Weeks 1-10 used to be the first round of the playoffs. They’ve removed the carrot of making it, and replaced it with the stick of not making it.
46ish pretender teams that are gonna eat the curb in a week or two benefited from this this week but all 702 teams are hurt by this every other week they play. OHSAA took teams’ straightest measuring stick, the objectively most valuable stretch goal, not just against their competition but against themselves historically and turned it into a money grab.
Weeks 1-10 matter less now. Participation and attendance will continue to decline, not JUST because of the longer season of course but no snowflake in an avalanche ever takes responsibility.
And a home playoff game used to be the mothers milk of an AD budget, like a 20% bump from your headliner that normally only gives you 5 home games to suckle at. OHSAA took that too! They only used to take the walk up gate day of, but presale went all to the schools, then started at like $2 to Cbus, now it’s just like schools get Parking and concessions, eF off Columbus ya greedy golems. Schools will not be able to unwind this because once Columbus gets their taste they never stop being hungry.
Congrats to the few schools that get to lie to themselves for a week or two longer so OH$AA can get back to planning its next Hawaii ‘business’ trip a little sooner… I’m in a mood and I know the sport and teams and kids will be fine and all and it don’t matter but I disagree with anyone who thinks any of this is now in a better spot for anyone but like 20 or however many ngo technocrat hogs there are in Columbus.