We have a decent spread in the box, chain gang is fed whatever they want from concession stand pregame (if they come early enough) and halftime. Used to have one of the concessions ladies come up to the box and take orders if we wanted something different than the spread upstairs.
I've only been to 1 place that does this....Elder in Cincinnati.
I agree. I like something unique other than the normal burger, hotdogs, pretzels available.
Depends where you go. As the visiting stat guy, I've been to some places where there was no complimentary spread, and I've been to some places that would offer me their press box food at halftime. I would gladly partake after all the home team workers and guests had their chance. We're usually talking about pizza, sub sandwich, hot dog, Frito-Lay products, cookies, and either cold drinks or hot chocolate depending on the weather. Otherwise, I'd either go down before the game or at halftime to throw a few bucks at concession stand, usually for a hot dog and candy. At my school, they'll often send up some hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks at halftime. It doesn't improve the experience for the people in the stands, but you definitely want to stay on the good side of the few print and broadcast media that remain. You don't want to unnecessarily stir up any bad PR from them.
During the COVID season the local Lee's provided chicken fingers to the concession stand. I was working nights at the time so I asked the 2 parents running the concession stand to hold back 2 orders for me and I would be by to pick them up on my way out of the stadium to go to work. Not sure the food was actually that good but was a whole lot better than the usual overnight fare available during COVID.
More schools should do this. Heck, when I was up there in the booth we had to bring our own food and snacks. It was a carry in so to speak.
Have a size limit. I was at a game where a fat guy with a fat wife each had back pack stadium seats that were wider than them and they were really wide. They hit everybody sitting in aisle seats as they climbed up the steps. They left early and hit everybody again as they came down the stairs.
Sounds like someone has a fetish.
Or has a phone but don't have a teenager with them to operate it for them?But, what about the cash-paying grandparents that don't own a phone?
Agree
Our band uses halftime as a practice for their competition show. Sometimes they dont even wear uniforms because they dont want to get them dirty. Schools need to have “pep” bands for football and basketball games.
I’ll put it this way, there are a lot of people that leech off programs under the guise of giving with their real motive being taking. If teams/schools/programs allow people that are in it for themselves or for their own kids get into official positions, you can feel it in the air and the culture/attendance/atmosphere/team numbers all will suffer.
I am our school's PA announcer and this is absolutely the approach that I, or anyone else, should take. There is a school in our conference where the announcer is way more of a cheerleader than an announcer. I can't stand that.
OH GOD YES. I can't stand these but never knew a good place to express it. I'm a fan and alum of the one school in the GMC that does NOT do show style and I appreciate them for it. They complement the game well, play songs people know ("Poison" by Bell Biv Devoe last time I saw them), and seem like they're having a great time. Those show bands always seem like they're off in their own world, play songs no one really knows, and make amoeba-like figures on the field. Do absolutely nothing for me. I'd rather wait in the snack line.
The NFHS offers a completely free online course that PA announcers can take. I did it last fall. It seriously takes less than an hour to complete.I see your point, but as is there are still too many PA announcers that do not follow the memo from NFHS (that OHSAA has reminded schools of) as to what a PA announcer should and shouldn’t do.
The worst culprits are the ones who narrate the play as it unfolds.
Between me and my spotter, we do that too. We do that for everyone on our schedule (non-league and league) plus a few others in the area.
I get the officials' card when I take the field mic down to their dressing room before the game.
Good on you for wanting to do the job and do it the right way!
Yes Yes Yes. My local school does their competition show. I tell people around me that they will see this "show " all 5 games...
How much is the typical 50/50? This sounds like the perfect setup if everyone gets on board with buying their tickets early.
This year, we're 2-2 with 3 homes games, the give away has been around $600 per game.
That seems in line or even a little more than most games that I go to. It is a much simpler system and gets the same outcome. I wish more schools would go to this instead of thinking that 3rd quarter is going to magically double the pot.
Went to a game at Hilliard Darby. If they were selling programs anywhere, they were doing a great job of keeping it secret.
Yes they will, which is not unreasonable considering the huge time commitment involved. The serious competition bands have no time to create a show for Friday nights, then report at 6 or 7 A.M. on Saturday to go on the road to one or often two competitions often getting home well after midnight, then back to two-hour practices after school each weekday.
Our band is a Show (not a competition) band and still marches the same show ever Friday. The idea that high school kids should be expected to learn a whole new show (music and marching) for every game of the season is unrealistic. I know of a local band that has marched the same drill for multiple years and just changes the music each year.
IIRC, back in the day, our school's marching band put together a new show for each home game, then played that show for road games.