UK hoops not the same

There’s an old expression: “The chickens have come home to roost.” It means things done in the past will come back to haunt you. I am referring to the lower-than-expected attendance at University of Kentucky basketball games.

Mark Story started the discussion by wondering if fans weren’t starting to have “one and done” fatigue. While that is surely part of the reason, there are many more things involved:

It’s not a true university basketball program any more;

There is hardly ever a Kentucky connection to the players any more;

Games are played any day and as late as 9:30 at night to accommodate television;

The dull early season scheduling, with Podunk University, etc;

The annual ticket price increases and K Fund contributions.

There are no names you can connect with year to year. I believe there is an answer, which will take university presidents working with the NBA, sports apparel companies and the networks. They must sell the university point of view: They are institutions of higher learning, not pawns to advance these other entities’ existence. Until that day might come, I will be a less-than-wild Kentucky Wildcat fan.

This story was originally published December 15, 2017 at 4:21 PM with the headline "UK hoops not the same."