State Championship sites and dates

[Dr. D]

Know it’s a way down the road, but the FHSAA has released the locations and dates for the state championship games.  Classes 1M, 1R, 1S & 2S will be played at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee, Dec 8-10.  Classes 2M, 3M, 4M, 3S & 4S will be played at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Dec 15-17.  Good luck to each of your favorite teams as they seek to make the playoffs, and possibly win a state title.

[DarterBlue2]

Yes, a title of sorts, but I would not call the current situation one that yields state champions. 

[Jullian]

2 hours ago, Dr. D said:

Know it’s a way down the road, but the FHSAA has released the locations and dates for the state championship games.  Classes 1M, 1R, 1S & 2S will be played at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee, Dec 8-10.  Classes 2M, 3M, 4M, 3S & 4S will be played at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Dec 15-17.  Good luck to each of your favorite teams as they seek to make the playoffs, and possibly win a state title.

Shoulda put 1M in Ft Laud. All the Metros shoulda been in the same venue……..

[h8r]

ridiculous to not have it all in a central location, where majority of fans reside.

for a miami family to drive to tallanasty or a panama city family to drive to ft lauderdale is just more confirmation that fhsaa has no business running the organization all the HS rely on to maintain honest and right by our kids and families.....

lakeland, tampa, orlando all perfect venues, drendaught stadium, brighthouse stadium, both plenty big enought to hold state title games, 

some of the old orlando stadiums would be fine too, dr phillips, west orange, etc..

fhsaa dropped the ball again, and again and again

[Perspective]

20 minutes ago, Jullian said:

Shoulda put 1M in Ft Laud. All the Metros shoulda been in the same venue……..

But there's a whole 5-team district in the northern half of the state.  

Seriously, there are literally 5 teams in 1M north of I-4.   Every other team is from the Orlando GMA, Tampa Bay GMA or South Florida.  If a Tampa Bay team were to upset TCA, you could easily end up with a team from Tampa playing a team from South Florida (likely Chaminade) in Tallahassee. 

Snarky criticism aside, I'm guessing the FHSAA had to make a 2-year commitment to both Tallahassee and Ft. Lauderdale last year when they had to scramble after the Daytona fiasco.  They need to get back to Orlando.  

[DisabledAccount]

1 minute ago, Perspective said:

But there's a whole 5-team district in the northern half of the state.  

Seriously, there are literally 5 teams in 1M north of I-4.   Every other team is from the Orlando GMA, Tampa Bay GMA or South Florida.  If a Tampa Bay team were to upset TCA, you could easily end up with a team from Tampa playing a team from South Florida (likely Chaminade) in Tallahassee. 

Snarky criticism aside, I'm guessing the FHSAA had to make a 2-year commitment to both Tallahassee and Ft. Lauderdale last year when they had to scramble after the Daytona fiasco.  They need to get back to Orlando.  

I honestly would like to see it held at Tropicana Park over in St Pete if that facility could be converted to a football facility

 

Also If we being honest the true center of the state is Jacksonville but outside of the jags stadium there isn't a facility in the city good enough to hold it 

[DisabledAccount]

Seriously look it up

 

Distance from Pensacola to Jacksonville and Miami to Jacksonville is almost identical

[Jullian]

1 hour ago, Perspective said:

But there's a whole 5-team district in the northern half of the state.  

Seriously, there are literally 5 teams in 1M north of I-4.   Every other team is from the Orlando GMA, Tampa Bay GMA or South Florida.  If a Tampa Bay team were to upset TCA, you could easily end up with a team from Tampa playing a team from South Florida (likely Chaminade) in Tallahassee. 

Snarky criticism aside, I'm guessing the FHSAA had to make a 2-year commitment to both Tallahassee and Ft. Lauderdale last year when they had to scramble after the Daytona fiasco.  They need to get back to Orlando.  

I do agree on Orlando. 
 

wasn’t thinking location as much as simply Metros in 1 place. 

[Perspective]

1 hour ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

Seriously look it up

 

Distance from Pensacola to Jacksonville and Miami to Jacksonville is almost identical

But if we're talking "population density," the I-4 corridor is more centrally located. 

As for your other question, Tropicana Field can indeed accommodate football.  Until last year, the annual Shrine Bowl (college all-star game) was played there.   The set-up is a little awkward and it's rather vacuous, but there is plenty of parking and it can be done. 

I'd rather see the game played at a cozier place like UCF's on campus stadium (or USF's once it is built).  I know the FHSAA has tried to stay away from 'college fields,' but I like the idea of playing all the games in one location (that needs to have artificial turf).  With nine games now being played, a Wednesday-Saturday format would work, especially if the Rural championship game was played elsewhere. 

[DisabledAccount]

35 minutes ago, Perspective said:

But if we're talking "population density," the I-4 corridor is more centrally located. 

As for your other question, Tropicana Field can indeed accommodate football.  Until last year, the annual Shrine Bowl (college all-star game) was played there.   The set-up is a little awkward and it's rather vacuous, but there is plenty of parking and it can be done. 

I'd rather see the game played at a cozier place like UCF's on campus stadium (or USF's once it is built).  I know the FHSAA has tried to stay away from 'college fields,' but I like the idea of playing all the games in one location (that needs to have artificial turf).  With nine games now being played, a Wednesday-Saturday format would work, especially if the Rural championship game was played elsewhere. 

Well isn't Tropicana a turf field?

[FBGUY1989]

2 hours ago, h8r said:

ridiculous to not have it all in a central location, where majority of fans reside.

for a miami family to drive to tallanasty or a panama city family to drive to ft lauderdale is just more confirmation that fhsaa has no business running the organization all the HS rely on to maintain honest and right by our kids and families.....

lakeland, tampa, orlando all perfect venues, drendaught stadium, brighthouse stadium, both plenty big enought to hold state title games, 

some of the old orlando stadiums would be fine too, dr phillips, west orange, etc..

fhsaa dropped the ball again, and again and again

Honestly it should have stayed in Orlando or even Tampa. Centrally located and have lots of family oriented amenities 

[Perspective]

2 hours ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

Well isn't Tropicana a turf field?

Of course it is.   I just don't think it would be a good venue from an atmosphere standpoint.  Crowd would get lost -- kind of like a Rays game. 

I mentioned artificial turf because I know there are some fields on or near college campuses that are real grass.  And, in my opinion, that would be a recipe for disaster if 8-9 games were played on one of those fields in a weeks' time (especially if it were to rain). 

[KeemD321]

5 hours ago, Jullian said:

Shoulda put 1M in Ft Laud. All the Metros shoulda been in the same venue……..

I was thinking that they would have the Metros in Ft Lauderdale and the Suburbans in Tallahassee or Orlando along with 1R in Tallahassee or hosted by the home team.

[Jullian]

16 minutes ago, KeemD321 said:

I was thinking that they would have the Metros in Ft Lauderdale and the Suburbans in Tallahassee or Orlando along with 1R in Tallahassee or hosted by the home team.

That was my thinking….but IF it does make sense, The FHSAA wouldn’t come up with it…….

[KeemD321]

3 hours ago, Jullian said:

That was my thinking….but IF it does make sense, The FHSAA wouldn’t come up with it…….

Lol makes sense that they use the same logic as a lot of companies and some military higher ups...."If it makes sense do the complete opposite." Lol

[Dr. D]

If Pine Forest makes it back to a championship game again this year, they will face another 650-mile trip from Pensacola to Fort Lauderdale.  But it must not have bothered them last year, as close as they played Jesuit in the 6A title game.

[nolebull813]

Good luck on everyone’s bid for an area title. By banning teams from a classification based on their location in the state means it’s not a true state champion. Not when huge pockets of the state are ineligible for certain classes. It’s an area championship. Good luck

[KeemD321]

7 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

Good luck on everyone’s bid for an area title. By banning teams from a classification based on their location in the state means it’s not a true state champion. Not when huge pockets of the state are ineligible for certain classes. It’s an area championship. Good luck

They should make it to where there's an extra 4 games to decide state championship. 1m vs 1s, 2m vs 2s, 3m vs 3s and 4m vs 4s.

"State" titles the week or 2 prior would technically be a "State Regional/Area Title"

Have those 4 games before the Geico State champions series if a school wants to participate in that.

Hell it could be a way for the FHSAA to make more money since that's their end goal. Call it the Florida Champions Series and set up the most even Regional/Titlist against each other in that event. Rotating the event yearly or have it in Orlando.