CMemphis and Greenbrook Softball Complex?

[supersteve17]

What did you think of the venues, etc. at Memphis?

 

I can only comment on softball, but I was generally pleased with things. The main thing I saw lacking was a "Frost Stadium" type of venue for the championship games. I think the atmoshpere of a big-time stadium with scoreboard, PA system, music, etc., adds to the game.

 

Greenbrook's layout was nice. The outfields were pretty rough. The grass was thin. Once they dried out, the infields were brutally rough. As the week went on, I saw more bad hops in the infield. They needed a little more conditioning (like Turface).

 

Here's a question: Why was there a running lane drawn on the third base side of every field? What was up with that? They did it every day! Is that a new requirement? LOL!

 

Another inquiry: Did anyone else notice that they dragged (is it dragged or drug?) their fields with the drag upside down? They didn't get the full benefit of the drag!

 

What did you think of the venue(s) you saw?

 

What about the volunteer staff?

 

What about the atmosphere?

 

What about the media coverage?

 

What about the $5.00 to park?

 

Anything else?

 

Give some input.

[LadyEaglesFan]

I thought the fields where pretty nice, but your right there was no stadium to play the championship games like there is in Chattanooga. My only complaint about the fields was the $5.00 charge to park each day. Who got that money? I guess the park or the community rec department. The opening cermonies where good, but why charge the parents $5.00 for admission. They already had to pay for hotel, food, game admission, and other expenses. Poor choice by somebody. The opening cermonies had very few people there, probably because of the admission charge. The Memphis Commerical Appeal newspaper did and excellent job on coverage. They devoted a full page to each sport participating. The Knoxville New Sentinel could learn a lesson from the Commerical Appeal on High School Sports. The Memphis area has many attractions. Overall the City of Memphis did a better job of supporting the Spring Fling than Chattanooga. I don't look forward to the drive next year

but I hope we make it back. Go Lady Eagles!!!!!

[Opperman]

My only complaint about the fields was the $5.00 charge to park each day. Who got that money? I guess the park or the community rec department.

Read your parking ticket, it says, "All parking prices are mandated by the TSSAA." It costs $5 to park at the Murphy Center for the basketball tournament too, and the basketball ticket prices are a dollar more. Woulda been nice ito be a little cheaper, but oh well, such is life.

 

As for a stadium to play the championship games in...I honestly don't know of a softball stadium in Memphis. Maybe the U of M has one, dunno. And with the TSSAA demanding that the whole tournament be played at one complex, I don't know if they'd just play the championship at a stadium.

 

Glad you enjoyed your time here, hope you can make it back next year.

[weasel]

We never had to pay for parking in Chattanooga and the price of a pass was $10.00 cheaper. Cha Ching$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[larjoranj]

Softball complex was nice but not worth the extra drive. Also went to baseball games and the fields were nice, but once again not worth the extra drive. I suppose TSSAA has to make it's money. Just hope Nashville or Chattanooga bids higher next time around to be more convenient for more people. Opening ceremonies were planned at a bad time. Some teams were already put out and gone and others were playing and not able to attend. They should be held first thing before any events start. Memphis did a good job, they're just too far away from too many people.

[TheEgoHasLanded]

They couldn't hold the Opening Ceremonies early because many teams didn't start playing till Wednesday while some teams played Tuesday...you would have had to have the ceremonies on Monday, and many teams wouldn't have been there...

[larjoranj]

Good point. What about Tuesday night next year? Most teams starting play on Wednesday would be in town Tuesday evening wouldn't they?

[supersteve17]

I will respectfully disagree with your assessment of the media coverage, Lady Eagles Fan. The CA did devote one page per sport, but only the Memphis teams and/or athletes got coverage. I never saw one article about class A softball -- not even the finals. (Maybe there was a feature article and I just did not see it.)

 

Also, the Chattanooga TV stations did a better job of coverage than the Memphis stations I saw. Usually the Chatt-town stations would lead their entire newscast with the Spring Fling while Mempho only had a few highlights in the sports time slot. They got school's names wrong, etc. It could be argued that Chattanooga is a smaller market and therefore the Fling is bigger news. If that is the case, is that necessarily a bad thing?

 

I also disagree with your assessment of Memphis community support being superior to Chattanooga. We went into several restaurants that had no idea the Fling was being Flung in their town. Believe it or not, some of the hotels also did not know. I can't imagine that happening in a smaller market like Chattanooga, Jackson or Murfreesboro.

 

The opening ceremonies thing was an interesting idea that turned out to be useless. What was its point?

 

All in all I think the Spring Fling in Memphis should be called the TSSAA $pring Bling-Bling.

[TheEgoHasLanded]

Problem with Tuesday is some teams WOULD be playing that night...and there fore there is a problem. Also some teams started playing games Wednesday at 10am (Houston versus Farragut) and probably wanted their athletes in bed around 930 to wake up around 630. I don't think there is a perfect time slot for the ceremonies.

 

 

Of course not as many people will know about the Spring Fling because it's a larger market. The news wont devote as much time to it, and the casual observer does not know anything about it. I didn't know what the spring fling was till my senior year of high school when I joined this site. I played basketball and football for teams that went to sectionals/state...but I had never heard of the spring fling. My junior year the baseball team actually went to the sectionals too!

 

 

With the amount of people in this city, and the wide variety of sports (Redbirds, Express, Grizzlies, Riverkings, Xplorers, Tigers) I can see how the casual observer might not know about the Spring Fling...especially if they don't have kids in it. I bet most people on here haven't heard of YBOA, BCI, and many other national basketball championship tournaments...probably because they aren't popular in TN as much as they are in other states.

[supersteve17]

Ego,

 

I guess my point is that a smaller market has more to offer in some ways. Obviously a market could be too small, but is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond?

 

BTW, what does it prove that you did not know anything about the Fling until your senior year? According to some on coacht, you don't know anything about anything! LOL!

 

Maybe it proves that your education did not really start until you logged on to the coach!

[jusluvsports]

The opening ceremony should be the time that ALL the teams get introduced to the other teams there, informed as to the various activities, given schedules, directions, etc. etc. Memphis (or any other venue) should take advantage of this time to market their site and give the teams the respect they deserve for getting there!

As for the time of the ceremony, it is the opening ceremony!! It should open the tournament (original idea, huh?) I am sure there is not one team that would not be happy to try their best to make arrangements to be at such a ceremony - the week is "blown" for the players anyway, and if the teams that have to play Tuesday have to make arrangements then fairness says that all should because it's just a matter of the draw anyway! You can bet the teams that are making their first trip to State would want to "take it all in!"

Edited May 26, 2003 by jusluvsports

[Opperman]

The opening ceremony should be the time that ALL the teams get introduced to the other teams there, informed as to the various activities, given schedules, directions, etc. etc. Memphis (or any other venue) should take advantage of this time to market their site and give the teams the respect they deserve for getting there!

As for the time of the ceremony, it is the opening ceremony!! It should open the tournament (original idea, huh?) I am sure there is not one team that would not be happy to try their best to make arrangements to be at such a ceremony - the week is "blown" for the players anyway, and if the teams that have to play Tuesday have to make arrangements then fairness says that all should because it's just a matter of the draw anyway! You can bet the teams that are making their first trip to State would want to "take it all in!"

Some of the teams and events didn't start until Wednesday or Thursday. Having the opening ceremonies on Monday, which would be the only time that all teams could have it be their first introduction to each other, as you suggest should be the case, would mean that the teams that don't start until later in the week can't be there period.

 

And, for what it's worth, the Olympics' opening ceremony isn't the first thing in the Olympics. If you pay attention, there's always a few prelims before it.