OHSAA state tournament

mike45069

Active member
Whether or not they are played this year, why would this be scheduled in Akron? There cant be that much attendance for high school baseball that it could be played somewhere near Columbus? I get it has to be bid on and hard to get volunteers that time of year, but is Akron really the only option? Let's just go ahead and move basketball up there too so all of the big 3 sports can be held in NE Ohio. Just seems like Columbus area should be able to find someone who can host 12 baseball games over 3 days.
 
 
Whether or not they are played this year, why would this be scheduled in Akron? There cant be that much attendance for high school baseball that it could be played somewhere near Columbus? I get it has to be bid on and hard to get volunteers that time of year, but is Akron really the only option? Let's just go ahead and move basketball up there too so all of the big 3 sports can be held in NE Ohio. Just seems like Columbus area should be able to find someone who can host 12 baseball games over 3 days.

Do you know the total attendance ?
 
Triple A teams are no longer allowed to hold dates in advance of the season. They get their season schedule and have to fill in around, they can’t tell the league office “hey we have this weekend booked.”

As such the OHSAA has moved away from Huntington Park because they can’t guarantee its availability and don’t like year to year deals. OSU has not shown an interest in hosting. Akron put in a big bid to have that along with softball, which they already have.
 
Jerry Snodgrass did a great job explaining all this before last year's games at Canal Park. If you have time, I invite you to find his videos and/or podcasts/interviews.
 
Baseball averages around 1000+ per game with the crossover of people coming early for one game or leaving late, you would need at least 2000+ seats. I think it definitely needs to be in one of the professional stadiums. Not aware of any HS or college stadium that can adequately handle the crowds with the exception of Ohio State. Probably just depends on schedules and wanting to host the events.
 
Do not have the numbers but do know that attendance was down at State Tourney last year in Akron. The attendance has a lot to do with teams involved. I had attended the tourney for numerous years when in Columbus. However, did not attend in Akron because it would require getting hotel room and such.
OSU has backed off hosting state tourney because it has to be open to hosting NCAA if OSU makes it to NCAA Tourney.
Huntington Park is a great facility and will probably get it back after Akron contract runs out. Huntington Park has to put in dates for scheduling a year or 2 in advance so the Clippers schedule can be completed. The OHSAA moved the tourney back a week last year with change in how long the high school season is. Huntington Park was not able to change dates with the Clippers thus having to move the tourney to Akron. Akron in hosting wanted a 2 year deal-thus 2 years in Akron. I would expect it be back in Columbus in 2021.
 
There are lots of places in Ohio that could host tournaments. OHSAA has a love for the northern areas. Heck, I remember when football went to columbus (As it should be) and Stark county went nuts saying it would never work...Tournament went off fine...
 
There are lots of places in Ohio that could host tournaments. OHSAA has a love for the northern areas. Heck, I remember when football went to columbus (As it should be) and Stark county went nuts saying it would never work...Tournament went off fine...

Where are those places?
 
There are lots of places in Ohio that could host tournaments. OHSAA has a love for the northern areas. Heck, I remember when football went to columbus (As it should be) and Stark county went nuts saying it would never work...Tournament went off fine...
"Could" and "Want to" are two very different things.
 
Where are those places?
Dayton Ohio, Columbus Ohio both have venues that have successfully hosted tournaments in the past. These venues are more centrally located and have better hotels, restaurants.
I have been up to Akron a couple times for the softball championships... Never for baseball. Firestone is a good facility with plenty of seating. Nowhere near capacity of 4500 in attendance though...
With softball it's not like the attendance is much larger than what you find at the D1 etc. Softball all star games. They used Ashland university a while back for softball and that event holds one of the top attendance records for softball that IMO is a little inflated.

For Baseball Dayton/Columbus has minor league baseball same capacity as Akron's minor league facility and they have both been used before. There are also two D1 college campus with Dayton and Wright state as well that could be used. Softball may get 250/300 new spectators per game (and that is being generous) with an average crowd of 500/700 per game. Softball however will have a higher percentage of families that seem to stick around and come early and stay later watching more games.
 
Wright State and Miami do have very nice Baseball facilities! No idea on what capacity is at either place though. What about Prasco Park? A few of these places have hosted College Conference Tournaments but couldn’t handle the State Finals?
 
Dayton Ohio, Columbus Ohio both have venues that have successfully hosted tournaments in the past. These venues are more centrally located and have better hotels, restaurants.
I have been up to Akron a couple times for the softball championships... Never for baseball. Firestone is a good facility with plenty of seating. Nowhere near capacity of 4500 in attendance though...
With softball it's not like the attendance is much larger than what you find at the D1 etc. Softball all star games. They used Ashland university a while back for softball and that event holds one of the top attendance records for softball that IMO is a little inflated.

For Baseball Dayton/Columbus has minor league baseball same capacity as Akron's minor league facility and they have both been used before. There are also two D1 college campus with Dayton and Wright state as well that could be used. Softball may get 250/300 new spectators per game (and that is being generous) with an average crowd of 500/700 per game. Softball however will have a higher percentage of families that seem to stick around and come early and stay later watching more games.

Columbus

Huntington Park -- No longer able to set aside dates as they have in the past. Add that to the OHSAA Baseball season being extended and that makes it very difficult to use that facility.

Bill Davis Stadium -- Not practical for the reason given prior regarding potential NCAA Regionals/Super Regionals. We went down that path once before requiring a late split of the state tourney site.


Dayton

5/3rd Field -- Availability and cost are the biggest hurdles

University of Dayton -- only seats 500 behind the plate and does not have the other infrastructure to handle an event like this. (the umpires dress in the closet where the field maintenance supplies are stored)

Wright State -- See UD..... seating for a little over 500 only


No HS facility in the state can handle this. No private facility can handle this.

The larger venues (Reds, Indians, MudHens, University of Cincinnati,..etc) that have not hosted to date, have not hosted for obvious reasons... $$$ and scheduling.
 
Wright State and Miami do have very nice Baseball facilities! No idea on what capacity is at either place though. What about Prasco Park? A few of these places have hosted College Conference Tournaments but couldn’t handle the State Finals?

Prasco is nice. But it is not going to be able to handle this event. Miami seats about 1,100.

It's not just about the field.
 
Prasco is nice. But it is not going to be able to handle this event. Miami seats about 1,100.

It's not just about the field.
Prasco park still puts on the BIG EAST tournament....I am sure they can handle OHSAA....

 
Prasco park still puts on the BIG EAST tournament....I am sure they can handle OHSAA....


Have you been there during the BE tourney? I have..... it's a night and day comparison between the OHSAA and BE tourneys..

Just for starters...

Big difference between scheduling/playing 6 games in three days and 12 games in three days.
4 teams vs 16 teams (seating for 1250)
 
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Prasco is nice. But it is not going to be able to handle this event. Miami seats about 1,100.

It's not just about the field.

No sh_it! Never said it was just about the “Field”. All locations are really irrelevant, Spring Sports are not going to happen this yr!
 
What about Prasco Park? A few of these places have hosted College Conference Tournaments but couldn’t handle the State Finals?


Prasco is nice. But it is not going to be able to handle this event.
It's not just about the field.

No sh_it! Never said it was just about the “Field”. All locations are really irrelevant, Spring Sports are not going to happen this yr!


I apologize for responding directly to a specific question you asked.
 
I recommend anyone who wants to know why any state final, in any sport, isn’t hosted at a site...call that site instead of always asking the OHSAA. See what they say.
 
Have you been there during the BE tourney? I have..... it's a night and day comparison between the OHSAA and BE tourneys..

Just for starters...

Big difference between scheduling/playing 6 games in three days and 12 games in three days.
4 teams vs 16 teams (seating for 1250)
Yes I have. The wife sold them a couple hundred thousand dollars of MHE and we got press box seats. It was also Free Larissa night so the place was packed. No way a OHSAA baseball contest could come close to attendance for a game. Even with Pete all D1 powerhouse Moller playing.
 
Baseball averages around 1000+ per game with the crossover of people coming early for one game or leaving late, you would need at least 2000+ seats. I think it definitely needs to be in one of the professional stadiums. Not aware of any HS or college stadium that can adequately handle the crowds with the exception of Ohio State. Probably just depends on schedules and wanting to host the events.
Marge Schott Stadium at Cincinnati seats 3000
 
Marge Schott Stadium at Cincinnati seats 3000
Very sweet facility on the UC Campus.

Voted best Big East Ball park when they were in the Big East...

U.C. (like Prasco Park) host some high end travel ball tournaments that are as large as the OHSAA tournament.
Heck Prasco host events with 20+ teams over a three day period.

While Cincinnati is a much nicer area than northern Ohio The downside is not centrally located...
 
While we're throwing out ridiculous sites that have zero shot of ever hosting....why not Chillicothe? Stadium seats over 3000 and used to host Indy ball.

Sprengler in Avon seats 5000 or so, and Cedar Point isn't far away. Great family destination for a weekend!

BGSU has a 2500 seat stadium.

Now for the only of these 4 I'm bringing up I'd even consider: Bob Wren at OU. It's time either SE or NW Ohio hosted something. Sure, we all lack the fancy big city amenities, in many cases full sets of teeth, and in many's eyes class. But if NE, SW, and Central are just gonna bicker....we'll take them.

Don't mind me. I'm a bit delirious, I'll regreat this post in a few hours. ?
 
While we're throwing out ridiculous sites that have zero shot of ever hosting....why not Chillicothe? Stadium seats over 3000 and used to host Indy ball.

Sprengler in Avon seats 5000 or so, and Cedar Point isn't far away. Great family destination for a weekend!

BGSU has a 2500 seat stadium.

Now for the only of these 4 I'm bringing up I'd even consider: Bob Wren at OU. It's time either SE or NW Ohio hosted something. Sure, we all lack the fancy big city amenities, in many cases full sets of teeth, and in many's eyes class. But if NE, SW, and Central are just gonna bicker....we'll take them.

Don't mind me. I'm a bit delirious, I'll regreat this post in a few hours. ?
We have full sets of teeth, they just don't fit right or the dog ate 'em.
 
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