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Major Problem With The Siegel Center Venue

T

tommythecpa

VaPreps Honorable Mention
Jun 19, 2001
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Facility is nice and staff is nice but the teams are not allowed in the day before since games are being played. GW and Norcom both were clearly having depth perception problems in the first quarter.

If you poll the fans, I don't think parking would be their favorite experince. I live in theRichmond MSA and park on side streets like I do for the Redskins camp.

Too may games in the time frame for a single venue.
 
They should do like West Virginia does the girls play one weekend and the next weekend the boys play their tournament.
 
I agree 100% Bluetree. This is how it is done in Ohio as well. It would also make it better for college recruitment of High School athletes. Since college coaches have to pay to get in (this is kind of a joke) they ought to be able to go to one weekend and get the maximum out of their time (girls coaches recruit the girls tournament and boys recruit the boys). That's another thing having the tournaments on different weekends would solve. Doubt that any of this will take place, though. Makes too much sense.

THANKS!!!!
 
I have been saying since 2004 that Seigel Center is bad venue. When I went there for first time in 2004, it took me 3 days to realize that was the site of state championship games. I could not believe how bad it was. That place sucks for state tournament.
 
I don't think they have ever let teams in early for a shoot around to get use to the "depth perception" issue. With the way they cram games through I doubt there is time to let teams in. Some players adapt quicker than others, usually the better shooters.
 
South Carolina plays 4A girls and boys on Friday night at USC. saturday is 1A, 2A, and 3A boys and girls. It works out great and we have plenty of seating. We finished up last weekend. I have shot in high schools, churches, and college gyms, and depth perception has never been an issue. If you can shoot, it shouldnt matter.
 
"Too many games in the time frame for a single venue."

I agree wholeheartedly. I've been saying this for three years. Since this six divisions foolishness for basketball is apparently here to stay, the VHSL needs to split the state tourney between three venues. As an example: 6A and 5A still in Richmond, 4A and 3A in C'ville or Lynchburg, and 2A and 1A in Salem. I have to think overall attendance across three more geographically appropriate venues would be significantly higher than having all twelve tournaments shoehorned into one venue in one week.

And this is mostly off-topic, but since conference tournaments have replaced district tournaments, all schools should go to a complete round-robin conference schedule. In other words, each team in a conference plays every other team in their conference twice, home and away. That way, the regular season conference standings would determine seedings conference tournament seedings, just like used to be done with the districts. This would eliminate the seemingly arbitrary methods currently used to seed many of the conference tourneys. Also, give the regular season conference champion an automatic bid to the regional tourney - again, as used to be done with regular season district champs. And only two teams per conference go to the regional! I think I saw in one region (5A North, maybe?) where certain conferences were sending three and four teams to the regional. Two is enough!

 
Yeah, I realize travel would be a concern (and this is all hypothetical, anyway). However, turnabout is fair play: we've had several people say that the problem with the top 4A North football contenders is that they're not traveling to Tidewater and Northern Virginia every week, as if that's remotely feasible. So, it's only fair that I get to advocate for full conference schedules in basketball.

Conference 24 actually will be slightly more travel-friendly. Glass and JF are going to Con. 23, where they should have been all along. Pulaski's always going to be a little isolated. So, you'll have Fleming and Salem being joined by Byrd in the Roanoke area; Pulaski, and Bassett, which isn't terrible. Only GW is way out by itself, but Fleming, CS, and PH all used to play GW at least twice a year. So it can be done.

Again - all purely hypothetical. But, it's fun to dream.
 
Originally posted by SpartanOfYore:
Yeah, I realize travel would be a concern (and this is all hypothetical, anyway). However, turnabout is fair play: we've had several people say that the problem with the top 4A North football contenders is that they're not traveling to Tidewater and Northern Virginia every week, as if that's remotely feasible. So, it's only fair that I get to advocate for full conference schedules in basketball.
Click to expand...
Is that what you truly believe that people were saying during that discussion?
 
Yes, in the week following the state championship game, I did read several - as in more than a few - people saying that no 4A North team would ever win state until they start scheduling Tidewater and Northern Virginia schools. Salem was the most commonly cited example. The gist was that Salem and all other top 4A North teams need to play more than one game a year against teams from those other areas. Admittedly, "every week" was a somewhat tongue-in-cheek exaggeration on my part. But changes to scheduling WAS the gist of those posts, and I disagree, for reasons I already explained on the football board.

So, you dispute that anyone was saying the 4A North teams need to change their schedules? Or are you talking about a different discussion?
 
Never in the history of this message board has ONE poster suggested that any 4A North team play someone from Northern Virginia and Tidewater EVERY week, let alone SEVERAL.

I suppose that you and I have very different definitions of tongue-in-cheek considering how you turn a suggestion from "one trip every two years" into "play every week".

Either way, won't matter. We all know how exactly how the conversations will go on that board this fall.
This post was edited on 3/12 6:44 PM by VaPrepsRod
 
From my post, above:

'Admittedly, "every week" was a somewhat tongue-in-cheek exaggeration on my part.'

Did you not read that, or just choose to ignore it? In either case, I stand by my assertion that there were several posts, from different people, all dealing with the subject matter I've already outlined.
 
Originally posted by SpartanOfYore:
From my post, above:

'Admittedly, "every week" was a somewhat tongue-in-cheek exaggeration on my part.'

Did you not read that, or just choose to ignore it? In either case, I stand by my assertion that there were several posts, from different people, all dealing with the subject matter I've already outlined.
Click to expand...
I addressed you "tongue-in-cheek" assessment in my reply, didn't ignore it at all.

I would call inflating a suggestion from "once every two years" into "every week" to be more than just tongue-in-cheek exaggeration.

It's all semantics and I realize that you had to go with hyperbole in order to make your point appear valid.
 
No, you didn't address it at all. It was completely lost on you.

C'mon, man. "Once every two years"? Did one person suggest that? Maybe - you , perhaps? You also know full well there were also plenty of other people saying that the 4A North teams need to schedule those type of games a lot more frequently than that.

So, here you go. I remember this guy, because this was his first post. I had a rather prolonged reply to it. I don't think you can read this, and not conclude that this person thinks Salem needs to replace nearly their entire schedule with teams from around the state.
https://virginiapreps.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=2541&mid=177396975&sid=914&tid=177396170&style=1

He specifically states that Salem needs to play the four 4A North teams that he names, plus four 4A South or 5A/6A teams.

"A team like Salem needs to schedule teams like Liberty-Bealton, Sherando, Courtland, GW-Danville and play those teams as their normal scheduled games and stop playing down all the time. Within that schedule they also need to have at least 4 teams of who are from either 4A South, all of 5A, and the possible 6A school."

That would be eight games out of ten in a given year. Or, a whole heck of a lot more than your "once every two years".

No hyperbole here. And though the above is an extreme example, it is but one of many. I suggest you spend a few hours going back and poring over all the 4A football posts from December 14 to, oh, about New Years day, if you still honestly think that no one else suggested 4A North play 4A South teams any more frequently than "once every two years." I didn't resort to hyperbole, but you did resort to cherry-picking to try to lend your own point the validity which it sorely lacks. And BTW - rather bizarre that you've chosen to obsess over one throw-away line that was off-topic to this board to begin with.
 
Originally posted by SpartanOfYore:
No, you didn't address it at all. It was completely lost on you.

C'mon, man. "Once every two years"? Did one person suggest that? Maybe - you , perhaps? You also know full well there were also plenty of other people saying that the 4A North teams need to schedule those type of games a lot more frequently than that.

So, here you go. I remember this guy, because this was his first post. I had a rather prolonged reply to it. I don't think you can read this, and not conclude that this person thinks Salem needs to replace nearly their entire schedule with teams from around the state.
https://virginiapreps.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=2541&mid=177396975&sid=914&tid=177396170&style=1

He specifically states that Salem needs to play the four 4A North teams that he names, plus four 4A South or 5A/6A teams.

"A team like Salem needs to schedule teams like Liberty-Bealton, Sherando, Courtland, GW-Danville and play those teams as their normal scheduled games and stop playing down all the time. Within that schedule they also need to have at least 4 teams of who are from either 4A South, all of 5A, and the possible 6A school."

That would be eight games out of ten in a given year. Or, a whole heck of a lot more than your "once every two years".

No hyperbole here. And though the above is an extreme example, it is but one of many. I suggest you spend a few hours going back and poring over all the 4A football posts from December 14 to, oh, about New Years day, if you still honestly think that no one else suggested 4A North play 4A South teams any more frequently than "once every two years." I didn't resort to hyperbole, but you did resort to cherry-picking to try to lend your own point the validity which it sorely lacks. And BTW - rather bizarre that you've chosen to obsess over one throw-away line that was off-topic to this board to begin with.
Click to expand...
Your "several" has now become "one".

"obsess"...LOL. You are good with the word-spinning, not so much with the accuracy, a lot like this guy...

images


Stay hot, kid!



This post was edited on 3/13 4:59 PM by VaPrepsRod
 
The venue itself is not the major problem like many vcu games the parking in awful they have so many parking decks in the area yet none of them are for the seigal center. I went to a vcu game and couldn't park in any parking deck near the arena because you have to have a parking pass. I think they need to start making the parking decks specifically for the events going on especially when the fans are going to travel the state championships.
 
When HR goes on one of his tirades, and now the rest of you that are joining in, I just have to shake my head and say "different strokes." I personally have never had one iota of a problem attending any high school event at the Siegel Center.

First of all, it is not that hard to access, once you learn which exit to take, and driving on Broad Street is not any worse than driving on any major city's main thoroughfare. Secondly I have driven right into the parking garage between Lowe's and the Siegel and have never had any trouble finding a place to park.

Yes you have to pay $8.00 but in the overall scheme of things, is that so bad? Now I will admit that I typically go early in the day on 1-A and 2-A days, so maybe the crowds increase later in the week.

As for the facility itself, the seating is fine. You get a great view of the floor from almost anywhere, and I don't find it dirty as HR has implied on more than one occasion. The concession prices are no better or worse than any similar venue.

And finally I have never been mugged either coming or going to any event. In case you are wondering, these observations are based on going there probably 12-15 times since the VHSL started to use the place, as opposed to my having been there only once or twice.

So I just don't get all the complaints.
 
Only problem I have is with the times of the games. I've been to several events there and haven't had a problem. I enjoy the arena and the atmosphere - pretty good view of the floor no matter where you sit.
 
My possible solution


State Champions games should be played on Friday night and Saturdays. It terrible to have a state title game at 10am 11:45am and 2pm IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK when students, teachers, coaches, and others are in school.

All season long, these young men and women usually play during the week either at 7pm, 7:30, or 8pm in certain cases, and the only time you play earlier is on a Saturday or during Holiday break. But they change up the schedules and people can't just get off of their jobs to go to a game.

This part of the year is also when state testing begins and students having to miss school for a game can affect test scores. I wouldn't mind if you did split the tournaments (Girls one weekend/Boys the next), but I might have a better solution!

Have the state tournaments at two different locations on a 4-year rotation in each regional area
1A, 2A, and 3A on a rotation with these universities:

Virginia Tech (Cassell Coliseum - 9,847) , Liberty (Vines Center - 8,085), JMU (Convocation Center - 7,612), and Roanoke Civic Center (7,000)

4A, 5A, and 6A on a rotation with these universities:
VCU (Siegel Center), ODU (Ted Constant Convocation Center), GMU (Patriot Center), & Virginia (JPJ).

Virginia Basketball Stadiums
 
This yr.only makes the second time I didn't go to Richmond out of I would say off the top of my head 15 yrs...I have never had a problem with parking or being afraid to go to my car after the game and I almost always stayed til the last game of the day...HR6 stated he got lost once trying to find it...how can anyone get lost finding the Seigel Center is beyond me..he keeps saying it's a terrible venue, and he says parking, food and location being his biggest concerns...yet, he won't give specific reasons why those things are so bad..JMU Convo center is a terrible venue for any game...and I've been in that several times..concessions are worse then most high school concessions..seating is terrible, and only thing it has going is ample parking...and now others are buying into his silliness...I've also being to Salem Civic Center...not a bad venue, but, not the greatest either...it's having six divisions is what is causing all the problems with scheduling..go back to either 3 or no more then 5, and do away with this conference non sense and if a school's enrollment is on the bubble between two different classifications, get input from that school which division it would rather be in or go ahead and assign schools to a certain district to cut down on long travel..also, have no more then two different classifications in each district...having games either in far western or far eastern part of the state is a bad idea imo...travel for one and another, alot of fans like seeing different teams from different classifications...but, no matter where the tournament would be held, someone will find fault..no matter the schedule of games, someone will whine, no matter how many mickie ds are close by, someone will find fault and so on and so on...again, only real problem I have with the Seigel Center is the size...when 5 or 6A schools play, especially if close to Richmond, alot of times it's packed out and then some.... I just find it rather strange, that I have been there as much if not more then most, yet, I have never had any of problems others claim to have had...now, if u wait until the larger schools play and try and find a place to park, then maybe u will be outta luck..but, that is probably true no matter where the venue would be, so you have to use some common sense and judgement and get there early if possible...but again, I have never had a problem with parking or security or finding something to fill my fat belly
 
Re: My possible solution

JMU, ODU not good nor is VCU.

But I agree mid dsy mid week games are terrible .
 
Re: Siegal Center has looked empty

I've been streaming games online, watching the bigger schools from the south, and the crowds have all seemed real thin!
 
Re: Siegal Center has looked empty

I have seen some photos in newspapers that showed lot of empty seats .

Another reason to move tournament out of Richmond .
 
Re: Siegal Center has looked empty

I certainly had no problem getting a great seat for the GW game.
 
Parking

Best parking is on side streets either side of Broad st past Lowes. Just pay attention to signs
 
I have never lied when talking about Seigel Center. Every thing I have said about it is true. As a venue for VHSL tournament, I do not know of anything good about it. Maybe the worst venue in state all things considered.
 
IMO, I think they should do it just like in football. The A/AA in Salem, AAA/AAAA in Lynchburg, and the 5A/6A in Richmond or have the girls one week and the boys next. No team should play a game at 10:00 Monday morning.
 
Re: My possible solution

I agree with the mid day games many games I wanted to attend but could not go because I work but I still have said it and voiced my opinion about parking. It is just as bad at vcu games as many have said for the state tourney games my silution is if you want a little bigger arena use the coliseum it will support more fans. If you split the weekends you make it a little easier on fans attending and this may cut out the problem of parking. But would cut the major problem of midday games in the middle of the week
 
MascotMemorizer said:
My possible solution


State Champions games should be played on Friday night and Saturdays. It terrible to have a state title game at 10am 11:45am and 2pm IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK when students, teachers, coaches, and others are in school.

All season long, these young men and women usually play during the week either at 7pm, 7:30, or 8pm in certain cases, and the only time you play earlier is on a Saturday or during Holiday break. But they change up the schedules and people can't just get off of their jobs to go to a game.

This part of the year is also when state testing begins and students having to miss school for a game can affect test scores. I wouldn't mind if you did split the tournaments (Girls one weekend/Boys the next), but I might have a better solution!

Have the state tournaments at two different locations on a 4-year rotation in each regional area
1A, 2A, and 3A on a rotation with these universities:

Virginia Tech (Cassell Coliseum - 9,847) , Liberty (Vines Center - 8,085), JMU (Convocation Center - 7,612), and Roanoke Civic Center (7,000)

4A, 5A, and 6A on a rotation with these universities:
VCU (Siegel Center), ODU (Ted Constant Convocation Center), GMU (Patriot Center), & Virginia (JPJ).

Virginia Basketball Stadiums
Click to expand...
They could also think about NSU Echols hall, ODU Ted constants, norfolk scope.
 
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