POOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ATTENDANCE!

[itzme]

It's all about the matchups. No mystique or excitement that draws the "general public". When 8 state champions are crowned, people just aren't as interested. Very similar with what has happened with Indiana high school basketball since they devalued the championship there.

 

Really too bad, but we can't put the toothpaste back in the tube on this, I'm afraid.

[grizzly55]

but when you add all of the game's attendences together they would probably match those of one game of the two top teams in the state. i was also wondering if the games last year were televised

[BDURHAM]

I could be wrong, but I looked at some TSSAA tax figures, and I think the championship games in both football and basketball were approximately $500,000 -- each.

 

I will never dedicate all the time to do the math, but I would guess that the play-offs and championship games this years grossed about $500,000.

 

Does anyone have any hard facts on the revenue, past and present?

[msgov]

I for one liked the championships played at Vanderbilt better than at MT. Two very simple reasons: 1) Access to eating establishments within walking distance, 2) Hotel's within walking distance. The negatives of playing at Vanderbilt now are the grass fields - if it's raining on Friday's 1A game what kind of shape will the field be in for the 5A game? Vandy does not have an area for the hospitality room like MT.

Both sites have +'s & -'s. We all know the main reason for moving the games were $$$$$$$.

[msgov]

I for one liked the championships played at Vanderbilt better than at MT. Two very simple reasons: 1) Access to eating establishments within walking distance, 2) Hotel's within walking distance. The negatives of playing at Vanderbilt now are the grass fields - if it's raining on Friday's 1A game what kind of shape will the field be in for the 5A game? Vandy does not have an area for the hospitality room like MT.

Both sites have +'s & -'s. We all know the main reason for moving the games were $$$$$$$.

[titanman]

I took in the 2A, 4A and 5A games this year. To me there were several factors that affected attendance.

 

Someone earlier mentioned a "mystique" around playing in Nashville. I have to admit that feel has not been there for me ever since moving the games to the Boro.

 

Several of this years match ups were less than desirable (speaking about attendance only). Mitchell's crowd could have probably been covered with an estimate of 300-400. It surprised me that Hillsboro did not bring more for the 30-45 minute drive down. Brentwood and especially Riverdale have no excuses for their pitiful attendance figure.

 

I do think the cold did have some effect also. Granted football is a cold weather game; but, the 2A game was just miserable. I remember going to the 2A and 5A games about 4 or 5 years ago at Vanderbilt in shorts. Temperatures in the low 20's sure do change some minds when a warm den with a TV is available.

 

The earlier suggestion of going back to three classes might make the games a little more special and peak peoples interest. All I know is nothing has seemed quite as special as the night in 1988 or so when I sat with a big crowd at Vanderbilt and watched Dickson Co. and Oakland.

[Edited by titanman on 12-10-02 3:21P]

 

[WarriorFan]

Stan said on 12/08/2002:

 

Brandon100:

 

Your words speak for themselves. I have made a promise to myself to ignore all of your future posts and to stop responding to them, mentally as well as posting.

 

Stan, I thought you were going to stay out of my threads?! I know...the topics and insight are too much for ya! You couldn't resist this topic on attendance!

[Edited by Brandon100 on 12-11-02 12:19A]

 

[JimmyCash]

Move the games back to VANDY.Best site for state championship game.Nothing like playing in our capitol city..............................................

[fromthetop2]

Brentwood had the largest crowd of the season at M'boro, estimated by TSSAA officials at the 3,000 mark. Now I am sure that they are referring to ticket sales, and not actual body counts. The TV coverage probably killed the walk-up or casual fan. We aren't like UT that could televise the game and still count on a full stadium. Also, what influence does the Titans, Preds, etc. have on the draw, in as much as already killing all day Sunday with football and Saturday being the only open day in the weekend. The previous years big crowds seem to be pre-Titan (not Oiler)figures. Also, urban school crowds have been down for years, why should you expect it dramatically different for this game, regardless of the stakes? AAA,AA, A would draw more fans potentially, but those days are gone forever (remember the NIL?) Jobs, other interests are killing High School football.

[orangenblack]

Right now the AAA championship game for the state of Louisiana is being covered on WWL 870 and they announced the attendance at 23,875. They play the 4A and 5A tomorrow.

[davidlimbaugh]

I have a hunch these are the reasons:

 

1) Public-Private split (now 8 champions)

 

2) Too many classifications

 

3) Ticket prices

 

4) By the time the 3rd game is played, the

stands are a mess (no offense to Larry Counts

and great folks at MTSU) because there is

no time to clean the stands between games.

 

5) Seems like every year it goes head-to-head

with SEC Championship game.

 

Even though I am in Murfreesboro and love

all those tax dollars from others outside

the county, how about this plan?

 

Use 'the Limbaugh plan' (see the discussion

on public-private split) to get us all back

together.

 

Go from five classifications to four. Four

would mean more teams in each region/district

giving more meaning and more competive

regular season games.

 

Rotate the class 1,2,3 and 4 each year

between UT Knoxville, UT Chattanooga,

MTSU and Memphis. One game in

each location. Kids get a chance to

see new places and if a Germantown is

in the finals the year Memphis is

the location then less travel for them

but if they have to go to Knoxville,

chance for kids and parents to see

'The Hill'.

 

Also scrap the current playoff system

that allows for teams to play each

other too early in the playoffs. Part

of the 'fun' of post-season is seeing

new faces and new places.

 

What do ya think?

[DCCATVOICE]

Back in the day, the games for a while were played at home sites. In 1979 and in 1980 when Oak Ridge High School won the AAA title back to back the games were at home sites. In Jackson in 1979 and at Oak Ridge in 1980. There was twice the number at those games than there was this season. The basketball numbers are dropping too so maybe the trek to MTSU is getting old. The price for playoff games is way too high. They need to drop the price and give the students a break. Not just the flat rate they charge adults and students. They won't though.