Attendance

[Zoe Boy]

59 minutes ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

Why put it in south Florida where you will have panhandle teams traveling 10 hours for south Florida teams having it next door

 

The idea is for state finals to be centralized location 

 

And technically the teams in the north like niceville, madison, St Augustine for example bring better crowds than most south Florida teams so idealy moving it to north would increase attendence but honestly it isn't where it is but who goes that determines attendence 

 

Years where niceville, st Augustine and heck even last time Columbia went is when you get high numbers 

 

You can move to south Florida but attendence won't improve if the  teams with established fan bases don't make it

Dude really? Go look at the years when it was in s fla.... Folks still made it down here and it was swoll...

[Zoe Boy]

1 hour ago, SportsNut25 said:

Maybe for playing field, but not for attendance. 

If talking attendance, somewhere in South Florida seems to be the most ideal setting -- the only problem is where in South Florida. 

Fau or Fiu

[DisabledAccount]

Just now, Zoe Boy said:

Dude really? Go look at the years when it was in s fla.... Folks still made it down here and it was swoll...

Didn't MNW make it both years it was done there? 

[Zoe Boy]

Them STA, I believe Pahokee ,and I can’t remember the rest of the teams.. It was 6 class then..

[DisabledAccount]

1 minute ago, Zoe Boy said:

Them STA, I believe Pahokee ,and I can’t remember the rest of the teams.. It was 6 class then..

So sounds like it was more about which team makes it more than where game is held

[OldSchoolLion]

For what it's worth, in Georgia, all 8 title games are played in the same location (Mercedes Benz Stadium) with 4 games on Friday and 4 on Saturday.  In Virginia, there are 6 classes.  The games are all held on a Saturday in 3 different locations (in different cities), with two championship games at each site.

I don't care for the Thursday championship games in Florida.  For a working fan/parent of a team, it makes it tough to attend, unless one is willing to burn two days of vacation or come to work exhausted on a Friday.  Also, for the diehard folks who would like to see all of the games, it means two nights in a hotel versus one, and I doubt many folks are going to get a hotel on Thursday night just so they can see the 1A and 4A games. 

I thought the atmosphere at the University of Florida was great when the games were  held there, both for the kids and the fans.  Maybe it's me, but just sounds odd cheering "we're going to Camping World." ...nothing against Orlando.  

  

 

 

[SportsNut25]

1 hour ago, Zoe Boy said:

Them STA, I believe Pahokee ,and I can’t remember the rest of the teams.. It was 6 class then..

8 games were played in 2006 when Miami hosted and drew 50K+ combined attendance. 

Northwestern over Lake Brantley
Lakeland over STA
Plant over Nease
Glades Central over Pine Forest
Bolles over Clewiston
Pahokee over Trinity Catholic
Glades Day over North FL Christian
FAMU over Victory Christian

[SportsNut25]

2 hours ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

Why put it in south Florida where you will have panhandle teams traveling 10 hours for south Florida teams having it next door

 

The idea is for state finals to be centralized location 

 

And technically the teams in the north like niceville, madison, St Augustine for example bring better crowds than most south Florida teams so idealy moving it to north would increase attendence but honestly it isn't where it is but who goes that determines attendence 

 

Years where niceville, st Augustine and heck even last time Columbia went is when you get high numbers 

 

You can move to south Florida but attendence won't improve if the  teams with established fan bases don't make it

1) Only way you don't have it "next door" is to move the state title games outside of Florida -- which is essentially what you just suggested we do. 

2) Yes, centralized location meaning one "neutral site" not necessarily in the center of the state. 

3) Moving it further north would only decrease the attendance ... FHSAA attendance numbers back this up. Gainesville and Tallahassee had like two years where numbers were in line with Orlando and the rest were below Orlando's numbers. 

4) Out of curiosity, what years did Columbia go? Just want to see what the numbers were. 

[DisabledAccount]

8 minutes ago, SportsNut25 said:

1) Only way you don't have it "next door" is to move the state title games outside of Florida -- which is essentially what you just suggested we do. 

2) Yes, centralized location meaning one "neutral site" not necessarily in the center of the state. 

3) Moving it further north would only decrease the attendance ... FHSAA attendance numbers back this up. Gainesville and Tallahassee had like two years where numbers were in line with Orlando and the rest were below Orlando's numbers. 

4) Out of curiosity, what years did Columbia go? Just want to see what the numbers were. 

1997 6a finals

 

The game still top 10 for single game attendence last time i checked 

[badbird]

46 minutes ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

1997 6a finals

 

The game still top 10 for single game attendence last time i checked 

20 years ago.  If Columbia played in it this year they wouldn't have 10k.  times have changed

[DisabledAccount]

9 minutes ago, badbird said:

20 years ago.  If Columbia played in it this year they wouldn't have 10k.  times have changed

Yes I'm fully aware of that 

 

Our fans have turned spoiled and fair weather 

 

Point is that it doesn't matter where game is played, the attendance will only be high if teams with good fan bases make it

[OldSchoolLion]

Interesting historical tidbit...  and am not proposing things be done this way now.

You old-timers probably remember those state championships prior to 1990 when there were 4 classes and the games were held at the home field of one of the teams.  Because of the way the classes were structured, the 4A championship game often involved a  Miami team versus a panhandle team.  Back in the early 80's, Miami teams traveled to Pensacola three times and lost every time.  Imagine the home field advantage.  When you traveled and won a game like that, it was an amazing accomplishment.  Things are too easy now.   

[954gator]

5 hours ago, SportsNut25 said:

Maybe for playing field, but not for attendance. 

If talking attendance, somewhere in South Florida seems to be the most ideal setting -- the only problem is where in South Florida. 

I just feel like Gainesville is the best neutral position.   Definitely not for attendance.   

[Dan in Daytona]

On 12/8/2017 at 3:13 PM, 941football said:

How many fans does 1 section fill ? Venice sold the Home  reserved side out days ago and only general was available. Not sure if that is a lot of people or not. 

This is totally unofficial, but the seven sections that go from goal line to goal line appear pretty much the same size and shape. A count from the otherside (WEST) of the stadium gave us around 850-900 seats in each of those sections on the 1st level. Miami Northwestern, by far had the largest following that sat on that side (East) during the three days. Cocoa, Venice, and Dr. Philips sat on the westside. It's hard to tell when you're in the middle of them.   

[Zoe Boy]

12 hours ago, SportsNut25 said:

8 games were played in 2006 when Miami hosted and drew 50K+ combined attendance. 

Northwestern over Lake Brantley
Lakeland over STA
Plant over Nease
Glades Central over Pine Forest
Bolles over Clewiston
Pahokee over Trinity Catholic
Glades Day over North FL Christian
FAMU over Victory Christian

And that was at dolphin stadium 

[DisabledAccount]

13 hours ago, SportsNut25 said:

8 games were played in 2006 when Miami hosted and drew 50K+ combined attendance. 

Northwestern over Lake Brantley
Lakeland over STA
Plant over Nease
Glades Central over Pine Forest
Bolles over Clewiston
Pahokee over Trinity Catholic
Glades Day over North FL Christian
FAMU over Victory Christian

MNW good fan base and i think that game had 10k by itself

 

Pahokee and Trinity Catholic both have good fan bases 

 

Lakeland i beilive has good fan base

 

Plant has rabid fan base and i beilive they usually bring a good crowd 

 

I think Nease usually brings a solid crowd

 

Pine Forest from panhandle Which might have some of best fan bases in state

 

 

 

My point? 

 

It could have been have been south Florida, Orlando, Tampa, Tallahassee, or Gainesville, that year would have had good numbers because they had a good number of loyal fan bases making finals

[DarterBlue2]

12 minutes ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

MNW good fan base and i think that game had 10k by itself

 

Pahokee and Trinity Catholic both have good fan bases 

 

Lakeland i beilive has good fan base

 

Plant has rabid fan base and i beilive they usually bring a good crowd 

 

I think Nease usually brings a solid crowd

 

Pine Forest from panhandle Which might have some of best fan bases in state

 

 

 

My point? 

 

It could have been have been south Florida, Orlando, Tampa, Tallahassee, or Gainesville, that year would have had good numbers because they had a good number of loyal fan bases making finals

MNW vs Brantley had 23k. The Bulls probably had 15k of that total. Brantley traveled well, too. The following year in Orlando, MNW vs Boone had over 21k. Boone being five miles from the Citrus Bowl helped. But those two games are 1 and 2, respectively in all time game attendance. 

[DisabledAccount]

Just now, DarterBlue2 said:

MNW vs Brantley had 23k. The Bulls probably had 15k of that total. Brantley traveled well, too. The following year in Orlando, MNW vs Boone had over 21k. Boone being five miles from the Citrus Bowl helped. But those two games are 1 and 2, respectively in all time game attendance. 

23k?

 

Well i guess it don't matter where it is and matters more who it is

[DarterBlue2]

16 minutes ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

23k?

 

Well i guess it don't matter where it is and matters more who it is

Yes, I was there. There was a huge crowd at that game. Same thing with the MNW vs Boone game in Orlando. Among Orlando area teams, Boone, Brantley, Apopka, Timber Creek and West Orange draw especially well when they are strong. Seminole High also draws well. 

[gatorman-uf]

7 hours ago, Dan in Daytona said:

This is totally unofficial, but the seven sections that go from goal line to goal line appear pretty much the same size and shape. A count from the otherside (WEST) of the stadium gave us around 850-900 seats in each of those sections on the 1st level. Miami Northwestern, by far had the largest following that sat on that side (East) during the three days. Cocoa, Venice, and Dr. Philips sat on the westside. It's hard to tell when you're in the middle of them.   

There are 30 rows (DD is the last row in the lower bowl and about 25 seats in a row).

As for locations, I think Orlando is the best place to be fair to all teams without knowing what teams are going to be in the state championship. It has the hotel space which helps keep the prices down.

But yes, the teams in the state championship will make a bigger difference than where it is played, but combined it has huge factor.

Ask yourself what the crowd would have been if the game was in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Daytona, Tampa, and South Florida. If the game is in South Florida, Atlantic and MNW would have brought even bigger crowds, but I don't think Dr. Phillips or Venice or Bartram Trail or Raines or Madison are going to travel that well to South Florida. The question becomes does the loss from those teams not showing up is it offset by the gains from MNW. My answer is probably not.

I also will continue to say the cold and rain kept a lot of people home. Heck, if the weather is as nice as it was on Sunday, I could see better attendance. I will also say that I think that the 2A and 3A games should be played on Thursday and allow the 1A and 4A games to be played during the 10 am slots. 

We have to realize that 2A and 3A just aren't going to bring crowds, which is fine.I get why they are playing the 10 AM game on Friday and Saturday, but you put those games on Thursday and allow the more traditional public school teams to play on Friday and Saturday. I think those teams would show up in comparison. 

On a side not, I like the fact that all the games are one weekend instead of two. It gives people a chance to see state championships and some of the state semi-finals. 
 

[Dorsey Reaves]

Play it on real grass only thing I’d like 

[DisabledAccount]

4 minutes ago, Dorsey Reaves said:

Play it on real grass only thing I’d like 

Then if it rains the field becomes a mess 

 

Plus by 3rd day the field would be unsafe 

[Dorsey Reaves]

2 minutes ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

Then if it rains the field becomes a mess 

 

Plus by 3rd day the field would be unsafe 

I knew u would reply ha turf kills speed 

[Dorsey Reaves]

U ain’t gotta play all of them in one place why make 2 schools from North Florida travel south and why bring 2 Miami teams to Orlando 

[DisabledAccount]

9 minutes ago, Dorsey Reaves said:

U ain’t gotta play all of them in one place why make 2 schools from North Florida travel south and why bring 2 Miami teams to Orlando 

They have said before that they won't do seperate venues