A Look At The 2021 OHSAA State Football Championship Attendance Numbers

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I wonder how much of it has to do with the season has been over for so long for so many fans that it no longer seems like football season and instead most fans are going to basketball games. Obviously, the fans of the teams are going to go but it doesn't look they got very many people outside of the teams playing to attend.

Also, the cost of attending has gotten a bit out of control. I wonder how much it would have cost a family of 4 to attend each of Versailles six playoff games in tickets, concessions, hotel at state, etc. It's probably a pretty penny when you add up the entire playoff run.

I do think having the game not in the center of the state hurts a lot. Our volleyball team makes it to state quite often and it's a long drive from NE Ohio to Dayton. There are a lot of student, staff and community members who would go if it was in Columbus but won't go to Dayton.
 
GoArrowsGo said:
Just from looking at raw number of tickets sold, it looks like having the games in Columbus wasn’t a bad idea after all ?‍♂️
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I touched upon this in the Kirtland - Versailles thread. But I really liked Tom Benson HOF Stadium. I would much rather go there, sit in a nice chairback seat, concessions and restrooms in close proximity, and in more of a right sized stadium, than go to the Shoe and sit on a metal bleacher in a 105,000 seat stadium.

I say this, yes as a NE Ohio resident, but I also have kids down in C-bus (tOSU) and I am a Columbus Crew season ticket member. So trips down to Columbus are no problem for me at all. Just prefer Tom Benson HOF Stadium over the Shoe for these games.
 
I think a lot has to do with who is playing also. Look at the drop from 2018/ 2019 to 2021 in D2 (Forget 2020). Massillon obviously brings a huge fan base when they are in the finals.
 
Gbulldog said:
I think a lot has to do with who is playing also. Look at the drop from 2018/ 2019 to 2021 in D2 (Forget 2020). Massillon obviously brings a huge fan base when they are in the finals.
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I agree. When you get games that their proximities aren't close, I don't care where you play the games. The attendance will be affected. Plus some of the schools that played don't have a GREAT following. Some of them have a good following, but not GREAT. Plus many things already mentioned: costs of living in general of everything has tightened many peoples wallets. Rising pandemic numbers, overall interest of people toward HS football, sitting in the cold, etc... It's just a different era we live in compared to years ago. But all us diehards will just keep coming. Hope everyone that did attend had a great time. I know I was in HS football heaven and had a blast. And I couldn't have asked for 3 better games on Friday. Thank you Ohio, Canton, the OHSAA, the teams that made it there, fans I never met before that I got to b.s. with. It was a great day considering I have no dog in any fight and could just sit or stand and enjoy the best Ohio HS football has to offer. Very Blessed!
 
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Here are some thoughts: Attendance is down to some of the factors others have said. TV and streaming are playing a role in the low numbers. But I am not sure if anyone has realized that one quarter of he state, the northwest had one rep in the finals. I think that is a stretch. Do you think people from the Toledo area with no skin in the game is going to the games ? I am not even sure if they had an opportunity to watch the games since that is a BCSN area.

There is always something made about attendance, but look at the revenue streams the OHSAA will get. Money from Spectrum, Online streams, 100 percent of ticket sales, There are a variety of ways they get money, its not always butts in the seats.

The die hard football fan will go. But that Die-hard fan, which this site is based on is getting older and may not either be with us or finding alternative ways to watch.

I love Benson stadium from the games. OSU while is nice just too big. Unfortunately the best site in CBus that will not be available anytime sun is old Crew stadium. 20k stands central and easy access to highway, just doesnt have field turf and will not be repurposed just for football (american)
 
Willow_Hub said:
I touched upon this in the Kirtland - Versailles thread. But I really liked Tom Benson HOF Stadium. I would much rather go there, sit in a nice chairback seat, concessions and restrooms in close proximity, and in more of a right sized stadium, than go to the Shoe and sit on a metal bleacher in a 105,000 seat stadium.

I say this, yes as a NE Ohio resident, but I also have kids down in C-bus (tOSU) and I am a Columbus Crew season ticket member. So trips down to Columbus are no problem for me at all. Just prefer Tom Benson HOF Stadium over the Shoe for these games.
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Having games at The Shoe seemed kind of ridiculous...10,000 fans in a 100K + stadium.

As a fan, you want to be as close to the playing field as possible for the games.
 
Culture throughout the US has changed somewhat - having the option of sitting in the comfort of your home with the tv remote in one hand and your phone (with enticing social media and grub hub apps) right beside you has made in-person attendance at events, particularly outdoor events in cold weather like late-season football games , seem like an anachronism to some folks.

I don't like this change in America, but it's here to stay, so I guess I'll have to get used to it. Too much "interaction" with technology and too little in-person interaction - seems like the sense of community has gone down a little.

The attendance at this year's D-VII final was not even half of the attendance at the 2001 D-VI final (D-VI was the smallest division in 2001).

People prefer to seek entertainment at home more than they used to. I'm not saying this is a horrible thing, but I think it's a tad unhealthy.
 
Gbulldog said:
I think a lot has to do with who is playing also. Look at the drop from 2018/ 2019 to 2021 in D2 (Forget 2020). Massillon obviously brings a huge fan base when they are in the finals.
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Who is plying is the biggest determinant along with weather. Public schools that aren’t usually there or haven’t been there in awhile usually will bring big followings. D2 would’ve probably had double what it did had Avon and Green won last week. Plus you have the schools like Massillon or Steubenville that will bring large followings if they make it (just look at D4 in 15-17 when Big Red was there and then after). Priv
 
Willow_Hub said:
I touched upon this in the Kirtland - Versailles thread. But I really liked Tom Benson HOF Stadium. I would much rather go there, sit in a nice chairback seat, concessions and restrooms in close proximity, and in more of a right sized stadium, than go to the Shoe and sit on a metal bleacher in a 105,000 seat stadium.

I say this, yes as a NE Ohio resident, but I also have kids down in C-bus (tOSU) and I am a Columbus Crew season ticket member. So trips down to Columbus are no problem for me at all. Just prefer Tom Benson HOF Stadium over the Shoe for these games.
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Agree with this wholeheartedly. I live in the SW portion of the state, so about a 3.5 hour drive to Canton. Well worth the drive. Tom Benson is a top notch facility., Not a bad seat in the place. Close and convenient parking. Every employee we encountered at the venue were kind courteous and helpful. This was our 12th year going to Canton for the state finals. Definitely worth the drive and price of admission for these southwestern Ohio boys.
 
As it is the first weekend in December, the weather can be almost anything. How has attendance been in good weather and bad weather?

In my own experience, nothing seems colder than watching a football game in December. I don't know if it's because I'm sitting or because stadiums collect cold air.
 
The decrease in attendance was off set by the extra week of playoffs. The revenue this year is still going to be very good for the OHSAA.
 
fballfan said:
Here are some thoughts: Attendance is down to some of the factors others have said. TV and streaming are playing a role in the low numbers. But I am not sure if anyone has realized that one quarter of he state, the northwest had one rep in the finals. I think that is a stretch. Do you think people from the Toledo area with no skin in the game is going to the games ? I am not even sure if they had an opportunity to watch the games since that is a BCSN area.

There is always something made about attendance, but look at the revenue streams the OHSAA will get. Money from Spectrum, Online streams, 100 percent of ticket sales, There are a variety of ways they get money, its not always butts in the seats.

The die hard football fan will go. But that Die-hard fan, which this site is based on is getting older and may not either be with us or finding alternative ways to watch.

I love Benson stadium from the games. OSU while is nice just too big. Unfortunately the best site in CBus that will not be available anytime sun is old Crew stadium. 20k stands central and easy access to highway, just doesnt have field turf and will not be repurposed just for football (american)
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As you note, there are MANY other options in Columbus (besides ~105,000 seat Ohio Stadium), which is more convenient to ALL in the state except the Northeast quadrant:
1) Columbus Crew's OLD stadium (Mapfre)-- on the Ohio State Fairgrounds-- can hold ~20,000;
2) Columbus Crew's NEW stadium (Lower.com)-- can hold ~20,000;
3) Fortress Obetz (where the Division I State Final was played last year)-- can hold ~7000 and has turf field;
4) Ohio State's track & field stadium (Jesse Owens Stadium), which has a turf field in the middle of the track-- can hold 10,000;

Then, there are NUMEROUS high schools in Columbus with modern stadiums (e.g.- DeSales, Davidson, etc.) that can EASILY hold the 4000-7000 (at MOST) that attend most of these state title games nowadays.

I will continue to make sure that I do not rent a hotel room, dine in a restaurant, or even buy gas (nor visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame) in Canton, when my school plays in the state title games there; I have YET to spend a dollar in Canton (or Massillon)-- even for parking (I park on residential side streets, and walk)-- in my school's 5 trips to the state finals that were played in those two locations-- whereas, I spent BIG in Columbus, when my school was in the state finals there, BOTH times. Until the games are moved, I will not spend a dime in Canton or Massillon.
 
4GX said:
As you note, there are MANY other options in Columbus (besides ~105,000 seat Ohio Stadium), which is more convenient to ALL in the state except the Northeast quadrant:
1) Columbus Crew's OLD stadium (Mapfre)-- on the Ohio State Fairgrounds-- can hold ~20,000;
2) Columbus Crew's NEW stadium (Lower.com)-- can hold ~20,000;
3) Fortress Obetz (where the Division I State Final was played last year)-- can hold ~7000 and has turf field;
4) Ohio State's track & field stadium (Jesse Owens Stadium), which has a turf field in the middle of the track-- can hold 10,000;

Then, there are NUMEROUS high schools in Columbus with modern stadiums (e.g.- DeSales, Davidson, etc.) that can EASILY hold the 4000-7000 (at MOST) that attend most of these state title games nowadays.

I will continue to make sure that I do not rent a hotel room, dine in a restaurant, or even buy gas (nor visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame) in Canton, when my school plays in the state title games there; I have YET to spend a dollar in Canton (or Massillon)-- even for parking (I park on residential side streets, and walk)-- in my school's 5 trips to the state finals that were played in those two locations-- whereas, I spent BIG in Columbus, when my school was in the state finals there, BOTH times. Until the games are moved, I will not spend a dime in Canton or Massillon.
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The only stadium you mentioned that can hold enough fans if a team like Massillon, Avon, Steubenville, Mentor makes it AND is configured for football is the Shoe. As said, that stadium is way too large to host these games from a fan perspective. Fortress Obetz is a lousy venue, especially compared to Benson. I'd rather rotate around the state at smaller college venues - BG, UT, Akron, YSU, OU, Dayton, UC than force it to Columbus because of the location.
 
Willow_Hub said:
I touched upon this in the Kirtland - Versailles thread. But I really liked Tom Benson HOF Stadium. I would much rather go there, sit in a nice chairback seat, concessions and restrooms in close proximity, and in more of a right sized stadium, than go to the Shoe and sit on a metal bleacher in a 105,000 seat stadium.

I say this, yes as a NE Ohio resident, but I also have kids down in C-bus (tOSU) and I am a Columbus Crew season ticket member. So trips down to Columbus are no problem for me at all. Just prefer Tom Benson HOF Stadium over the Shoe for these games.
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Hell yes, go Crew
 
Drove 3.5 plus hours. Stadium is fantastic. Weather was great for early December though it was 58 in swohio lol. If I had no interest in the teams playing I have and will watch all divisions on TV.
 
A
Al_Bundy said:
The only stadium you mentioned that can hold enough fans if a team like Massillon, Avon, Steubenville, Mentor makes it AND is configured for football is the Shoe. As said, that stadium is way too large to host these games from a fan perspective. Fortress Obetz is a lousy venue, especially compared to Benson. I'd rather rotate around the state at smaller college venues - BG, UT, Akron, YSU, OU, Dayton, UC than force it to Columbus because of the location.
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Avon was the home team in the 2011 D2 state championship game at PBTS in Massillon and the home side stands were just fine for the crowd. You pretty much need a Massillon or Steubenville to get a full house anymore. High school football attendance has been on an overall downward trend for quite a while now.
 
cjb5656 said:
A

Avon was the home team in the 2011 D2 state championship game at PBTS in Massillon and the home side stands were just fine for the crowd. You pretty much need a Massillon or Steubenville to get a full house anymore. High school football attendance has been on an overall downward trend for quite a while now.
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Move the games to Cincy, PBS, or Nippert has plenty of seating. Never been to Nipper but PBST is great for watching football. Despite what some people say driving distance does matter esp. if you can just watch the game at home. See if SW Ohio supports HS football better than NE Ohio does, getting fans that have no dog in the hunt.
 
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Stirred not Shaken said:
See if SW Ohio supports HS football better than NE Ohio does, getting fans that have no dog in the hunt.
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This is no dig on SW Ohio because it's much nicer than NE Ohio, but if you're not gonna have it at the Pro Football HOF and you're not gonna have it in state capitol/OSU HQ Columbus, why on earth would you have it in Cincinnati? You could just as easily stick it at the Browns' stadium. Which would be an equally bad idea. Unless HOF Village comes about and is successful (highly iffy) in Canton then the best place to get fans with no skin in the game is Columbus. The only way I see Cincinnati is if you're just rotating yearly and don't care about attendance or anything football experience related for the kids. Or just move each individual division state championship game to the best place geographically for the two schools -- in which case PBS would come up a lot. Abandon having them all in one location.
 
4GX said:
As you note, there are MANY other options in Columbus (besides ~105,000 seat Ohio Stadium), which is more convenient to ALL in the state except the Northeast quadrant:
1) Columbus Crew's OLD stadium (Mapfre)-- on the Ohio State Fairgrounds-- can hold ~20,000;
2) Columbus Crew's NEW stadium (Lower.com)-- can hold ~20,000;
3) Fortress Obetz (where the Division I State Final was played last year)-- can hold ~7000 and has turf field;
4) Ohio State's track & field stadium (Jesse Owens Stadium), which has a turf field in the middle of the track-- can hold 10,000;

Then, there are NUMEROUS high schools in Columbus with modern stadiums (e.g.- DeSales, Davidson, etc.) that can EASILY hold the 4000-7000 (at MOST) that attend most of these state title games nowadays.

I will continue to make sure that I do not rent a hotel room, dine in a restaurant, or even buy gas (nor visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame) in Canton, when my school plays in the state title games there; I have YET to spend a dollar in Canton (or Massillon)-- even for parking (I park on residential side streets, and walk)-- in my school's 5 trips to the state finals that were played in those two locations-- whereas, I spent BIG in Columbus, when my school was in the state finals there, BOTH times. Until the games are moved, I will not spend a dime in Canton or Massillon.
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it's not Cantons fault that tOSU does NOT want the games at the shoe...
 
Stirred not Shaken said:
Move the games to Cincy, PBS, or Nippert has plenty of seating. Never been to Nipper but PBST is great for watching football. Despite what some people say driving distance does matter esp. if you can just watch the game at home. See if SW Ohio supports HS football better than NE Ohio does, getting fans that have no dog in the hunt.
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Nippert is a fantastic place to watch a game IMO
 
4GX said:
As you note, there are MANY other options in Columbus (besides ~105,000 seat Ohio Stadium), which is more convenient to ALL in the state except the Northeast quadrant:
1) Columbus Crew's OLD stadium (Mapfre)-- on the Ohio State Fairgrounds-- can hold ~20,000;
2) Columbus Crew's NEW stadium (Lower.com)-- can hold ~20,000;
3) Fortress Obetz (where the Division I State Final was played last year)-- can hold ~7000 and has turf field;
4) Ohio State's track & field stadium (Jesse Owens Stadium), which has a turf field in the middle of the track-- can hold 10,000;

Then, there are NUMEROUS high schools in Columbus with modern stadiums (e.g.- DeSales, Davidson, etc.) that can EASILY hold the 4000-7000 (at MOST) that attend most of these state title games nowadays.

I will continue to make sure that I do not rent a hotel room, dine in a restaurant, or even buy gas (nor visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame) in Canton, when my school plays in the state title games there; I have YET to spend a dollar in Canton (or Massillon)-- even for parking (I park on residential side streets, and walk)-- in my school's 5 trips to the state finals that were played in those two locations-- whereas, I spent BIG in Columbus, when my school was in the state finals there, BOTH times. Until the games are moved, I will not spend a dime in Canton or Massillon.
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aren't both soccer stadiums you mentioned grass fields? then no chance they play there.

jesse owens has a track around it, I think people would rather attend a game where they are closer to the field for the title game .


Not related to the quoted post...

I still like Massillon as a host location for games too, great facility, great history, and they are first class in their operation. However, Benson is a great facility too, but the days of the fawcett and PBTS being rotated for games was great
 
The OHSAA is able to hold the games in Canton/Mass. due to low cost. The area provides a large volunteer force. So, all this noise about any other region needs to figure out a cost-effective manner to do so. Maybe you can get the politicians to give you that free $$ they are printing and you can build back better. :banana::cool:
 
I can say for us diehards that like attending even when we have no team in the game, the rotation from canton to Massillon and back was great fun.
Stopping to eat and chatting with folk from all around. I truly liked the rotation the best. I got to meet many great people from all over the state and talk high school football.

However I can't see any other venue putting a proposal together that will beat what the HOF and Canton are offering at this time. Great thing is the OHSAA allows any and all cities and venues to apply. Some of the venues and cities mentioned do not even put a proposal together.

I can only see the HOFV growing further securing the games. While I totally understand CBus as being the centrally located stadium, it was not good for the fan experience being a drop in a big empty bucket. JMO
 
Al_Bundy said:
The only stadium you mentioned that can hold enough fans if a team like Massillon, Avon, Steubenville, Mentor makes it AND is configured for football is the Shoe. As said, that stadium is way too large to host these games from a fan perspective. Fortress Obetz is a lousy venue, especially compared to Benson. I'd rather rotate around the state at smaller college venues - BG, UT, Akron, YSU, OU, Dayton, UC than force it to Columbus because of the location.
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Massillon has played in the state championship game at Benson twice since the games were moved back to Canton and the stadium has not been close to selling out. Mapfre at over 19,000 seats or the new crew stadium at over 20,000 would be plenty of capacity
 
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