For about 30 years, starting out as child, I had the privilege of attending the HS boys basketball Final Four. 15,000 at Hinkle, 17,000 at Market Square and even 30,000+ at the dome. There was statewide TV and radio coverage, statewide, national and sometimes international print media coverage. That was before "class basketball."
This year, I swallowed my bias towards class basketball and attended the class finals at the downtown fieldhouse. There was no more 6,000 fans there for any one of the four games. No statewide TV or radio coverage and the print media was largely from the communities involved.
"Hoosier Hysteria" was once a term used to described the passion, popularity and even the insanity that was the state boys basketball tournament. Town vs town, little school vs big school, regional/conference bragging rights were all part of this wonder called Hoosier Hysteria.
Has class basketball killed it? I don't know, but it looks like it is on life-support!
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Is "Hoosier Hysteria" dead?
Is "Hoosier Hysteria" dead?
