OHSAA Wants To Continue To Play State Football Title Games In Canton...WHY?

goshengophers said:
As far as team travel, I thought all the participating teams arrived the day (or night) before the game?
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For one thing, it's more of a home game atmosphere for the closer team, depending on how big the travelling disparity is. I, and several people I know, would have gone to see Ironton in Columbus. But, we did not travel to Canton. Depending on the game day and time, a lot of folks can't possibly make it.
 
I do like the idea of different venues spread across the state for each level however, Welcome stadium in Dayton would be perfect for state championships. They already have basketball there and the state track meet will be at the Welcome, it is the perfect as far as seating and they had 48 million dollar additons to the stadium as well, it's right next to I-75 and the parking lot is enormous. The only issue is it's not centrally located (southwest Ohio).
 
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Zezzo! said:
I do like the idea of different venues spread across the state for each level however, Welcome stadium in Dayton would be perfect for state championships. They already have basketball there and the state track meet will be at the Welcome, it is the perfect as far as seating and they had 48 million dollar additons to the stadium as well, it's right off I-75 and the parking lot is enormous. The only issue is it's not centrally located (southwest Ohio).
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You think track gets moved to Dayton from Jesse O?
 
IHS Alum said:
For one thing, it's more of a home game atmosphere for the closer team, depending on how big the travelling disparity is. I, and several people I know, would have gone to see Ironton in Columbus. But, we did not travel to Canton. Depending on the game day and time, a lot of folks can't possibly make it.
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One thing to note is that a lot of Canfield fans came early to watch Canfield South Range play Ironton in the game before them and a lot of Canfield South Range fans stayed to watch Canfield, as well as just general fans from the Mahoning Valley. That may have made the crowds more biased their favor than they otherwise would have been. Canfield had a larger contingent in attendance than Bloom-Carroll did as well.
I suppose if they played in the greater Columbus area the reverse would have been true, Bloom-Carroll and Ironton would have likely out numbered the Canfield and Canfield South Range fans, not nearly as many would have made the 3½ hour+ drive down to Columbus.
 
simkon said:
@Zezzo! What would be all of the benefits in your opinion of having it at Welcome instead of at Benson in Canton?
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Just what I mentioned. Right off the interstate, seating, parking, concessions, two main hotels directly across the street/bridge, eateries everywhere and 75 is a major thoroughfare from Detroit to Miami with I-70 intersecting with 75. So it's easy to get to from anywhere. Canton is supernice but not easy to get to and the parking isn't the greatest. Welcome would never be half empty for any division.
 
The City of Canton is all in for the State Football and Swimming. The facility rentals are priced right and the city provides volunteers, ambassadors, etc. $$$$
 
Zezzo! said:
Canton is supernice but not easy to get to and the parking isn't the greatest.
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A major interstate sits 100 feet behind the stadium.. How much help does one need to get to Canton? This is a new one and I'd love to hear it. Maybe we can get them to shift I-77 directly into your seats.
 
McK93 said:
A major interstate sits 100 feet behind the stadium.. How much help does one need to get to Canton? This is a new one and I'd love to hear it. Maybe we can get them to shift I-77 directly into your seats.
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Gotta hire someone to brush the snow off of those seats first.
 
Zezzo! said:
Just what I mentioned. Right off the interstate, seating, parking, concessions, two main hotels directly across the street/bridge, eateries everywhere and 75 is a major thoroughfare from Detroit to Miami with I-70 intersecting with 75. So it's easy to get to from anywhere. Canton is supernice but not easy to get to and the parking isn't the greatest. Welcome would never be half empty for any division.
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Welcome is definitely not easy to get to from anywhere. According to Google maps from my house to Welcome on a typical Friday evening (to arrive for a 7 PM game) in November it would take anywhere between 5 hours and 50 minutes and 6 hours and 40 minutes to get there. From Conneaut it would typically take 7 hours 4 minutes to 7 hours and 52 minutes to get to Welcome. You would likely be fighting "Rush-hour" traffic going through Akron and Columbus both on the way there.
Meanwhile from Dayton to Canton is only 3 hours and 40 minutes at worst to arrive for 7 PM on a Friday and Cincinnati would be only 3 hours and 35 minutes at worst to arrive in Canton at 7 PM on a Friday. You would be going through Columbus before "Rush-hour" traffic and thus saving a lot on the drive time, whereas if the game is hosted in Cincy, Dayton or Columbus, anyone approaching from NEO likely gets caught in "Rush-hour" traffic on the way to the game unless they come down in advance and stay at a hotel. Fortunately Canton does not have as much traffic and congestion as Columbus.
So logistically it is not particularly advantageous over Benson.
The other consideration would be that for a game with 2 large fan bases 11,000 would not be an adequate capacity, it is still feasible for a championship game with the right teams to get 15,000 fans in attendance. In recent years was a team or two that had 5 or 6 thousand fans, so if both teams had that type of support, Welcome would be a bit too small to hold everyone.
According to my computer analysis of a panormaic photo and video from the D-III state championship game, there was around 9,000 spectators visible in the stands plus or minus about 1% error (the system isn't perfect, it uses facial recognition technology to count). So it is very plausible you could get a game that Welcome would not have sufficient seating capacity.
 
McK93 said:
A major interstate sits 100 feet behind the stadium.. How much help does one need to get to Canton? This is a new one and I'd love to hear it. Maybe we can get them to shift I-77 directly into your seats.
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If you are from West Central Ohio, long drive before you get to I - 77. Parking has a lot to desire in Canton.
 
OHSAA could care less what Yappi posters think, fans think, coaches think, or players think, whatever OHSAA believes will line OHSSA's pockets the most, that is where the championships will be.
 
McK93 said:
It appears to me your real problem is you live in the middle of nowhere where roads are hard to come by. Up here we have pavement and traffic lights, the whole nine. Hopefully these road things make it to your community very soon.
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Vice - versa NEO Ohio could drive to Dayton or Cincy than for the state championships. Heck NEO don't even support the games in Canton if they did attd. would be better.
 
Oil Filter said:
NEO is not responsible for downstate pantywaists who won't make the drive to support their teams.
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NEO residents don't even go to the games in Canton if they did attendance wouldn't suck so bad. Put the games in SW Ohio let us see how many people from NEO go to Dayton or Cincy. Name-calling isn't going to change the fact that people locally or not locally don't want to go to Canton.
 
Stirred not Shaken said:
If you are from West Central Ohio, long drive before you get to I - 77. Parking has a lot to desire in Canton.
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If you live in West Central Ohio you either go up to US-30, which is a limited access divided highway for most of the way or if you are further South you go down I-75 to I-70 to cut across.
 
Stirred not Shaken said:
NEO residents don't even go to the games in Canton if they did attendance wouldn't suck so bad. Put the games in SW Ohio let us see how many people from NEO go to Dayton or Cincy. Name-calling isn't going to change the fact that people locally or not locally don't want to go to Canton.
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Is the Pit filled up every Friday still? How is the attendance at X, Colerain, Princeton, Piqua, Troy, etc now compared to 15 years ago? Maybe attendance being down has something more to do with reasons other than location like streaming games and other entertainment options? I know in the WPIAL, attendance is a shell of what it used to be. If the MAC is not experiencing this issue, God Bless. I really mean that, as I think football is the best outlet to show community spirit, so I hope your area is still thriving.
 
Mikefln said:
Is the Pit filled up every Friday still? How is the attendance at X, Colerain, Princeton, Piqua, Troy, etc now compared to 15 years ago? Maybe attendance being down has something more to do with reasons other than location like streaming games and other entertainment options? I know in the WPIAL, attendance is a shell of what it used to be. If the MAC is not experiencing this issue, God Bless. I really mean that, as I think football is the best outlet to show community spirit, so I hope your area is still thriving.
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I agree with you, but Central Ohio is booming as is SW Ohio (not as much) whereas NEO growth is stagnant at best, and attd. has not been good at Canton. Maybe play the games where the people are.
 
chs1971 said:
The parking at Welcome is less than a half mile from the Interstate and a half hour closer to my house.
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Very funny 😂 I meant that there are places where driving to Welcome would be just as bad as MaC teams driving to Canton, due to the heavy traffic you would inevitably hit on the way.
 
Dayride said:
Is Dayton public still under suspension in regards to hosting playoff and tournament games? For some reason I thought that was part of the game throwing debacle. I could see them Putting in a bid in the near future with the remodel of welcome. That would buy some good pr in the area for the remodel.
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Renovations or not, Welcome Stadium is a terrible venue to play in for the teams and the fans.
 
simkon said:
@Calif_Eagle
As an aside when Akron hosted the playoff game last year between Hoban and SV-SM they did so at a huge loss. Apparently, there is a minimum number of security, ushers, concessions workers, janitors, grounds men, parking attendants, and other personnel required for any game or contest held at a University of Akron facility. Not to mention the expense of the stadium lighting for the field and the electricity for everything else, the sewer and water bill. Between the flat fee and what little amount the University could make; it ended losing them a lot of money. It would not be smart to sign up to lose a lot of money in 7 games a year every year. Also, I don't think very many people paid for parking for the game they hosted last year, but I could be mistaken.
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If Akron University lost a LOT of money, and they didn't see or realize any benefit from players or other prospective students seeing their campus and facilities, then I 100% agree with you that they are right to not want to host. I would point out that an urban campus in a city is typically not going to project the type of campus imagery that people "fall in love with." I have never ever seen more than a small slice of AU's campus. and it may be a lot nicer than I am aware of, but I am thinking of Cleveland State [I know, no football & that's a post for another thread & forum. They should have a D1A team.] an urban university, from back in the 1970's when I attended there, & how drab that it was. Main Classroom Building back in the day was reminiscent of a Prison. (CSU may have changed a LOT, I know there's been construction and some building replacement and land/building acquisition, but IDK for sure. In a perfect world, they'd keep adding land toward the SE and have a landscaped beautiful stereotypical campus.)
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Anyone visiting Kent State or Ohio U. will be more likely to have the "fall in love" experience. Good college atmosphere at both, esp. at Ohio U. Athens has the stereotypical movie college campus atmosphere. They ought to give hosting a one year shot and see if they get any worthwhile benefit. One call to the Zips would probably discourage them though. Money matters, I get that totally (esp. living near Hollywood lol!) maybe more than it should sometimes.
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Anyway, all that really doesn't matter at all anyway. Facts are facts. At present, only Canton wants to host. I bet if the OHSAA made nice with Massillon and negotiated more favorable/reasonable terms, they would come back and join with Canton too. They are all about football in Tigertown and having people see THEIR facilities would possibly produce a player transfer benefit too.

SWO folks think they should have a rotation of sites, but no one is stepping up besides Canton. OHSAA is lucky they do, because they will have 7 different Title Games w. 7 different schools hosting and some of those stadia don't figure to be very good size. Or have good press facilities (God forbid, not to forget the VIP amenities.) You could actually have an attendance crunch in the lower Divisions with the small stadia that would probably be used. Great for the game atmosphere, bad for OHSAA. With attendance being what it is, they could just let higher seeds or Harbin total teams host each round. (I know I said some of that already, but if/when Canton throws in the towel, that's what they are left with.)
 
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