CMemphis and Greenbrook Softball Complex?

[mynameis]

I think what needs to happen is there needs to be a time reserved for the ceremonies, say Teusday evening. During that time don't let there be anything else scheduled, and schedule it around 6 or 7 so it isn't too late a night for the teams that play Wednesday morning. Games still get played on Teusday and everyone can be there.

[Opperman]

I think what needs to happen is there needs to be a time reserved for the ceremonies, say Teusday evening. During that time don't let there be anything else scheduled, and schedule it around 6 or 7 so it isn't too late a night for the teams that play Wednesday morning. Games still get played on Teusday and everyone can be there.

You're completely leaving out track athletes if you do that, because they don't start until Thursday (girls) and Friday (boys). The Opening Ceremonies were that late so those athletes could be there.

 

They did schedule the Opening Ceremonies at a time when no events were scheduled to be going on. But the rain Tuesday night and Wednesday morning put Wednesday's games behind schedule, and that led to some teams playing during the Ceremonies. The last scheduled starts for Wednesday baseball were 12:30, the last Wednesday softball at noon, soccer at 1:30, and tennis (singles) at 4. With the Opening Ceremonies scheduled at 7:30, that's plenty of time for everybody to be able to get downtown for it. But, again, the rain messed that up. Nothing we could do about it, and at that point, I don't think delaying those games to Wednesday was an option, because except for softball, they already had games going all day on Thursday.

 

 

As for the parking, I've read that the parking fees were to try to help the host facilities break even after paying for lights and staffing...and I heard that some of them didn't even do that. Use of the facilities were pretty much all donated, as I understand it...but electricity and certain workers aren't.

[mynameis]

Didn't know that about the rain so it does seem that there was nothing that could be done. I like the idea of a opening ceremony though. Hopefully there won't be any rain next year.

[bcll]

Opening ceremonies was a joke. Teams were already eliminated and on their way home before they could even be acknowledged as one of the elite 8 teams in their respective divisions. Then to charge $5.00 for admissions...give me a break. $5.00 to park at a recreation park, in a sub-division that looked to be quite elaborate, where softball is probably played every night of the week. No extra security, none needed. Must be paying for the lights. Another thing, paying adult ticket prices for brothers and sisisters, some the age that they didn't even know why they were there, except to be at the playground. As for as the atmosphere, I didn't see anyone there that wasn't supposed to be there. In Chattanooga you always had those softball junkies who had no one associated with a team. At least once, you would see the area players, school or rec, at the tournament. Think back in your observance this past week, how many people did you see there that probably wasn't a parent or a relative.

How many people showed up early on Tuesday morning, too see the eight foot pitching circle that they had to correct. Three of the 4 fields had the 3rd base line running smack in the middle of the right hand batters box. I know rookie mistakes were made, but lets be honest. Memphis will never have the spectator turnout that you had in Chattanooga, or that you would have in Nashville. If all TSSAA is interested in is crowning champions, then Memphis is the place.

[Irish555]

I personally think that opening ceremonies if needed should happen for each sport at their main venue, not try to have all schools all at once. That way a school that had only one or two track athletes would feel like it meant more with just track teams.

 

I pressed the ticket personnel at Autozone about using a punch on the 7 session pass to enter the opening ceremonies. The person in the booth said that opening ceremonies was not a TSSAA event so we had to pay $5.00. Why did the ticket for opening ceremonies have TSSAA printed at the top ? Curious ????

 

It seems strange that TSSAA mandates a parking fee this year and did not the past three years in Chattanooga.

[bluefan2]

All the talk that I've read on this site has been about money. For the past 2 years I travelled with my family to the spring fling. It was a very costly weekend I was there for track but it was worth every penny. This year I was lucky enough to get to stay home to watch baseball. It cost me the same admission that any other tournament would have cost. You can't tell me that you haven't travelled with your softball team out of town and spent the same amount of money for far less an honor then being one of the top teams in Tenn. Sure you had to travel but many teams would have given anything to make the trip. I hope that Memphis will make any need adjustsments it takes to make next year a fun time for all.

My son was at the Opening Ceremonies and seemed to enjoy the night.

Good luck in 2005-2004 and hope to see you back in Memphis next year.