How would it make sense from a revenue standpoint?

 

If it was at a larger neutral venue over a whole weekend with all the games , I think you draw more fans.

Maybe, but wouldn't the cost of the venue and the loss of concession monies likely outweigh that?

There are more people out there that think neutral sites would benefit high school football besides me. FINALLY. The ones that don't want to see it are USUALLY teams that regularly get home field games in the semis. Wouldn't it be great to see neutral sites with more competitive games. Heck with this format you could seed the top 4, and get even better games. It is my view that MANY years (more than half the classes) the state finals are decided in the semis anyway. Seems that more often than not the two best teams are from the same side of the bracket. The reason it isn't done is that those teams that get cakewalks to WKU every year don't want to earn their spot in BG.

There are more people out there that think neutral sites would benefit high school football besides me. FINALLY. The ones that don't want to see it are USUALLY teams that regularly get home field games in the semis. Wouldn't it be great to see neutral sites with more competitive games. Heck with this format you could seed the top 4, and get even better games. It is my view that MANY years (more than half the classes) the state finals are decided in the semis anyway. Seems that more often than not the two best teams are from the same side of the bracket. The reason it isn't done is that those teams that get cakewalks to WKU every year don't want to earn their spot in BG.

I would support neutral field for the semifinals if it could be worked out to the satisfaction of the majority of KHSAA member schools. I have no idea what the majority of schools belonging to the Association prefer, as it has never been put to a vote that I am aware of.

 

Nobody "regularly" gets home field in the semis because they rotate which region hosts the semis each year. The most any team can host is every other year, dictated by the calendar.

 

The reason it isn't done is geographic and has nothing to do with any team(s) wants or wishes about "earning their spot" in BG. I have no idea what you really mean with that one.

 

If enough teams want change, they have the power to try and change it. I think it could be a good thing.

Would you agree that more often then not one side of the bracket (east or west) seems to have 2 teams or more that are better than the best team in the other bracket?

And I would add it wouldn't have to be a college that hosts. Larger HS fields like a St X or Trinity in Louisville could more than accommodate a 1A or 2A semi. A school like Simon Kenton could do it. Plenty of big fields with turf. IMO all semi games should be played on turf.

Would you agree that more often then not one side of the bracket (east or west) seems to have 2 teams or more that are better than the best team in the other bracket?

Yes, but neutral site semi's wouldn't fix that. IMO you would have a West semi between Reg 1 and 2 and a East Semi between Reg 3 and 4 at locations close to those areas. You would want locations that would be somewhat centrally located for the two regions in that Semi.

It's about 330 miles (not really 10 hours unless it's through snow) but I get it, it's a long drive...about the same as from Beechwood to Mayfield.

 

2012 we put over 1400 miles on our car going to 5 straight away games when Cooper went to the finals. Hard to think of driving more than we did that year.

Would you agree that more often then not one side of the bracket (east or west) seems to have 2 teams or more that are better than the best team in the other bracket?

Without looking back at all classes for several years I could neither agree nor disagree with that. It is possible, but I haven't done that type of analysis. Even so, that has nothing to do with the neutral field debate. What you are talking about is a seeding debate, right?

 

And your reasoning for the system being the way it is now was this...

The reason it isn't done is that those teams that get cakewalks to WKU every year don't want to earn their spot in BG.

Care to expound on this idea a bit and give some insight to what you are really claiming here? I'm trying to understand but I think I have to be missing something.

I am just saying that wouldn't it be good to put the best two teams possible in the championship game. Isn't that what we are after anyway? If you get at a MINIMUM of 2 neutral sites you could have three games on Friday and three on Saturday at each location. WKU wouldn't be a good site, because that is the championship location. Just trying to give teams in loaded regions (east/west) a shot at a championship game.

Would be very interesting to see the win % of the home team in the semis over "X" years. Hurts my argument, but I would imagine it's not as slanted to the home team as we would guess.

There are more people out there that think neutral sites would benefit high school football besides me. FINALLY. The ones that don't want to see it are USUALLY teams that regularly get home field games in the semis. Wouldn't it be great to see neutral sites with more competitive games. Heck with this format you could seed the top 4, and get even better games. It is my view that MANY years (more than half the classes) the state finals are decided in the semis anyway. Seems that more often than not the two best teams are from the same side of the bracket. The reason it isn't done is that those teams that get cakewalks to WKU every year don't want to earn their spot in BG.

 

I honestly don't care about whether the games are at neutral sites or not, but I strongly agree with you on the seeding issue. And it's multiple classes too.

 

Just this year for example the top four teams in 1A are in the Eastern bracket, the top four in 2A are in the Western Bracket, six of the top seven in 3A are in the Western bracket, three of the top four in 4A are in the Eastern bracket, three of the top four in 5A are in the Western Bracket. Shockingly 6A is the most balanced, but even then the top two are Western and numbers 5-6 could make a case for being higher.

 

Rankings used are BGP's most current.

It is entirely possible that either DeSales or CAL will have to travel 300-plus miles to Maywood the day after Thanksgiving. That being said, the Colts traveled to Murray (not much closer) two years ago and won 38-0. Last year, Murray traveled to Louisville and gave the Colts all they wanted. If we are fortunate enough to get that far, I think it is a distinct advantage for the home team. However, I wouldn't change the format.

I honestly don't care about whether the games are at neutral sites or not, but I strongly agree with you on the seeding issue. And it's multiple classes too.

 

Just this year for example the top four teams in 1A are in the Eastern bracket, the top four in 2A are in the Western Bracket, six of the top seven in 3A are in the Western bracket, three of the top four in 4A are in the Eastern bracket, three of the top four in 5A are in the Western Bracket. Shockingly 6A is the most balanced, but even then the top two are Western and numbers 5-6 could make a case for being higher.

 

Rankings used are BGP's most current.

 

For as long as I can remember that has been seen more times than not in any given year.

 

In the experience with Boyle's run from '99 to '03, anyone would probably say that the Semi-Finals in '01, '02 and '03 were the more difficult games than the title matchup.

 

It happens that way sometimes. And for the record, Boyle travelled to a loaded Hoptown in '01 and a very talented unbeaten PT in '03 to win. I don't remember a lot of controversy over the trips then. Why has that changed?

The neutral-site idea is tempting, but no one is even on the same page when it comes to how it should be done:

 

Should one site host all classes over two days (there are six West semis and six East semis)?

 

Should site wait and be picked until you know who the semifinalists are (therefore trying to wait to find a neutral site to split the driving difference)?

 

Do we want to consider high schools (Elizabethtown is a good location to split Louisville vs. WKY, but what if E'town is in the 3-A west semi in a given year)?

 

Do we consider teams playing in their same town neutral (Taylor or Cville playing at Campbellsville U, Adair playing at Lindsey Wilson, any of the Daviess/Boro schools playing at KWC, Frankfort/Franklin County playing at K-State, etc.)?

 

A good idea in THEORY, but an absolute ton of logistics to work out in REALITY.