Published: Friday, December 8, 2006
Chevy Center set for Holiday Classic
Seven games will be played Saturday beginning at 8:30 a.m.
By JOHN KOVACH
YOUNGSTOWN — The second Youngstown-Warren Holiday Basketball Classic will be held Saturday at the Chevrolet Centre.
The Classic, which has expanded this year to consist of seven high school games — three girls and four boys — will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude following the 8 p.m. contest.
The girls games will launch the day: Wilson vs. Struthers at 8:30 a.m., Rayen vs. Brookfield at 10:15 and Chaney vs. Campbell at noon.
They will be followed by the boys contests: Warren JFK-Wilson at 2 p.m., Cardinal Mooney-Chaney at 4, Rayen-Ursuline at 6 and Warren Harding-Farrell at 8.
Last year's inaugural Classic at the Chevrolet Centre proved to be a huge success, drawing the raves of players, coaches and fans alike that translated into impressive attendance figures.
It also increased the hope that more games could be played there throughout the season as part of area high schools' regular schedules.
Jim Maughan, Ursuline High's athletic director, certainly would like to see that happen — and for next season, too. In fact, he would like to see each area high school schedule as many as six basketball games — three boys and three girls — at the Chevrolet Centre as part of each school's schedule for 2007-08.
Eyes planning committee
Toward that end, he would be agreeable to joining a committee of other interested area high school athletic directors and coaches to meet with Chevrolet Centre officials and their coordinator at a late winter meeting to arrange such a schedule for the 2007-08 season, and it could become an annual gathering for future years.
"It would be a win-win situation," said Maughan. "It would give the Chevrolet Centre a lot of exposure. It would be a good thing for them and a good thing for us."
But, "The rent would have to be feasible. We would have to make as much [profit] as we would make from the game if we held it at our own gym [ticket sales minus expenses], and all of the participating schools and the Centre could agree on what that compensation should be."
And, "Then they would have to market the games. But because more schools will be involved during one night, there will be more revenue from gate receipts and concessions, and they also could get sponsors like they are doing now. So the compensation returned to all participating schools could very well equal or surpass what each school would get if the game were played at its own gym."
Sponsors this year for the Holiday Classic are The Chevrolet Centre, Choffin Career & Technical Center, Hill, Barth & King, Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell Ltd., the Lariccia family and Sky Bank.
Also supporting the event are Aqua Ohio, Paige & Byrnes Insurance, Pegasus Printing, Preston Motors and WKBN Radio.
Ticket prices are $6 at the door and $4 in advance for students at any of the participating schools.
Could be profitable venture
Creating a regular schedule of high school games at the Chevrolet Centre could be very profitable for the city-owned facility through ticket sales, concessions and exposure to the public, bringing in people and revenue during nights when nothing else is scheduled there, and the place is dark.
And the games, as they become known as high school basketball nights at the facility, could even begin attracting the general public not affiliated with the participating schools.
A check of the Chevrolet Centre's events schedule on its website for the months of January, February and March showed that only seven events were scheduled over that three-month span for Mondays through Thursdays.
That means that more that about 50 days would be available for high school basketball games during that period that would not conflict with other events.
"The ADs could determine how many games on their boys and girls basketball schedules that they want to play at the Chevrolet Centre and the preferred dates, and the schedules could be to fit into the Chevrolet Centre schedule," said Maughan.
Fans, players, coaches loved it
The Ursuline AD said everyone loved the Holiday Classic last year.
"It is a great atmosphere, plus the number of people they had last year [was great]. They had a great crowd for the four games," said Maughan. "It brings a lot of people together who might not ordinarily be there."
He said the players and coaches especially loved it.
"It's a college setting. It is great for the kids. They really loved it. It is a great idea by whoever came up with it," said Maughan.
"And from a coaching standpoint, it's good for the coaches because they can scout other teams at the same time, and players can see other teams play."
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