Good for the gates

[PeabodyPride]

After seeing so many season that are dominated by a front runner in 1and 2 A, I ponder this!Are seasons like this hurting the gates and sells that drive our programs hurt by teams like the 2016 Lions, U.C. and this year them Stangs?If it is an inevitable outcome do the "non hardcore fans" still come to the games!I see  big crowds so far across 2A but there's 8 teams imo that could take the Gold Ball!!!!If unbalanced completion at higher levels hurts,then does high school suffer?

Edited October 6, 2017 by peabodypride

[TryNotToSuck]

3 hours ago, peabodypride said:

After seeing so many season that are dominated by a front runner in 1and 2 A, I ponder this!Are seasons like this hurting the gates and sells that drive our programs hurt by teams like the 2016 Lions, U.C. and this year them Stangs?If it is an inevitable outcome do the "non hardcore fans" still come to the games!I see  big crowds so far across 2A but there's 8 teams imo that could take the Gold Ball!!!!If unbalanced completion at higher levels hurts,then does high school suffer?

The playoffs are "water down" and will be "water down" until the TSSAA does something about it, which I doubt. Having 9 classifications is too much. Spreading teams out left and right. I think it is Region 7-3A or Region 8-3A (the one that Fayette-Ware is in) that only have four teams. Last year, having Booker T Washington playing at Dresden and having Middleton playing at Union City in the opening round of the playoffs is totally uncalled for. No disrespect to Middleton and BTW. No disrespect to Huntingdon as well, but having Nashville Christian heading to D2 helps their chances a lot, also with Dresden losing 20+ seniors and Wayne County losing Rice as QB. Winning or going deep in the playoffs is not as deserving anymore as it sounds. West Tennessee (outside of Memphis) is having an awful of football. Our "Brand" is just not good. Maybe the Z-Plan was a good idea. Who knows. Sometimes, the grass isn't greener on the other side, it's green where you water it. Also, teams play a "game" within the "game."

[pizzpatriot]

T$$AA is only in it for the money, not quality. Personally, I miss the bowl games. Everyone needs to remember that 1-9 and 2-8 teams were making the playoffs back in the mid 80's. Now, tell me, does that make sense? This all began way before the Brentwood Academy lawsuit.

Having said all of that, I do agree with the public/private split.

[Rhea Co.]

17 hours ago, peabodypride said:

After seeing so many season that are dominated by a front runner in 1and 2 A, I ponder this!Are seasons like this hurting the gates and sells that drive our programs hurt by teams like the 2016 Lions, U.C. and this year them Stangs?If it is an inevitable outcome do the "non hardcore fans" still come to the games!I see  big crowds so far across 2A but there's 8 teams imo that could take the Gold Ball!!!!If unbalanced completion at higher levels hurts,then does high school suffer?

For the most part yes. However, I think there are some other factors too. Not talking about playoffs, but the regular season in general. I think location of the schools and distance having to travel play big roles. Along with the competitiveness of the games.

The location of schools plays a big role. Your more rural school will have the more bigger hard core fan bases and more tradition and tend to travel pretty well even in down years. Compared to more city schools which typically don’t have the same following, as their rural counterparts.

The distance between teams drives the gates too. If you are having to travel 2 or more hours to a game that will hurt the home teams gate even with a school that has big following. 

Which brings me to this schools that win year in and year out will have good fan bases for the most part. However, scheduling plays a big role in gates you see. Normally when your school wins finding opponents gets pretty tough. For small schools the option of playing up in class is an option. This could pay off if you schedule bigger school that has a good following and a team that will provide some competition. This will usually pay off in a good game and gate for the smaller school.

However, the bottom line, if the game is not competitive then yes the gate will suffer. 

Edited October 7, 2017 by Rhea Co.

[PeabodyPride]

1 hour ago, Rhea Co. said:

For the most part yes. However, I think there are some other factors too. Not talking about playoffs, but the regular season in general. I think location of the schools and distance having to travel play big roles. Along with the competitiveness of the games.

The location of schools plays a big role. Your more rural school will have the more bigger hard core fan bases and more tradition and tend to travel pretty well even in down years. Compared to more city schools which typically don’t have the same following, as their rural counterparts.

The distance between teams drives the gates too. If you are having to travel 2 or more hours to a game that will hurt the home teams gate even with a school that has big following. 

Which brings me to this schools that win year in and year out will have good fan bases for the most part. However, scheduling plays a big role in gates you see. Normally when your school wins finding opponents gets pretty tough. For small schools the option of playing up in class is an option. This could pay off if you schedule bigger school that has a good following and a team that will provide some competition. This will usually pay off in a good game and gate for the smaller school.

However, the bottom line, if the game is not competitive then yes the gate will suffer. 

You made a great point about scheduling up in class!Milan is a sold out gate for PHS every year!!

[orngnblk]

11 hours ago, Rhea Co. said:

For the most part yes. However, I think there are some other factors too. Not talking about playoffs, but the regular season in general. I think location of the schools and distance having to travel play big roles. Along with the competitiveness of the games.

The location of schools plays a big role. Your more rural school will have the more bigger hard core fan bases and more tradition and tend to travel pretty well even in down years. Compared to more city schools which typically don’t have the same following, as their rural counterparts.

The distance between teams drives the gates too. If you are having to travel 2 or more hours to a game that will hurt the home teams gate even with a school that has big following. 

Which brings me to this schools that win year in and year out will have good fan bases for the most part. However, scheduling plays a big role in gates you see. Normally when your school wins finding opponents gets pretty tough. For small schools the option of playing up in class is an option. This could pay off if you schedule bigger school that has a good following and a team that will provide some competition. This will usually pay off in a good game and gate for the smaller school.

However, the bottom line, if the game is not competitive then yes the gate will suffer. 

Great post and spot on!

[KrisKringleberry]

On 10/6/2017 at 4:06 PM, TryNotToSuck said:

The playoffs are "water down" and will be "water down" until the TSSAA does something about it, which I doubt. Having 9 classifications is too much. Spreading teams out left and right. I think it is Region 7-3A or Region 8-3A (the one that Fayette-Ware is in) that only have four teams. Last year, having Booker T Washington playing at Dresden and having Middleton playing at Union City in the opening round of the playoffs is totally uncalled for. No disrespect to Middleton and BTW. No disrespect to Huntingdon as well, but having Nashville Christian heading to D2 helps their chances a lot, also with Dresden losing 20+ seniors and Wayne County losing Rice as QB. Winning or going deep in the playoffs is not as deserving anymore as it sounds. West Tennessee (outside of Memphis) is having an awful of football. Our "Brand" is just not good. Maybe the Z-Plan was a good idea. Who knows. Sometimes, the grass isn't greener on the other side, it's green where you water it. Also, teams play a "game" within the "game."

Don’t tell the players and coaches who work their tails off that a deep run is not deserved. I totally agree the private schools need to be separated. Sometimes things just fall your way. I know in Huntingdons case we’ve had years that didn’t. 

[rlh]

20 hours ago, pizzpatriot said:

T$$AA is only in it for the money, not quality. Personally, I miss the bowl games. Everyone needs to remember that 1-9 and 2-8 teams were making the playoffs back in the mid 80's. Now, tell me, does that make sense? This all began way before the Brentwood Academy lawsuit.

Having said all of that, I do agree with the public/private split.

I don't really see how they are making money with this scheme.  I can't see how attendance to a first round game where a 1-9 team is going to get blasted with the clock running following 2nd half kick off is making them as much money as they think compared to the A-AA-AAA system through 1992. 

[pizzpatriot]

11 hours ago, rlh said:

I don't really see how they are making money with this scheme.  I can't see how attendance to a first round game where a 1-9 team is going to get blasted with the clock running following 2nd half kick off is making them as much money as they think compared to the A-AA-AAA system through 1992. 

They have more teams. Everybody likes winners so fans as well as parents will attend. Even parents of 2-8 teams will watch their kids. 

T$$AA doesn't have much if any costs for extra games.

[Southtowner]

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[Southtowner]

           I LIKE BIG GATES AND I CAN NOT LIE