Waterford — So who's up for a drive to Plainfield on a Wednesday night?

Bet I know your answer.

And now you know why officials in the Eastern Connecticut Conference need to rethink the future of the girls' basketball tournament, which hardly moved the needle last week at Plainfield High.

This is juxtaposed against the passion pit that was the Francis X. Sweeney Fieldhouse for the boys' championship game Wednesday night. I believe the youngins used the word "lit" to describe something exciting.

Hence, the following sentence: The X was lit.

There are reasons, of course. Rivalry game — and rematch — between Waterford and East Lyme. Waterford was on its home court. Boys' basketball games in the region this winter have become a mini-series, improving with each rendition. And, yes, for loyalists not affiliated with East Lyme or Waterford, 20 Rope Ferry Rd. was a shorter drive for many of us.

Last week for the girls at Plainfield? A New London-NFA championship game played before mostly friends and relatives that had all the atmosphere of book club. New London was a heavy favorite, thus zapping some pregame drama. Mostly, though, this: The preponderance of the region's sports fans just don't want to drive to Plainfield.

Neither school had a student section at the game. That's because many kids from New London and NFA are less likely to have access to a ride — that's a fact of life perhaps not immediately obvious to suburbanites — or at least someone willing to drive close to an hour on a school night. A fan bus is an idea, sure. But also extra work.

Notez bien: The folks at Plainfield were helpful and diligent last week. They put on a good show. But not enough people came. And since basketball is a potentially significant moneymaker in the ECC, its officials ought to pay attention.

Next year, Plainfield will play host to the semifinals, while the championship game moves back to NFA. Perhaps that will increase the likelihood of a better, more engaged crowd in the finals.

My question: Why are we going back to Plainfield at all?

I get that ECC officials are cognizant of keeping some championship events north of Norwich, maintaining some balance, if nothing else. But an event that can potentially make money needs to be kept to Norwich and to the south, where there's a higher concentration of people and more casual fans likely to attend. The casual fan was nonexistent in Plainfield last week.

I'm sure some league officials will view this the way they normally view criticism. I'm a cynical, evil creep.

Yep.

Guilty.

Just a cynical, evil creep who enjoys watching the kids play before atmospheres like the 'X' on Wednesday night. The Vikings and Lancers will remember the rattle and hum of that place for the rest of their lives.

We also realize that we here the The Day Paper play a part in this. Now that fans of high school sports have come to expect theday.com to stream games live, some are staying home by the fire to watch. Thank you very much for doing so. It's just that there's no substitute to being there live. Especially when it's, you know, lit.

Most northeasterners have low thresholds for inconvenience. It is for this reason that many shoreliners don't distinguish the drive to Plainfield from a trip to Caribou, Maine. Character flaw? Sure. But also reality.

Hence, I'd like to give the girls an equal chance at a full gym with dueling student sections. The gyms at Waterford, New London and NFA are in play. Maybe St. Bernard, too, if both sides of the bleachers are used. East Lyme's gym should be, except the person that built that place so small should be reassigned.

The point is that nobody here wants to drive to Plainfield. And since most paying customers reside in Norwich and to the south, the ECC should capitalize on the capitalism of it all.

Sorry, but Plainfield isn't lovely this time of year. Especially on a Wednesday night in the winter.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro