Canton for the State finals

[noreply66]

needs to be at OSU every year so the SEO and SWO doesn't have to travel so far. Any team from that area it is like a home game to them.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

I say a Central location but have it at D-1 high schools.
No need for bigger stadiums, when the crowds show you do not need it.
This would lower ticket and parking prices.
Along with concessions and program prices.

[REDMEN95]

Just be happy your team made it....lol

[yabbadabbadoo]

I say a Central location but have it at D-1 high schools.
No need for bigger stadiums, when the crowds show you do not need it.
This would lower ticket and parking prices.
Along with concessions and program prices.

I'm okay with the ticket price, the parking fee, the concessions and the program price. Those were all comparable to other stadiums I've been to to watch a playoff game.

Like greygoose said, why can't they come out and give a reason to why they are in Canton? I understand when OSU went to grass that was a no brainer to move it but even then, WHY CANTON???

There are plenty of big stadiums in Columbus that can hold these crowds. How many common fans that just like to go and watch HS football do they lose every year? If it is in Columbus, say a fan from Scioto County wants to go and watch the games. They can go up Thursday night and watch that game and drive home. They then can go back up Friday morning, watch all the games and then drive home then go back Saturday, watch all the games and then go home. All you are out then is your gas and some time. If you do that in Canton, you have to get a hotel room for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. My guess is they jack up the hotel price just because of the games so then you are out your gas, time, hotel stay and food. Pretty sure not many from Southern Ohio do this

It used to be a thing of honor when you won the state semi-final game that your team was heading to the Shoe to play in the finals. Now you say we are heading to Tom Benson stadium and people say who or where is that???? Just doesn't have the same appeal now does it.

If they think the Shoe is to big then if the Columbus Crew do leave Columbus, make Mapfre stadium into a football friendly stadium and hold them there. I know they hold the North-South all-star game there but thought I read somewhere that the sidelines aren't really big enough. Renovate it and it is the perfect venue. There is PLENTY of parking and it holds around 22,000 people

I wonder if they have ever had an incident with the busses, a wreck or anything while they have been shuttling people to the stadium?? If that bus were to wreck or tip over I'm thinking that is lawsuits out the ying yang!!

If you look at the map of all of the past winners, the majority is on the West and Southwest side of the state. Wheelersburg and Ironton had the furthest drive of any other school in the state at right at a 4 hour drive. Coldwater for instance had a 3 hour and 7 minute drive.

[yabbadabbadoo]

Just be happy your team made it....lol

Trust me, we were crazy excited they made it but I've brought this debate up over the years on why Canton, even sent an email to the OHSAA about why in Canton and never got an answer.

They can't give a legitimate reason so that is why they don't answer people back

[Paladin]

Answer -- it is centrally located for MOST of the participants. I attended the state championship in '73 , while coaching, between Youngstown Cardinal Mooney and Warren Western Reserve at the Rubber Bowl in Akron. The schools are 15 miles apart. As more divisions added, it still is dominated by the number of NEO teams involved . Massillon , in Stark Co. won the NWO regional. Steubenville used to win the SEO regional but are now back in NEO. For years , the large overflow of NEO schools meant placing many of them into other regions of the divisions to balance out the number of schools in each region. Many a year involves NEO teams winning other regions, increasing the largest number of teams being from geographically located in NEO. Add to that the long standing good job Canton did in the early days, making it a tradition, and combine that with the large numbers of schools involved from this area of the state. For the majority, it is centrally located, lol

[Paladin]

BTW, I didn't go this year. Son went and I could have gone but knew it would be a mess and preferred to watch at home on TV. Just go to joe Eitel and check the number of NEO teams in ALL divisions that are in a NWO or SEO region. It becomes very obvious

[thebarlowbandit]

LickingCountyFan, we’ve already established that you didn’t like Columbus last year and didn’t want to go then either.

This facility is amazing, and will do nothing but become even better as it’s completed.

The only way this place becomes amazing is if they add parking near the stadium and then the location just doesn't make sense. My 83 year old dad couldn't go because of the 4 hour drive from Wheelersburg. Plus, there was no way to drop him off close to the stadium because you couldn't get a car near it.

There has got to be some reason why the games are still being played in Canton with Ohio state still having field turf. Someone is greasing someone's palms at the OHSAA office.

I shouldn't have to pay $20 to park in someone's yard just because the parking at the fairgrounds sucks.

As for the fairgrounds, here's a banner idea!!! Cut the freaking grass the week before the games. I can't imagine that place if it is raining.

No one made you pay $20 to park.

[yabbadabbadoo]

I didn’t pay $20 to park. I parked at the fairgrounds where I had to wait about 20 minutes on a bus to take me over and about 45 minutes to catch one going back.

[yabbadabbadoo]

Answer -- it is centrally located for MOST of the participants. I attended the state championship in '73 , while coaching, between Youngstown Cardinal Mooney and Warren Western Reserve at the Rubber Bowl in Akron. The schools are 15 miles apart. As more divisions added, it still is dominated by the number of NEO teams involved . Massillon , in Stark Co. won the NWO regional. Steubenville used to win the SEO regional but are now back in NEO. For years , the large overflow of NEO schools meant placing many of them into other regions of the divisions to balance out the number of schools in each region. Many a year involves NEO teams winning other regions, increasing the largest number of teams being from geographically located in NEO. Add to that the long standing good job Canton did in the early days, making it a tradition, and combine that with the large numbers of schools involved from this area of the state. For the majority, it is centrally located, lol

Ahh, the troll makes his presence and once again BULLSHIT!!!!

Go look at the map that shows past state champions. I would venture it is about 2-1 state champions from Licking county West so how in the hell do you think the majority of the teams in the finals is from NEO??

So, still yet no legitimate reason on why they are held in Canton.

Oh, also nice picking on the finals this past weekend!

[Paladin]

I see you failed math too. The state finals involve more than just the champs -- it includes their opponent too. The record is long and obvious. Many team are there each year from NEO, including some who won another regional as the NWO or SEO champ. This is not lost to the committee, they understand this full well. Like I said , I saw the state championship between Mooney and WWR, both NEO. For those who wonder, simply check the regions in each division to see how many schools from NEO are in another "region". Joe Eitel has good info.

[yabbadabbadoo]

I see you failed math too. The state finals involve more than just the champs -- it includes their opponent too. The record is long and obvious. Many team are there each year from NEO, including some who won another regional as the NWO or SEO champ. This is not lost to the committee, they understand this full well. Like I said , I saw the state championship between Mooney and WWR, both NEO. For those who wonder, simply check the regions in each division to see how many schools from NEO are in another "region". Joe Eitel has good info.

You must have played football and took to many blows to the head.

I realize there are two teams that play but when you look at the map of the champions there are more from the Central to SW and NW side of the state so more teams from those areas had a farther drive than any teams from NEO, plus go look, NEO hasn't had a lot of state champions over the last 5-10 years so your assessment is totally OFF AGAIN!!!!!

[Paladin]

Seven divisions, five teams from NEO. SEO? lol

Now , last 10 years there were 65 champs ( 7 divisions, 6 in 2012 and before). NEO won 26 of those and if you include the runner up, near HALF the teams are from NEO out of FOUR regions. The committee knows what it's doing, lol

So you failed not only math, but geography too. And, yes, I want fries.........

[greygoose]

Seven divisions, five teams from NEO. SEO? lol

Now , last 10 years there were 65 champs ( 7 divisions, 6 in 2012 and before). NEO won 26 of those and if you include the runner up, near HALF the teams are from NEO out of FOUR regions. The committee knows what it's doing, lol

So you failed not only math, but geography too. And, yes, I want fries.........

LOL, if the committee knew what it was doing the games would be in a centralized location such as Columbus. By this standard you are saying the committee caters to those above the I-70 line like I have stated many times. Given that Cincinnati area schools represent well and the influx of a new team popping up every year so believe in the ideology that we should simply play games in Canton, "because well maybe most teams will be closer this year" is a farce. The fact that no answer has ever been put out there shows you EXACTLY how incompetent these guys truly are. I mean just come out grow a set and say, "yeah we hold it all the way North because there's more money to be made by having it played up here." I mean let's just be realistic by your rationale really the state championship games should be played in Dayton the MAC is not only playing in but winning 2-3 state titles every year. Biggest hitters in NEO are mostly private schools, so I guess the more we talk the more it becomes little more obvious. MONEY. Money talks everyone from below the I-70 line walks, or I should say travels. Until they come out and give a clear cut reason, there isn't any reasoning or numbers YOU can throw out to make me believe anything else. Proof is in the pudding.

[yabbadabbadoo]

Seven divisions, five teams from NEO. SEO? lol

Now , last 10 years there were 65 champs ( 7 divisions, 6 in 2012 and before). NEO won 26 of those and if you include the runner up, near HALF the teams are from NEO out of FOUR regions. The committee knows what it's doing, lol

So you failed not only math, but geography too. And, yes, I want fries.........

Ok, but then over half of them were NOT from NEO so to have them in Canton is still bullshit.

The last time I looked at a Map Columbus is about as centrally located that you can get which makes it an even amount of drive time for everyone. Like I said earlier because it was a four drive my Dad, who is a huge Wheelersburg follower could not attend because of the long car ride. I know you or the ass hats at the OHSAA could give a rats ass about that but you know what, I do.

I’ll have to find attendance records at the shoe the last 4years compared to right before they left Canton in 2012 and this year. I bet they are way off.

[yabbadabbadoo]

Seven divisions, five teams from NEO. SEO? lol

Now , last 10 years there were 65 champs ( 7 divisions, 6 in 2012 and before). NEO won 26 of those and if you include the runner up, near HALF the teams are from NEO out of FOUR regions. The committee knows what it's doing, lol

So you failed not only math, but geography too. And, yes, I want fries.........

LOL, if the committee knew what it was doing the games would be in a centralized location such as Columbus. By this standard you are saying the committee caters to those above the I-70 line like I have stated many times. Given that Cincinnati area schools represent well and the influx of a new team popping up every year so believe in the ideology that we should simply play games in Canton, "because well maybe most teams will be closer this year" is a farce. The fact that no answer has ever been put out there shows you EXACTLY how incompetent these guys truly are. I mean just come out grow a set and say, "yeah we hold it all the way North because there's more money to be made by having it played up here." I mean let's just be realistic by your rationale really the state championship games should be played in Dayton the MAC is not only playing in but winning 2-3 state titles every year. Biggest hitters in NEO are mostly private schools, so I guess the more we talk the more it becomes little more obvious. MONEY. Money talks everyone from below the I-70 line walks, or I should say travels. Until they come out and give a clear cut reason, there isn't any reasoning or numbers YOU can throw out to make me believe anything else. Proof is in the pudding.

You are so true about mostly private schools from NEO winning the state titles and the last time I checked private schools have very few fan followers.

Wheelersburg and Eastwood set an attendance record with 9778 fans, a record that had been around since 2002. If that game was at the shoe I would venture to bet there would have been close to 11,000 there as a lot more people from Wheelersburg and Southern Ohio would have driven the 2 hours to Columbus to take in that game. I would like to know how many was on the Burg’s side and if I were to Guess I would say 6500-7000

[knightruner]

I was there for all the games and I have never seen as few fans at the games this year. I remember when you couldn't get a seat. There was plenty of empty seats for all seven games. They said there was 9,000 plus for the Burg game but it sure didn't look like it. Put it back in Columbus end of story.

[cbolt]

According to the latest OHSAA figures attendance was up this year. 61,312 this year to 55,421 at the shoe last year.

[LucasDavenport]

The jump in attendance might have been caused by 13 of the 14 schools being public schools.

[Abe Froman]

Burg would have definitely had even more people there if it were in Columbus, a lot of SEO fans would have made that trip.

The Paladin "Canton being central to the teams actually playing" argument is not only nonsense factually but misses the point of the average HS football fan experience that team isn't even playing. The State Fair is held in Columbus every year because it is centrally located. If we use Paladin's argument we should locate the fair around all the farmers and animals somewhere presumably in West or NW Ohio.

His arguments are typically weak, much like his prediction ability.

Crew Stadium would be an interesting arrangement, but it needs to be in Columbus. That is where the basketball, wrestling, baseball, track, etc., championships are located and it simply is the best location. The HOF Stadium and surrounding areas, transportation and parking were an absolute mess.