GDW Analysis of new volleyball regional playoff site:

Lots of people seeing playoff VB from the Finley Center:

GDW Analysis:
HOOVER: For the 2024 volleyball playoff season, the AHSAA North Super Regional is at the Finley Center.
The Finley Center is a huge building located above legendary Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
Volleyball was moved from Von Braun Center to the Finley Center for the North teams in undisclosed terms.
The announcement by the AHSAA was reported to the media and public last month.
Gameday Weekly has attended the Finley Center the last two years with the AHSAA scholastic basketball camp going on during the middle part of June.
Now GDW is here for volleyball with Cullman a first round winner in Class 6A and other local teams such as West Point, Holly Pond, Vinemont and Addison to play Thursday.

 This is what GDW has taken in so far with the first of three days of AHSAA volleyball as the top four from each class will advance to the state tournament next week at nearby Birmingham Crossplex.
Crowds:
With Class 6A getting the regional going, a large number of students and fans from the six floors the facility is using.
Cullman had a good following to make it down for the 9:00 a.m. matchup vs. Gardendale.
Students were given permission to attend, but had to sign a waiver that was being operated by assistant principal Aaron Sparks.
A limited number of seats were available with metal bleachers located behind the service area on both sides.
AHSAA officials asked media, such as GDW and photographers to go to the upper deck.
The upper deck of the Finley Center is a track facility.
Plenty of room with GDW the only local media representative to see Cullman in person.
When the 2A started playing its Round of 16 around 10:30 a.m., good attendance but fewer fans that 6A.
Each court is divided with curtains up. That is good for balls not to go from one court to the other and cause replays.
With the large crowd working its way through the lobby, it became very tight to move.
Fans would leave the floor, get on to the lobby and a lot were using it as a place to hang out, especially students.
Media entrance and media room:
Entering the Finley Center very efficient for the media. The location is to the East of the main entrance for fans.

 Two media work rooms set up by the AHSAA for Gameday Weekly and others to do what it needed to in providing information to the public.
The room was comfortable in regards of temperature with a table set for reporters to get on the computer, like GDW and provide stories here and also communicate with others through social media.
Welcomed by the AHSAA:
Kim Vickers, the director for volleyball representing the AHSAA, said hello to Gameday Weekly once it entered the Finley Center before 8:00 a.m. Wednesday.
Vickers spent last Wednesday evening in Vinemont, honoring coach Bobby Daniels for recently getting his 1,000th win in the sport.
AHSAA is working with the city of Hoover who is hosting the regional through Friday.
Other members from the AHSAA office are possibly to be attending. They are also involved in the South Super Regional from the Cramton Bowl Multiplex in Montgomery.
Parking and traffic:
Parking at the Finley Center is good, but to be close to the entrance, drivers must arrive early like GDW did Wednesday morning.
GDW made it through traffic by 7:30 a.m.
Cullman volleyball came down vis bus and was the facility at least an hour before match time.
Going down Interstate 65, getting on to 459 and passing into Hoover, no problem.
Traffic was very tight getting near the Finley Center with Hoover High School not far away too.

 From GDW analysis, parking much better here at the Finley Center than at Von Braun in Huntsville for its limited space and the location where the facility is in the Rocket City, deep into downtown.
New AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon reported recently that the North Super Regional will return to Huntsville for 2025.

Photo of a floor shot from the AHSAA North Super VB Regional at the Finley Center. This was a match on Court 6 in Class 2A between Lexington and Sulligent Wednesday morning.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.