Playoff attendance

Sykotyk said:
Then why does the ohsaa waste the extra time playing games at 1030am to about 1030pm when they could get all the games done in about 9-10 hours. And don't need the expense of clearing the stadium between games, etc if it's such a small group that might want to stay for the next game?

It seems to work well in other states just stacking them one after another. The crowd mostly clears out and the next games fans move in to the center during the half hour break or so between games.
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Marion Local’s game started at 10:30am and ended at 12:50pm. While the game had the 2nd most passes thrown of all the finals games (44), it also had a running clock for most of the 2nd half. We greeted the team after the game, so it took us longer to pile out than many fans, but as we walked to our car we passed many Carey and Coldwater fans on their way in.

Had the ML/NC game gone to overtime - which obviously would have meant no running clock - I could see the game not getting over until 2:00pm. Given what the traffic/parking was like at 10:00am (not great) with no prior game, I have to believe it was even more of a mess for the 2nd and 3rd games. Parking at Canton is a little different than Indy, so I think the extra time between games is warranted.
 
In the past, for state finals games @ Canton, there was NO traffic control on any of the intersections, around the stadium except for the D1 game and OSP worked IS77 when traffic was already backing up, going into the stadium.

Massillon use to have REACT and MPD work every intersection, around and approaching the stadium, where there could be a traffic problem anticipated.

A traffic committee met and sent directions to the teams in the finals, directing them in, to where we were setup to work traffic. Dave Motts of the HOF even had a plane over the stadium, checking approaching traffic, advising us where to change spots, if our directions hadn't been followed.

Massillon officials have cut back game security, leading to letting the normal cycle of the lights, be the ONLY traffic control, in spite of contacting the mayor and superintendent, in reference to the congestion and danger to vehicles and pedestrians, in that situation, in spite of the smaller crowds, meriting adjusting security arrangements, at the games.

Canton ALWAYS worked ONLY the parking lots and no other spots with explorers and auxiliary officers and regular Canton PD inside the stadium and no other game security.

Currently Massillon is doing the same with Canton officers and few, if any MPD officers assigned to work their regular season and playoff games.

From year to year adjustments were made and parking outside the stadium was publicized, that had shuttles to the stadium.
 
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1st the stadium is very nice, it would be great if it was located in central Ohio. However, the seating areas were a pigpen (at least on visitor side), trash everywhere, I don't think the people in charge of the stadium had it cleaned once.
 
Stirred not Shaken said:
1st the stadium is very nice, it would be great if it was located in central Ohio. However, the seating areas were a pigpen (at least on visitor side), trash everywhere, I don't think the people in charge of the stadium had it cleaned once.
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No qualms about the stadium anything from me. Got there an hour plus before the game and easily found a spot to park. Hobnobbed with some Steiners that I ran into. Didnt see the trash that you speak of but I was on the home side.

As you stated, just wish this sort of venue was more centrally located.
 
IMO, there really isn't much that can be done about attendance. It's become infinitely easier for people to come up with an excuse for why they can't or don't want to go.
 
Personally I don't really have a dog in the fight but it would only make sense to rotate the state championships around the state. Its 2021, logistics shouldn't be an issue. NW, NE, SW, SE, Central....5 year rotation. Make it happen.
 
Ericles said:
IMO, there really isn't much that can be done about attendance. It's become infinitely easier for people to come up with an excuse for why they can't or don't want to go.
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Short of rigging games, controlling weather, or taking them off tv/stream there isn't really anything that can be done. Lowering ticket prices isn't going to do squat. By far the biggest variable is who is playing. Take D2 this year for example, had Avon and Green both advanced to the finals, that game probably doubles the attendance of the Hoban-WW game. Getting schools that either have large fanbases (Massillon, Steubenville for example) or public suburban/rural school's who have either not been to the championship or haven't been there in a really long time, are what will drive higher attendance. The "neutral" no dog in the fight or fan that attends every game to make a weekend out of it is such a small percentage, and will be in any part of the state, that trying to draw more of them will not make any meanigful difference.

So in short, the attendance is at the mercy of who makes the championship games and what the weather is like (good weather isn't going to help draw fans but bad weather will keep them away)
 
kingpin2010 said:
Short of rigging games, controlling weather, or taking them off tv/stream there isn't really anything that can be done. Lowering ticket prices isn't going to do squat. By far the biggest variable is who is playing. Take D2 this year for example, had Avon and Green both advanced to the finals, that game probably doubles the attendance of the Hoban-WW game. Getting schools that either have large fanbases (Massillon, Steubenville for example) or public suburban/rural school's who have either not been to the championship or haven't been there in a really long time, are what will drive higher attendance. The "neutral" no dog in the fight or fan that attends every game to make a weekend out of it is such a small percentage, and will be in any part of the state, that trying to draw more of them will not make any meanigful difference.

So in short, the attendance is at the mercy of who makes the championship games and what the weather is like (good weather isn't going to help draw fans but bad weather will keep them away)
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100% this. I have found as I’ve gotten older that “life” gets in the way. Work/kids activities/house projects. 20 years ago, ticket price/location wouldn’t have mattered to me if it was a good matchup, because none of those other “life” things would have impacted me. Now the question is: What else do I have on my plate? This isn’t just for hs sporting events, it’s for attending any sporting event.

I think it’s great that people attend the whole weekend, or multiple games a week throughout the year. That brings them great joy, and I enjoy reading about it. Ultimately the people on this board make up one small percentage of the population who would attend a happy sporting event. Moving the location or reducing ticket prices a few $$ would likely only have a nominal impact. Even an “all-day” pass isn’t likely to draw people to watch schools they have no ties to the way it would have 20 years ago.

If they’re going to do anything, I’d much rather them improve the quality of the stream, and potentially offer a subscription type service there. Maybe it’s one price for the entire payoffs?
 
PGEMF said:
100% this. I have found as I’ve gotten older that “life” gets in the way. Work/kids activities/house projects. 20 years ago, ticket price/location wouldn’t have mattered to me if it was a good matchup, because none of those other “life” things would have impacted me. Now the question is: What else do I have on my plate? This isn’t just for hs sporting events, it’s for attending any sporting event.

I think it’s great that people attend the whole weekend, or multiple games a week throughout the year. That brings them great joy, and I enjoy reading about it. Ultimately the people on this board make up one small percentage of the population who would attend a happy sporting event. Moving the location or reducing ticket prices a few $$ would likely only have a nominal impact. Even an “all-day” pass isn’t likely to draw people to watch schools they have no ties to the way it would have 20 years ago.

If they’re going to do anything, I’d much rather them improve the quality of the stream, and potentially offer a subscription type service there. Maybe it’s one price for the entire payoffs?
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I went to 10 playoff games this year between weeks 11-15 (which, outside of the Gilmour/Girard game being played at 1pm, was the max one could do.) By all means it was a very enjoyable experience, but it is also a generally expensive endeavor when you sum up the tickets, parking charges and gas. $106 in tickets (8 x $10 [presale] = $80 + 2 x $13 [state semifinals] = $26) + $50 in paying to park ($5 x 10) + $27 to $35 in gas = $183 to $191.

That's fine, for me. I'm not complaining about the prices. There is no 'sticker shock' -- I budgeted $200 for the 10 games.

I got my money's worth. But, that's an individual judgment. I completely 'get' why more folks don't dig that deep into the time*cash*car mileage well the way that I do. Amateur athletics, (which is what HSFB is to the core) is a very niched interest. The fanfare, involvement and general public interest in high school football is experiencing generational decline. But, we already knew that. Motivations to watch games with minimal, if any, irons in the fire exist for so few Ohioans. In my case, it just got baked into my bones: I harken back to my "youth" watching the Ohio News Network and their HSFB coverage, listening to Skip Mosic's "Tonight in High School Football" on the FM tuner in the car and reading the forums. The feeling of universal connection, threaded together in common bondage and shared appreciation of a pastime within one's own state. Folks of all ages may have other avenues/activities to which they cling to those same ideals (e.g. Browns Backers clubs/bars.) Us on Yappi? The kindred spirits exist, but again at its core it is generational and heavily reliant on an affinity toward an activity that has gone by the wayside in popular appeal (watching HS sports.)
 
Considering what NFL and Ohio State games cost, I never want to hear about any expense talk. Honestly $10 doesn't even get you a beer at a Browns game, let alone the ACTUAL COST OF ATTENDANCE
 
One thing we cannot discount is that every year that goes by the 'newness' wears off even more.

Parents/families will always go but to boost attendance you need residents and the alumni to show up. Heck, even other towns that come and support (which this is only the second year I didnt attend playoff games of others in the league due to 5-7 on the same night).

I have always attended for a few reasons:
*Family playing or coaching in the games.
*Connections with the kids by coaching some in other sports.
*Supporting my town and alma mater.

I expect the avg numbers to continue to decline due to the increased teams making it and it being 'less' of an event for everyone involved.
Plus, the coverage will be better. So many of our games are on TV tape delay. With twitter, interwebs, and gettin ginstant updates and also people getting softer and not wanting to bare the cold.
 
smurfyeah19 said:
Considering what NFL and Ohio State games cost, I never want to hear about any expense talk. Honestly $10 doesn't even get you a beer at a Browns game, let alone the ACTUAL COST OF ATTENDANCE
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The point was if you take general HSFB fandom to the extreme of watching as many games possible, playoffs or regular season (I chose to speak on playoffs because that was what this thread is about), the costs add up in the end. Which is why one is wise to be smart, budget and decide if it’s cost-effective on a personal basis. Value judgment — what’s the motivation…? For me, it’s to be as fully immersed as possible in a seasonal pastime.

The number of Ohioans inclined to go on that HSFB odyssey, on either an individual game or full slate basis, is probably in the hundreds (3 figures.) I’m speaking on “people whose school isn’t playing in the contest.” The number of Ohioans, by contrast, going to pro sports contests and willfully getting gouged by vendors for a $13 Miller Lite or $8 nachos, is in the tens to hundreds of thousands (5-6 figures.)

At the end of the day, I don’t think you can wave a magic wand and make everything HS sports “free of charge” with significantly increased attendance to follow. Much less make tickets 50-75% cheaper, eliminating pay-to-park. Money is only one angle to the personal expense well. Personal time and mileage on the car are also ‘real things’ that affect people and their willingness to expend those to watch HSFB.
 
thavoice said:
No qualms about the stadium anything from me. Got there an hour plus before the game and easily found a spot to park. Hobnobbed with some Steiners that I ran into. Didnt see the trash that you speak of but I was on the home side.

As you stated, just wish this sort of venue was more centrally located.
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Same. Home side was clean with plenty of space to spread out and not have to sit on top of others. Never had to wait to park in lot A or leave lot A. No wait going through security or getting scanned in either. It literally took roughly 10 minutes tops to park, walk to the stadium, go through security, scan in and get to my seat in section 223 on the 50 for all 7 games. Wonderful experience all the way around.
 
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Too bad we don’t have one of the best stadiums in America in Central Ohio that Ohio kids dream to play at ?
 
thavoice said:
I have always attended for a few reasons:
...
*Supporting my town and alma mater.
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Unfortunately we are in a small minority of Ohioans. I suspect it's generally common for MAC country, or if you're a "Big 6" (Iggy, Ed; GCL South) alum, but those schools make up a small percentage. Across the state, I reckon there are few who make it a point to watch alma/their school-community play... even in down years.
thavoice said:
I expect the avg numbers to continue to decline due to the increased teams making it and it being 'less' of an event for everyone involved.
Plus, the coverage will be better. So many of our games are on TV tape delay. With twitter, interwebs, and gettin ginstant updates and also people getting softer and not wanting to bare the cold.
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I don't think the extra inclusion of teams is the issue: it could be just how much emphasis is directed toward regular season (home) games being 'community' events these days... to the point that watching the football team play isn't primary for the specific audience the schools want to garner in. Schools in my area have everything under the sun for their five home games: alumni band night, youth night, homecoming, senior night, and usually some other "promotional/honoree" night to round out the fifth. Factor in, too, that leagues are basically constructed today on the basis of parity toward the extremes of "perfection" and you get fans heavily absorbed into games that are vanilla and lack novelty -- with the added benefit of warmer weather. All of that kind of goes out the window come November and playoff time: communities who don't have that base of fans (non-relatives) entirely glued into the program as well-wishers/spectators go through attrition unless the team is discussed as "being good enough to win it all."
 
thavoice said:
One thing we cannot discount is that every year that goes by the 'newness' wears off even more.

Parents/families will always go but to boost attendance you need residents and the alumni to show up. Heck, even other towns that come and support (which this is only the second year I didnt attend playoff games of others in the league due to 5-7 on the same night).

I have always attended for a few reasons:
*Family playing or coaching in the games.
*Connections with the kids by coaching some in other sports.
*Supporting my town and alma mater.

I expect the avg numbers to continue to decline due to the increased teams making it and it being 'less' of an event for everyone involved.
Plus, the coverage will be better. So many of our games are on TV tape delay. With twitter, interwebs, and gettin ginstant updates and also people getting softer and not wanting to bare the cold.
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It doesn't help that more and more alumni are leaving to move to the Columbus area or to Southern states
 
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