Why Canton?

Raylan_Givens said:
That's true, but those 30,000 come to one game. If you have 3 games with 5-10k per game in the same day . . . that could be "interesting".
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Nippert hosted a quadruple header week 1 for 10-15 years before the NCAA rules changed. Plus with the availability of the baseball and soccer fields for warmups and future indoor practice facility, the time between games can be reduced, too.
 
Chester Copperpot said:
I don't understand why people keep saying the parking is horrible. We parked in lot A for all seven games. We got there about 45 minutes to an hour before kickoff for each. We never had to wait to get into the lot or to leave the lot. Took 5 minutes to walk from our vehicle into the stadium.
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Ok 45 minutes to an hour before the game. So go back to Winton Woods. So you know want the parents to leave at 2PM? You must have a lot of magical vacation time.
 
EHS 2001 said:
WTF are you talking about? Nippert hosted a quadruple header week 1 for 10-15 years before the NCAA rules changed.
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Whoa, whoa, easy dude. I didn't realize that. Thank you for making me smarter. Like I said earlier, been to many UC games there, but never a high school game. Not dissing your city. Relax.
 
Heck I thought the 60 degree temps stumped any and all arguments.
I’ve been to many of the high school doubleheaders at Nippert with at least twice the size of a state final crowd with far less traffic issues and/or parking. Plus a 10/15 minute max distance to either I71 or 75.
Im fine with Canton I was just joining the discussion and being selfish. I would attend every game a MAC team played in.
 
Chester Copperpot said:
Again, It's a day and half. It's not like you are needing to take a week off of work to drive from Cincinnati to Canton.
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How much vacation time does the person get? I know a lot of jobs that have 0. When I started at my company I only had 10 days of vacation. So a day and half is 15% of total vacation.

How much vacation did the person from Hoban have to use to get to Canton for that game?
 
arizonawildcat said:
We have this stupid argument every few years on Yappi. Why Canton? because Canton is the only - repeat ONLY - city that makes a bid to OSHAA to host the games. It's as simple as that. No bid = no title games.
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You're being generous saying every few years, more like every single year save last year due to the unique circumstances.

But yeah, Canton is the only place that actively wants the games. Attendance will ebb and flow with the matchups (just a reminder that 2017 in Canton had better attendance than any of the years in Columbus 2014-16) and weather (2013 weather will actively hamper attendance). Also, the amenties, press room, ability to put on the tv broadcast they do etc is a factor in determining the ability to host the games, not just seating capacity.
 
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Just speaking to Columbus facilities:

1/OHSAA seems to desire avoiding use of member facilities - which is understandable even if a suitable facility is available.

2/While the former Crew Stadium at the Ohio State Fairgrounds is the perfect location in terms of parking, support facilities, and location - the fate of the facility is still in limbo. A major showdown between the legal entity set up to own and manage the facility and the Fair Commission over "who's gonna pay for all of this?" is the near future - Columbus overreached in the deal to build the new soccer stadium, the Crew/MSL are not going to cough up the full funds needed for the renovation, and the Fairgrounds oversight board is justifiably not going allow the City to run roughshod over a state-related facility. My completely unlearned opinion is that the Fairgrounds will wind up with the site, which would be the most favorable outcome in terms of potential for holding football playoffs. Grab some popcorn and pull up a chair.

3/OHSAA can no longer afford to use Ohio Stadium, and TOSU, in the age of million-dollar assistant coaches and pay-for-play college athletes, can no longer afford to subsidize the game. The OSHAA playoffs are no longer a recruiting tool - for a Power Elite school within the Power 5, recruiting is national, and is RAPIDLY shifting to player earning potential under NIL and NFL potential.

4/Fortress Obetz - On paper it sounds good, has turf, and seats 12,000 according to Wiki. However, it's in a dumpy (but not dangerous) area of the metro. I've never been there - impressions from anyone with experience attending games would be welcomed.
 
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CatFoodFlambe said:
Just speaking to Columbus facilities:

1/OHSAA seems to desire avoiding use of member facilities - which is understandable even if a suitable facility is available.

2/While the former Crew Stadium at the Ohio State Fairgrounds is the perfect location in terms of parking, support facilities, and location - the fate of the facility is still in limbo. A major showdown between the legal entity set up to own and manage the facility and the Fair Commission over "who's gonna pay for all of this?" is the near future - Columbus overreached in the deal to build the new soccer stadium, the Crew/MSL are not going to cough up the full funds needed for the renovation, and the Fairgrounds oversight board is justifiably not going allow the City to run roughshod over a state-related facility. My completely unlearned opinion is that the Fairgrounds will wind up with the site, which would be the most favorable outcome in terms of potential for holding football playoffs. Grab some popcorn and pull up a chair.

3/OHSAA can no longer afford to use Ohio Stadium, and TOSU, in the age of million-dollar assistant coaches and pay-for-play college athletes, can no longer afford to subsidize the game. The OSHAA playoffs are no longer a recruiting tool - for a Power Elite school within the Power 5, recruiting is national, and is RAPIDLY shifting to player earning potential under NIL and NFL potential.

4/Fortress Obetz - On paper it sounds good, has turf, and seats 12,000 according to Wiki. However, it's in a dumpy (but not dangerous) area of the metro. I've never been there - impressions from anyone with experience attending games would be welcomed.
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#2 - great insight! Thanks for the alert on this. Will keep an eye out for updates. Provided the Fairgrounds can afford to maintain the stadium that could be a great candy center to this Tootsie Pop
#3 - Completely agree. It's a different era for all parties.
 
EHS 2001 said:
Nippert hosted a quadruple header week 1 for 10-15 years before the NCAA rules changed. Plus with the availability of the baseball and soccer fields for warmups and future indoor practice facility, the time between games can be reduced, too.
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Nippert (UC) priced themselves out of the mix.

Combine that plus the fact that Cincy fans stopped showing up for their own bug games and it’s unlikely that they’ll bid again
 
I personally wouldn’t mind the games rotating if it was at all possible. I know that 4 hour drive has to suck. If I had a better solution I’d definitely suggest it. I hate the Thursday night game. But as many said you have to bid on it and all that stuff. I don’t know everything about all of this so it’s hard to say. But I definitely can’t and wouldn’t complain since it’s literally 10-15 minutes up the road for me. But I understand the reason for discussion for most. Just wish there was an easy solution. Unfortunately there’s not. And no none of this isn’t to knock Canton because they do a nice job of hosting.
 
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CatFoodFlambe said:
Just speaking to Columbus facilities:

1/OHSAA seems to desire avoiding use of member facilities - which is understandable even if a suitable facility is available.

2/While the former Crew Stadium at the Ohio State Fairgrounds is the perfect location in terms of parking, support facilities, and location - the fate of the facility is still in limbo. A major showdown between the legal entity set up to own and manage the facility and the Fair Commission over "who's gonna pay for all of this?" is the near future - Columbus overreached in the deal to build the new soccer stadium, the Crew/MSL are not going to cough up the full funds needed for the renovation, and the Fairgrounds oversight board is justifiably not going allow the City to run roughshod over a state-related facility. My completely unlearned opinion is that the Fairgrounds will wind up with the site, which would be the most favorable outcome in terms of potential for holding football playoffs. Grab some popcorn and pull up a chair.

3/OHSAA can no longer afford to use Ohio Stadium, and TOSU, in the age of million-dollar assistant coaches and pay-for-play college athletes, can no longer afford to subsidize the game. The OSHAA playoffs are no longer a recruiting tool - for a Power Elite school within the Power 5, recruiting is national, and is RAPIDLY shifting to player earning potential under NIL and NFL potential.

4/Fortress Obetz - On paper it sounds good, has turf, and seats 12,000 according to Wiki. However, it's in a dumpy (but not dangerous) area of the metro. I've never been there - impressions from anyone with experience attending games would be welcomed.
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Good to hear from CatFoodFlambe! (CatFoodFlame's stories about Ole Mugsy left me in stitches at times)
 
Raylan_Givens said:
I know we do this every year, but enjoying the conversation. Couple items:
1. It's been mentioned a few times, but the 7th division is what REALLY causes the problem requiring that Thursday game. Without that, we're talking about Friday & Saturday only.
2. Reminder that the HoF/Canton bid on the right to host the games. They didn't steal them with a mask & revolver. OHSAA awarded them. Just something to keep in mind when you start chucking spears.
3. Not sure we can have this conversation without someone from the MAC contributing. MSML & Coldwater have been to the final a bajillion times in the last 10 years and their trip is every bit as far as the Cincy folks.
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But those hayseeds have to drive tractors and it takes longer.
 
CatFoodFlambe said:
Just speaking to Columbus facilities:

1/OHSAA seems to desire avoiding use of member facilities - which is understandable even if a suitable facility is available.
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The problem with that argument--even if it's 100% true--is that it's what the OHSAA desires now because it eliminates competition from their desired outcome--which is to keep the games in Canton.

However the OHSAA can and will continue to move the goal posts. Remember that for the better part of two decades (before the current Canton-only championships and before the few years in Columbus) we were routinely told that the OHSAA football state championship requirement was for two venues with artificial turf of sufficient size in close proximity to one another that fans could conveniently travel between the two facilities. (And wouldn't ya know it, the only two that fit that particular set of requirements were the former god awful dump in Canton and PBTS.)

The folks in Canton clearly want to host the football state championships and the new Tom Benson HOF Stadium (at least on the home side) is a great facility. But don't act like it's a fair fight that groups in other parts of the state have surrendered. That type of argument is an insult to everyone's intelligence. The OHSAA has a desired outcome and tailors their requirements to fit the result they want.
 
what made a very long drive even worse, is the fact that OHSAA gave no funds to schools this year. Programs used to get money to spend on a hotel or a charter bus. I know 2020 hit OHSAA hard but is their vision that short that they will never recover? C’mon man.
 
EHS 2001 said:
The problem with that argument--even if it's 100% true--is that it's what the OHSAA desires now because it eliminates competition from their desired outcome--which is to keep the games in Canton.

However the OHSAA can and will continue to move the goal posts. Remember that for the better part of two decades (before the current Canton-only championships and before the few years in Columbus) we were routinely told that the OHSAA football state championship requirement was for two venues with artificial turf of sufficient size in close proximity to one another that fans could conveniently travel between the two facilities. (And wouldn't ya know it, the only two that fit that particular set of requirements were the former god awful dump in Canton and PBTS.)

The folks in Canton clearly want to host the football state championships and the new Tom Benson HOF Stadium (at least on the home side) is a great facility. But don't act like it's a fair fight that groups in other parts of the state have surrendered. That type of argument is an insult to everyone's intelligence. The OHSAA has a desired outcome and tailors their requirements to fit the result they want.
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I think you're spot on. The OHSAA is getting what they want, this is not an "open" process.

In an ironic twist for all the SE Ohio folks on here, the President of the OHSAA Board of Directors is a Cincy guy - https://www.ohsaa.org/about/BOD
 
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