What is included in Stark County's "Package" to the OHSAA

[TIGERS90]

I keep hearing that Columbus will never be able to get a state championship because they would never be able to give the OHSAA the "Package" that stark county gives them...could anyone give me the figures that Stark provides...and the bottom line is...How much Money....

Also..who in the Columbus area is in charge of putting together the "Package" that may one day get the Championship games back to where they belong...right smack dab in the middle of the state where everyone in the state can enjoy them?

[Orange and Brown]

They give OHSAA almost all the gate and a large % of consesion sales. They also give them a big cut of the parking fees. Stark county wants the Tax dollars so they don't really care about the money from the games. If OSU and the Crew wouldn't charge OHSAA for using the facilities and gave them a huge huge cut of every penny they made then they have a shot. Stark County will do whatever it takes to keep those games in Stark County. There is a lot of money floating around that County on State finals weekend.

[1987chieftains]

its always money! not what make more sense.

[85inside]

Oh the OHSAA will move the finals, however it wont be to Columbus. When the current contract expires, the new location will be.....Canton Fawcett Stadium and the new Akron University Stadium. Write it down.

[bengalfan76]

Why? The finals attendence was terrrible. The smaller stadiums looked empty. Put them in the larger and it will look rediculous. Isn't that the argument for not being at tOSU?

[Paladin]

Once again, the finals will stay in the NE, not only because of money, but also WHO attends. Even when the games were in Columbus, the "fans" weren't from SEO or SWO. Not even CO. Most fans were from NEO. Most teams were from NEO.

The games are being "bought" by consumers in NEO and the price is right for the OHSAA. Whine all you want ,but few people from the rest of the state attend,even when the games were at OSU and the OHSAA isn't going to alienate their fan base for the game nor interrupt a sweet $$$$$ deal for themselves .

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Whine !!

P.S. -- Great new stadium at Akron U. BTW, the stadium only seats about 25K with standing room for another 5K. Nice facility and easier to get to than Massillon,better parking,etc. Perfect size and not like the "cavern" at OSU of 100K+.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

who really cares how few people there are in a stadium like ohio stadium. it's the opportunity, to view them there, and be centrally located at the same time, i went nearly every year in columbus when they had them, whether ironton was in on of their 8 state title games or not. and i have been to stark county everytime ironton has participated. but when they moved them to nearly the great lakes, well it just kinda lost its luster for me. and my money will spend just the same as yours, but there would be more participation, in columbus, with games starting at 11, 3 and 7. there would be no need for 2 stadiums. in fact , they could charge a pass for all day, say 20.00. for each day, and you could watch 3 games a day. only stipulation, stadium must be cleared after each game so the teams that are involved could have the choicest seats, then allow everyone to come back in , and set anywhere they want. i know this won't make sence to you. because they are in your backyard. but again most states use the largest university in the state , or pro stadiums. then there would be all the revenue, of buckeye related clothing and gifts right before christmas, everybody would win.

[Paladin]

Did you graduate , Bait ?? Brain concussions got you in early Alzheimer's ??

The fan base that attends the games is from NEO. Moving the games to Central Ohio moves the games AWAY from the fan base. People from Ironton or Cincy don't attend the games in any numbers. Tickets are sold by schools & proceeds turned over to OHSAA. They track that. They also take ticket orders and punch your ZIP CODE into a computer. That totally gives them a strong indication of WHERE people come from. No one gives a rats butt if its easier for a river rat that numbers 20-30 people to go to the games from Ironton. They are more concerned with the 40,000+ from NEO that go. The games are where they are at because thats where the LIONS share of people are from that will go. Money also makes for an incentive. And MOST of the teams who play are from the NEO.

What don't you get ?? Whine if you must. But the games are where they belong for the VAST MAJORITY that go, play, etc.

[bengalfan76]

If I lived in NE OHio I would go also since I don't live there I don't go.
Move them to Central Ohio and I would be there every year.
Doesn't matter the OHSAA will keep them there because no one will allow them to keep the money like Stark Co.
Not whining at all. Just stating facts

[smurray]

Paladin,
Of course people in NEO are going to go, the games are being played in their back yard. I'd go if they were that close dude. There's a reason the numbers were down this year. Maybe less central and southern Ohio attending.

[Paladin]

You guys really didn't graduate from H.S.

When the games where played at OSU......... GUESS where MOST of the people came from that attended ?? Not CO, not SWO and not even SEO. Thats right , with the game in your backyard, you didn't come. But the NEO folks sure came , IN BIG NUMBERS. You don't get that for all the years it was in Columbus, the folks from NEO attended in far larger numbers than the folks from down South did.

THat is the point. The fan base WHO ATTEND is in NEO. Most of the teams who play are from NEO. We even have championship games where one team is from NEO but won in the region they were in and played the NEO region champ, making it an all NEO championship game. Now, Einsteins, add in the package Stark Co. makes to the OHSAA. Why would you expect them to move the games ??

1. The fan base that attends ( regardless of where the games are held) in overwhelming numbers is from NEO

2. Most of the teams who play are from NEO

3. Great facilities for the games are in NEO

4. The money is great for the games in NEO

5. The OHSAA knows ALL OF THIS, has known for decades about this, so why would they alienate the fan base, make most of the teams who play travel farther and run the risk that attendance fails and the games become a shadow of themselves ( or worse, played in overpriced Ohio Stadium ,who doesn't want the game, with 10-15K in attendance in a 100K+ stadium).

If you still don't get it, whine on. The OHSAA could care less. Ohio has one the best, if not the best formats for Championship games, facilities for the games and great attendance when compared to other states. Lets make it "closer " for a few fans and really make it difficult for the majority of fans and teams who go/play. Now they broadcast the games on TV for YOUR benefit while making the games attractive to the majority PARTICIPANTS/teams.

And still you whine.

Psst -- Can you keep a secret??

















The games aren't going anywhere.

[smurray]

Paladin,
Insult us all you want, no one said the games were going anywhere. We know they are not leaving Shark County anytime soon and no one is whining. We uneducated hicks in southern Ohio would just like to see them played at a central location to make it a little bit easier for us to attend. It takes us a while to get places on horseback. With the continuing drop in attendance it is apparent many people aren't traveling far to attend these games anymore.

[85inside]

Money, these days, is not made through attendance. Sponsorship is where the big money is. Having the games in Central Ohio may make it easier for those to attend from all areas of Ohio, but it doesnt mean they will come. The OHSAA will put the games in a location where they can make the most money and provide a safe and enjoyable place for the kids to play.

After the current contract expires, look for 3 games at Fawcett Stadium and 3 games at the new Akron Stadium. 20 minutes apart. The D1 game will be played in Akron from then on.

We have gone for 13 years and we will continue to go. The only place I do not want to go would be Dayton or UC Nippert Stadium.

[Paladin]

I would not be surprised if that happened. Akron U has a very nice , new facility. Its also easier to get to than Massillon's stadium, has better parking and a large number of restaurants nearby.

As for the drop in attendance, money is tight this year with high unemployment and the bad economy. The high number of parochial schools didn't help either, as many are notorious for having a small fan base. You have to get a D-I parochial to have a decent fan base ( Iggy, Elder,etc) and there were none this year. And , the live broadcast on TV cuts into the attendance now in bad,cold weather.

[TIGERS90]

Did you graduate , Bait ?? Brain concussions got you in early Alzheimer's ??

The fan base that attends the games is from NEO. Moving the games to Central Ohio moves the games AWAY from the fan base. People from Ironton or Cincy don't attend the games in any numbers. Tickets are sold by schools & proceeds turned over to OHSAA. They track that. They also take ticket orders and punch your ZIP CODE into a computer. That totally gives them a strong indication of WHERE people come from. No one gives a rats butt if its easier for a river rat that numbers 20-30 people to go to the games from Ironton. They are more concerned with the 40,000+ from NEO that go. The games are where they are at because thats where the LIONS share of people are from that will go. Money also makes for an incentive. And MOST of the teams who play are from the NEO.

What don't you get ?? Whine if you must. But the games are where they belong for the VAST MAJORITY that go, play, etc.

The reason why the ticket sales are mostly Cleveland area now could possibly be because the games are secluded up in the "Cleveland" area...duh!!!!...

Do you realize the drop off..if not look it up in your program...from attendance from when the games were held at Ohio Stadium..IT IS HUGE

I remember when the stadium was so full back in 1982 that I had to sit in the nose bleeds...that couldn't happen in Massillon even if they had the fan base...there wouldn't be enough seats...

Bottom line..These games are for the kids and fans of the Whole state...if Cleveland wants to do their own NE Ohio Championship..so be it...but the State Championship should be centrally located...OR

Since there are Four regions...why not Move the venue every year to a different region...such as...

One year they could be held in your dirty city of Cleveland....
One year they could come to Cincinnati...
One year they could go to Toledo...
One year they could go to Athens..Ohio University...

They all have good stadiums...The fan base would be greater...from the excitement that it is only there once every four years...and it would be fair to the WHOLE STATE...not just your little area in DIRTY cleveland

[TIGERS90]

You guys really didn't graduate from H.S.

When the games where played at OSU......... GUESS where MOST of the people came from that attended ?? Not CO, not SWO and not even SEO. Thats right , with the game in your backyard, you didn't come. But the NEO folks sure came , IN BIG NUMBERS. You don't get that for all the years it was in Columbus, the folks from NEO attended in far larger numbers than the folks from down South did.

THat is the point. The fan base WHO ATTEND is in NEO. Most of the teams who play are from NEO. We even have championship games where one team is from NEO but won in the region they were in and played the NEO region champ, making it an all NEO championship game. Now, Einsteins, add in the package Stark Co. makes to the OHSAA. Why would you expect them to move the games ??

1. The fan base that attends ( regardless of where the games are held) in overwhelming numbers is from NEO

2. Most of the teams who play are from NEO

3. Great facilities for the games are in NEO

4. The money is great for the games in NEO

5. The OHSAA knows ALL OF THIS, has known for decades about this, so why would they alienate the fan base, make most of the teams who play travel farther and run the risk that attendance fails and the games become a shadow of themselves ( or worse, played in overpriced Ohio Stadium ,who doesn't want the game, with 10-15K in attendance in a 100K+ stadium).

If you still don't get it, whine on. The OHSAA could care less. Ohio has one the best, if not the best formats for Championship games, facilities for the games and great attendance when compared to other states. Lets make it "closer " for a few fans and really make it difficult for the majority of fans and teams who go/play. Now they broadcast the games on TV for YOUR benefit while making the games attractive to the majority PARTICIPANTS/teams.

And still you whine.

Psst -- Can you keep a secret??

















The games aren't going anywhere.

OK...Palastein...

Let's put something else into consideration....

When the games were in Columbus...the numbers were much greater...I mean MUCH GREATER....
If the OHSAA was already getting all the so called fans from NE Ohio to come to Columbus...why move it away from Columbus...at least in Columbus...they were getting fans to come from the rest of the state too...now...as you see in the declining numbers every year....NE Ohio...and the teams who are playing in the games fan's are the only people coming and watching the games...This is a problem when it comes to a state championship...Being from Ironton...I am about a 5 and a half hour drive from the games...should I have to decide whether to take a trip to the beach or to go the the state championships?..Should I have to tell my son that he can't go to watch the games because it's to long of a drive and we would have to stay overnight two nights just to watch our own state championship....Do You realize that Ohio's Championship Games are further away from us than Kentucky, West Virginia and Indiana's championships?...It should be about the kids...and if we have a good facility, centrally located that is willing to let us use their stadium..ei...Ohio Stadium...Duh...use it...If they charge a normal fee to use it...it is worth it...to give the people of the "whole State"...an opportunity to participate in watching the games...whether their team is represented or not....If the OHSAA is having that much trouble raising money to pay their people inflated salaries..I would rather them raise the price of tickets a little more....It would hurt much less to be able to save a tank of gas both ways and two nights hotel stays and pay ten more dollars to them...than the way it is....Just makes good sense...

For people in Southern Ohio...it would take the average person...
* Two tanks of Gas up and back - $200.00
* Two overnight Stays in Hotel - $200.00
* Six Game Tickets - $Not Sure...haven't attended since Ironton's last time being in it?APP $100
* Food eating out 3 days - $150.00

If you were from Cleveland...and had to pay $650 to go to the games...and miss work one extra day...would you see many people from the Dirty Cleveland area making the travel...doubt it...Let the State add an additional twenty bucks to the tickets...and they would easily make up the difference from the parking and fee for the stadium....and look how much it would save everyone...?

This would be fair to the "whole state" and not just the dirty Cleveland area...I am sure that the Cincinnati area would have just as nice of facilities..actually much better....for that matter Ohio University is very suitable along with having Logan only just over twenty minutes away which has a very nice stadium too..Add in Nelsonville York who the State showed that they supported to have games up to the Division 4 size this season...there are Three stadiums that could hold games in the Southeastern Corner of the State...how would you feel about that if you had to drive to SE ohio each year or South western Ohio and play in a high school stadium...probably the same as we do..not pleased..At least playing at Ohio Stadium gives the Whole state an equal chance...and it also gives everyone the chance to watch them in the finest facility in the country....not just the state...

[Paladin]

12 teams played in the 6 games. Six were from NEO. Who goes to the games today ?? Parents & relatives of those players, friends & fellow students from those H.S.. Half the teams and more than half the attendance was from NEO. A typical year.

Please continue whining. Watch it on TV . Or vist NEO, home of the best football in the state.

[TIGERS90]

12 teams played in the 6 games. Six were from NEO. Who goes to the games today ?? Parents & relatives of those players. Half the teams and more than half the attendance was from NEO. A typical year.

Please continue whining.

You must not be intelligent enough to read my post...not that I want to poke at you...it just makes sense that NE Ohio people are going to be the only people attending..duh...they live there...they only have to travel a short distance....would you travel almost six hours to watch the games if it were going to cost you well over $650.00? not many would...

Back when the games were in Columbus...the games were attended mostly by people from all over the state...not just the kids from the schools playing in it...not just the people from one community...people from all over...and when it was there...they even had people from NE Ohio make the trip...as you mentioned..so it must have been worth it to them too...but it isn't what it used to be..playing in two old high school stadiums in the Dirty NE Ohio Corner of the State

[bushmaster24]

went one time up north to watch never again spent like 500$... sit right here at home and watch ....you would think this crime family OHSAA would want every young person to attend these games put them in the middle of the state....does anyone know if thier books are open to the public ?? How much TAX money flows into OHSAA? i think every school should have a vote where they are held....

[TIGERS90]

went one time up north to watch never again spent like 500$... sit right here at home and watch ....you would think this crime family OHSAA would want every young person to attend these games put them in the middle of the state....does anyone know if thier books are open to the public ?? How much TAX money flows into OHSAA? i think every school should have a vote where they are held....

That is a good point..who actually appoints the OHSAA committee too?...I believe it needs to have some reorganization...It has done SE Ohio wrong for a long time...when two teams are twenty minutes apart...they normally send them an hour and a half away to play a playoff game...ei..Portsmouth vs. Ironton at Athens...? Their needs to be competent people doing these jobs in the state...not just sending the games where they make the better friends/money for themselves...I would love to see the books to see who is paying what and who is getting paid...