goes to watch all of the games I dislike having to chose between a great semi-final matchup and a championship game on Friday. I've been going for 28 years and I miss being able to see all of the games. Honestly I wish they would go back to 8 games per day in one gym. That's not going to happen though.
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