2019 OHSAA State Championship Games Attendance X-Factors

LICKING COUNTY FAN said:
With Northeast Ohio proclaiming to have the best fans and the games in their backyard, the low, low attendance numbers are a shock. Since they seem to have zero problems with the way the OHSAA does things.
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You seem to so hung up on this issue what’s your solution to the problem when it seems Columbus doesn’t want to host the games? And why are Pennsylvania games so poorly attended?
 
Many have touched on the fact that attendance in general is down. And that is true. So it's not just the state finals. Also exchange LaSalle vs. Massillon for Hoban vs. Massillon and Elder vs. PC for PC vs. Mentor and the numbers climb for sure. So no matter where they play the finals, where the teams are coming from and how far they have to come is a huge influence on attendance numbers. (assuming weather isn't a factor. And obviously it was not this year. LOVE OHIO HS FOOTBALL!!. The complainers just need to be thankful for what you have. If you are bored and looking for something to checkout, look online at the attendance for the Ohio state finals and the PA state finals from just last year. You will be amazed. Also come to Erie sometime and watch football. Then maybe you will realize how good you have it with the teams and players you get to see, the caliber of coaches and their backgrounds. (some even have NFL backgrounds), the amazing venues, and attendances that do not happen over here.
 
Sykotyk said:
Final score : 74-7.

Southern Columbia wins their tenth title in dominating fashion. Most points in a state title game. Most points in a season.

9 turnovers by Avonworth. 6 interceptions. 3 returned for touchdowns. 1 fumble returned for a TD. Two kickoff returns called back for penalties. Unbelievable domination.

5050 listed as attendance for the 2A game. Beautiful weather and a new team helped.
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Southern Columbia Area High School is a small, rural public high school located in Catawissa, Pennsylvania. It is the sole high school operated by Southern Columbia Area School District. In 2013, Southern Columbia Area High School reported an enrollment of 317 pupils in grades 10th through 12th.
173 boys and 144 girls - Class 2A (second smallest classification - Range A to AAAAAA) in football
56 on football roster. (1/3 of boys are on roster)
Catawissa has population of 1,500 in 2016.

They are always a football powerhouse in PA.
 
D VII attendance Marion Local vs Lucas
4,451 - 37 more then last season
statelinesportsnetwork.net

2019 OHSAA State Championship Games Attendance Down Again In 2019

a table of past seasons attendance in both Canton and Columbus. Attendance for the 2019 games will be updated during the playoffs.
statelinesportsnetwork.net statelinesportsnetwork.net

Plenty of seats today -
5110
 
If Cbus puts a bid in for the finals, OHSAA do the right thing and put it in Cbus. Canton area does not care anymore than Cbus does when it comes to hosting these games ( maybe the tourism officials do ) attendance numbers have proven that. If the finals had been in Columbus this year, I would have went and been home by now.
 
Weather is absolutely perfect for the finals this year, and overall attendance is down more than 15%. Hopefully someone gets this moved to a new location, before it is not even a consideration for people to attend. I know not Canton fault Columbus won’t host, but OHSAA can’t blame fans for not wanting to go to Canton
 
Stirred not Shaken said:
If Cbus puts a bid in for the finals, OHSAA do the right thing and put it in Cbus. Canton area does not care anymore than Cbus does when it comes to hosting these games ( maybe the tourism officials do ) attendance numbers have proven that. If the finals had been in Columbus this year, I would have went and been home by now.
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So, to get you to attend, the Finals should be moved to Columbus? I'm sure Mr. Snodgrass would appreciate your opinion on this matter. BTW, where do you live?
 
Maybe they just need to do week 15 like they do weeks 11-14. Wait until you know who's playing, then pick the site for each individual game. Location could be near a midway point between the 2 teams. You may have years that you have 7 different sites. You may have years where there are a couple of games at the same site. There are clearly less and less casual fans that go to all 7 anyways. Also this eliminates any Thursday game. And all games could be centrally located between the 2 teams and in theory more fans per game.
 
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Would make it much harder to televise. How much does the OHSAA get paid through TV rights? Not about the fans or the kids, it’s more about the cash.
 
bkmk1 said:
Maybe they just need to do week 15 like they do weeks 11-14. Wait until you know who's playing, then pick the site for each individual game. Location could be near a midway point between the 2 teams. You may have years that you have 7 different sites. You may have years where there are a couple of games at the same site. There are clearly less and less casual fans that go to all 7 anyways. Also this eliminates any Thursday game. And all games could be centrally located between the 2 teams and in theory more fans per game.
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Good luck trying to find 7 different locations on a weeks notice that are willing to host the games.
 
dougp66 said:
Good luck trying to find 7 different locations on a weeks notice that are willing to host the games.
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Why? how many do you think they need to find for week 12? Week 13? Etc .. they do it, and it works.
 
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dougp66 said:
Good luck trying to find 7 different locations on a weeks notice that are willing to host the games.
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Same problem with earlier weeks. Once a school shuts down their stadium it's not likely to get them to open up and stock their concessions and find staff to operate game day on such short notice.
One site works well, and keeps all the oversight of the games in one place.
Today said:
Would make it much harder to televise. How much does the OHSAA get paid through TV rights? Not about the fans or the kids, it’s more about the cash.
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The OHSAA makes next to nothing off TV. Ticket sales are where the money is.
 
Sykotyk said:
PA had their 2A game listed as 5050 for attendance.

1A 950
2A 5050
3A tomorrow afternoon
4A 3463
5A 2690
6A tomorrow night

Most of that 2A crowd were Southern Columbia fans there to see their team win their tenth state title. Avonworth had a small crowd. 225 mile trip for them. Southern Columbia had a 68mi trip.

Edit : added the 5A crowd. Archbishop Wood basically brought a student section and nobody else. Cheltenham surprised me with a much bigger crowd for an inner ring suburban Philadelphia school. Ohio equivalent would be like a Maple Heights making it. Both schools are only 14 miles apart but each had to drive over 90 miles.

For the game itself, Archbishop Wood led 12-0 and then trailed 15-12 in the 4th. Archbishop Wood went for a 3 yard pass with 6 seconds left to win it 19-15.
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PA finals update:
1A 950
2A 5050
3A 4960
4A 3463
5A 2690
6A tomorrow night

This is actually an improvement for PA. Great weather and a few new schools and Southern Columbia brought a big crowd for 2A.

But in PA TV really kills attendance. But they're never going to do anything to stop airing the games live on PCN.
 
bkmk1 said:
Why? how many do you think they need to find for week 12? Week 13? Etc .. they do it, and it works.
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Well, the idea is to play all of the State Championship games at a special and unique location, whether it's Canton or Columbus. If you think your dumb idea has some merit, give Snodgrass a call and pitch it to him instead of complaining about it on an internet forum.
 
Sykotyk said:
Same problem with earlier weeks. Once a school shuts down their stadium it's not likely to get them to open up and stock their concessions and find staff to operate game day on such short notice.
One site works well, and keeps all the oversight of the games in one place.

The OHSAA makes next to nothing off TV. Ticket sales are where the money is.
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If it is true that they make their money on ticket sales, the 15% attendance drop, has to hurt a little
 
Should move reg. season up one week, not wise to have H.S. state championships the same weekend as college league championships. Competing for eye balls and for dollars. Even if only a thousand people stay home to watch college league championships that is at least 10,000 dollars.
 
dougp66 said:
Well, the idea is to play all of the State Championship games at a special and unique location, whether it's Canton or Columbus. If you think your dumb idea has some merit, give Snodgrass a call and pitch it to him instead of complaining about it on an internet forum.
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I'm just responding to all the whining by Ohio people about where the games should be played. Every thread you go to people are complaining about Canton, this site, that site. So all I did was throw out a suggestion. I personally love Canton. I hope the games stay there forever. It's an easy ride for me and I get to see amazing games and have no dog in the fight. It's awesome for me. It's your fellow Ohioans that are whining. As far as calling me dumb, you can go EFF yourself.
 
Stirred not Shaken said:
Should move reg. season up one week, not wise to have H.S. state championships the same weekend as college league championships. Competing for eye balls and for dollars. Even if only a thousand people stay home to watch college league championships that is at least 10,000 dollars.
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And what do you do with the Thursday game if you move the finals back to Thanksgiving weekend? And what about the Ohio State/*ichigan game 2 days later?
 
bkmk1 said:
I'm just responding to all the whining by Ohio people about where the games should be played. Every thread you go to people are complaining about Canton, this site, that site. So all I did was throw out a suggestion. I personally love Canton. I hope the games stay there forever. It's an easy ride for me and I get to see amazing games and have no dog in the fight. It's awesome for me. It's your fellow Ohioans that are whining. As far as calling me dumb, you can go EFF yourself.
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I said your idea was dumb. Learn to read.
 
Maybe you should read my post on this thread number 63. What's dumb is all the people whining and complaining. You guys have some of the greatest HS football in the country and should be thankful. Instead: whine and complain. That's dumb. Read my post. All I know is that I very much look forward to 15 weeks of leaving work at 2:40 and heading west on I-90 to the game I deem the best game within 2-2 1/2 hours from me. No whining, no complaining. Just relaxation on the way with great anticipation of getting a good meal in the town of the game I have chosen for that week, and seeing great HS football that otherwise I would never get a chance to see. I for 1 am very thankful and blessed.
 
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Today said:
If it is true that they make their money on ticket sales, the 15% attendance drop, has to hurt a little
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It's not just the Finals where they make their money, it's also weeks 11-14. Attendance is down at those too. Hard to blame that all on location.
 
The Butler said:
It's not just the Finals where they make their money, it's also weeks 11-14. Attendance is down at those too. Hard to blame that all on location.
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You are right. Location is just 1 possible reason. There is a whole list of reasons that have been mentioned numerous times on Yappi. It's not just 1 reason why attendance is down.
 
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