Move the finals to Columbus!!!

• skank

  

  Know it all wrote: Time for a big, big change and many of you that don't like this topic or the possible move to Columbus might be in for a surprise.
  
  Take a poll, fella's. If you asked 100 high school football players if they would rather have a playoff game in the Massilon/Canton area or at the "shoe" do you honestly think Massilon/Canton would win? If you say yes you are in some serious denial. Will the playoffs be moved? Many and I do say many of us hope so. The only thing I liked about the area was Beldon Village. Parking was a joke in Massilon and driving 4 hours from Portsmouth, Ohio made the experience one myself, family and 2 other car loads of friends will NEVER do again. That area for high school playoff games has ran it's course. It's old news. Time for a change.

  THIS
• skank

  

  Know it all wrote: ^Why would they even consider not showing games live? Daaa Did you ever consider many want to watch the games, but have NO WAY or DESIRE to drive 10,000 miles to see them in person? Hence...live TV. Attendance drops and it's because of television. Poor excuse. Some of you just don't get it. People are VERY tired of the travel time to that area. Plain and simple. Face it. Many fans aren't coming back to and have no desire to.

  THIS
  
  These are two examples of "crystal ball comments". They're both from you.
• skank

  

  Little Danny wrote: I don't even argue this point any more. People in Stark Co. like to remind everyone in Ohio that it is their birth right for the games to playd there, and the OSHAA will never move the games.
  However, if you think the games won't be well attended in Columbus you are mistaken. First of all, as every has pointed out, Columbus is centrally located and much closer for people in places like Cincinnati, Dayton, Springfield, Zanesville, Newark, etc. to go to. Second, much of Columbus is made up of people from other towns in Ohio. There are a boatload of transplants from Cleveland, Youngstown, Toledo, the Ohio Valley, etc. here. If their hometown team or a team that typically plays their hometown team, makes state, you can believe they will be at the game. Third, for those who talk about the economy being an issue-- what part of the state has the best economy? What part of the state has the discretionary income to go the game? Hmm.... Central Ohio of course.

  Are you serious? I have NEVER heard ANYONE use the phrase, "it's our birth right to have the games held here".
  
  I hope they do change the location....First of all, the people who want to gripe about certain things are gonna find something no matter who, what, where, when or why. Secondly, in my opinion, they'll be back....to stay.
• SUPER787

  ts1227 wrote:

  SUPER787 wrote: I Haven't looked this up yet, but didn't OHSAA just vote recently ( this past season) to keep the playoffs in the present location for what, 2-4 years?
  Cheers

  http://highschoolsports.cleveland.com/news/article/440788147/ohsaa-extends-football-finals-contract-with-stark-county-through-2011/
  
  December 2008, they picked up a 2 year option (2010 and 2011) on the existing 3 year contract.

  After reading your link, I see where the new contract for after 2011 will be up for bid this spring. We should hear about that soon.
  "The contract will come up for bid again in the spring of 2010. The finals have been held exclusively in Stark County since 1991."
  Also, looking at the 9-0 vote for the extention, it would seem the people in Columbus aren't too thrilled about moving unless ,of course, the money was big enough to sway their decision.
  Cheers
• GoChiefs

  

  SUPER787 wrote: We should hear about that soon.

  Commissioner Dan Ross said the OHSAA’s nine-member selection committee — consisting of three board of directors members, three OHSAA staffers and three members of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association — will make visits to Stark County on June 2 and Ohio Stadium on June 8, then will discuss the matter with the board of directors June 9. A decision could be made as early as June 10, at the monthly board of directors meeting, or it could be delayed until the July meeting.
• FairwoodKing

  I think I can speak on behalf of all Steubenville Big Red fans when I say we don't care where the finals are held. We just want to be there! That's probably the way every high school player in the state feels.
• sjmvsfscs08

  I would agree there is no way in hell you'd fill Ohio Stadium, but is that really important? I mean we do realize that 95% of those kids dream of playing on that field, and yet only 1% get that chance. I'm sure plenty of kids would absolutely love playing in the Shoe, even fit just had 15,000 people in it (my estimate).
  
  While pictures simply can't do the place justice, this is basically what you'd be looking at while teams score a touchdown in the north endzone.
  
  
  
  But another place in Columbus, Crew Stadium, is made for just 20,000. I think I watched the North-South Game there back in like 2005. Would be a neat choice although fans would be a bit far from the action.
  
  
• skank

  

  Unless they changed it, Crew stadium has a grass surface, which is frowned upon by the ohsaa, especially for finals.
• GoChiefs

  

  Crew still has grass..which is IMO, why it wasn't included in the package. I think the only thing that is going to hurt Columbus is the sheer size of The Shoe. If it was at Crew instead of The Shoe..if Crew had turf of course...I think it would be a sure win for Columbus.
• Al Bundy

  GoChiefs wrote: Crew still has grass..which is IMO, why it wasn't included in the package. I think the only thing that is going to hurt Columbus is the sheer size of The Shoe. If it was at Crew instead of The Shoe..if Crew had turf of course...I think it would be a sure win for Columbus.

  I also think Columbus would have a major problem on the years that the finals fall on Thanksgiving weekend since the Big Ten moved the conference schedule back a week and OSU/Mich is now on Thanksgiving weekend.
• Rbirdsman01

  I would agree that Crew stadium would be a great place for the finals. I've seen football games there before and you aren't too far from the action. But we all know the OHSAA wants turf, so Crew is out. Has anyone heard anything about Akron U. trying to get in on the party with their new stadium?
• ts1227

  

  Rbirdsman01 wrote: I would agree that Crew stadium would be a great place for the finals. I've seen football games there before and you aren't too far from the action. But we all know the OHSAA wants turf, so Crew is out. Has anyone heard anything about Akron U. trying to get in on the party with their new stadium?

  They applied, didn't make the cut.
• Altor

  Al Bundy wrote: I also think Columbus would have a major problem on the years that the finals fall on Thanksgiving weekend since the Big Ten moved the conference schedule back a week and OSU/Mich is now on Thanksgiving weekend.

  I can only find tournament dates on the OHSAA site through 2012, but I'm sure they know what the dates will likely be for 2013 and 2014.
  
  There is no conflict for the date in 2012. In 2013, the Game will be in tsun and there is no conflict on the date. 2014 is the only one to worry about, and I'm sure they've already checked on that.
  
  Remember, the bid is only for 3 years, beginning in 2012.
• Al Bundy

  Altor wrote:

  Al Bundy wrote: I also think Columbus would have a major problem on the years that the finals fall on Thanksgiving weekend since the Big Ten moved the conference schedule back a week and OSU/Mich is now on Thanksgiving weekend.

  I can only find tournament dates on the OHSAA site through 2012, but I'm sure they know what the dates will likely be for 2013 and 2014.
  
  There is no conflict for the date in 2012. In 2013, the Game will be in tsun and there is no conflict on the date. 2014 is the only one to worry about, and I'm sure they've already checked on that.
  
  Remember, the bid is only for 3 years, beginning in 2012.

  Even when the games are at tsun, they would have a very difficult time getting workers.
• racerdog95

  Why not have it rotate each year.
  
  year 1 - University of Cincinnati
  year 2 - The Ohio State University - Horseshoe
  year 3 - Masilion/Akron
  year 4 - University of Bowling Green
  
  and then repeat
• Drums of War

  racerdog95 wrote: Why not have it rotate each year.
  
  year 1 - University of Cincinnati/Bengals Stadium
  year 2 - The Ohio State University - Horseshoe
  year 3 - Masilion/Akron
  year 4 - University of Bowling Green/University of Toledo
  
  and then repeat

  I am a local guy as in I live five minutes from Fawcett, however, the rotation thing is not a bad idea with adding the second locations that I did above. The only question I would have is logistics. The folks in Stark Co. have this thing down to a science. It might take 8 years (2 rotations) for some of these locations to get up to speed on the organizing end.[/b]
• Con_Alma

  The only reason it should move is if an equal or better package is put together inclusive of facilities and volunteer hours committed.
• racerdog95

  So the people that want it to stay must be local to that area.. It should be either at a central point of the state, or rotate it to make it closer to home for people. I am sure the people in the south or North West would like a chance to have the state championships in their backyard as well
• Al Bundy

  racerdog95 wrote: So the people that want it to stay must be local to that area.. It should be either at a central point of the state, or rotate it to make it closer to home for people. I am sure the people in the south or North West would like a chance to have the state championships in their backyard as well

  I am not from Stark County, but I think they should stay there. The workers do a great job with the finals. They have 2 of the nicest high school facilities in the country. Stark County has great historic connections with football. It is a great thing. Why mess with it?
• Con_Alma

  racerdog95 wrote: So the people that want it to stay must be local to that area.. It should be either at a central point of the state, or rotate it to make it closer to home for people. I am sure the people in the south or North West would like a chance to have the state championships in their backyard as well

  I personally am nowhere near the current State Championship site. In fact I am closer to Northwest Ohio than Canton.
  
  The people in the Northwest do have a chance to get it in their backyard. If they put a package together that is as good or better than the other location submitting a bid.
• krazie45

  

  Not having it at Crew stadium because of grass is just plain stupid IMO. Not many teams are going through the playoffs without playing at least ONE game on grass. Crew stadium would be the PERFECT venue
• darbypitcher22

  

  I went to the finals for the first time this year, and honestly didn't have a problem with it. I loved where the games were, and except for the D2 game, the attendance for all of them was pretty great. Good people who love hosting and having the event, and the kids for the most part all have a wonderful experience, win or lose, they're treated like rockstars.
• GoChiefs

  

  racerdog95 wrote: So the people that want it to stay must be local to that area..

  And I'd bet you're wrong. I live in the area now...yes. I moved here about 5 years ago. When I lived in SE Ohio...I still thought they were having them in the right place.
• GoChiefs

  

  racerdog95 wrote: Why not have it rotate each year.
  
  year 1 - University of Cincinnati
  year 2 - The Ohio State University - Horseshoe
  year 3 - Masilion/Akron
  year 4 - University of Bowling Green
  
  and then repeat

  In theory that would be a good idea. But as was already mentioned, you're not going to perfect putting on a show like this in just one year.
• sjmvsfscs08

  I actually love the idea of rotating it, it's very fair. NW Ohio, NE Ohio, Central Ohio, SE Ohio, and SW Ohio all have places worthy.
  
  NW Ohio - Glass Bowl, Doyt-Perry Stadium
  NE Ohio - The current locations, InfoCision Stadium
  Central Ohio - Ohio Stadium, Crew Stadium
  SE Ohio - Peden Stadium
  SW Ohio - Nippert Stadium, Welcome Stadium