You all might be interested in this discussion I had with Julian Tackett about this issue:

 

Could state football finals move to UK or U of L? | | USA Today High School Sports

 

There are some interesting points in there. Someone has started a new thread to discuss this with your link included.

 

http://bluegrasspreps.com/ky-football-high/khsaa-commish-discusses-339956.html

My son and I drove down to the 5A final and had a great time. Great meeting you before the game Purple88! Sat with some BG grads and we had a lot of fun. The venue is fine for a final -- thinking the kids playing were not worried about empty seats and we could see the action easily. Being cold and rainy could have something to do with lower numbers though. Would a more centrally located venue bring in more people -- maybe. But not anything eye popping in my opinion. I would like it at either UL or UK selfishly as that would be closer! Not sure others from across the state would agree. As for concessions - the $5 popcorn probably had a profit margin of $4.98 -- that was bad.

I like the 6 classes and the opportunities it affords the kids/communities. This is high school football not college. No this is not some "everyone gets a trophy" thing. Twelve teams from across Kentucky get to play at a college stadium for a chance to win the title. Only six teams will -- from various parts of the Commonwealth, big and small. They have all worked hard, have talented coaches and kids, and communities that care just as much. Is it always the best two teams -- maybe not. But that didn't stop us from going. We enjoyed the game for what it was and I am sure the Pulaski kids/community were happy they were there. And I am sure there are a lot of kids from across the state that will be working just as hard as anyone else to try and be there next year. Lets not make more out of it than it is.

I like the 6 classes and the big stadium venue. Could some things improve -- always. That is why Tackett and the board are evaluating. Good on them. And congrats to all the teams who made it to WKU on fine seasons and good luck to all teams next season.

Crowds are disappointing for state championships, early 2000s class 4A had attendance numbers over 20,000, last weekend you were lucky you were lucky to have 4,000 per game

 

Yes, AAAA had some 20,000+ crowds. The other classes had attendance numbers that are almost the exact same as they are in Bowling Green.

 

AAAA has certainly diminished since the move, but that's in part because of Louisville dominating the class but going to Bowling Green to play. Also, as another poster said, early-2000s Louisville had Bush and Brohm, Male, Trinity, and St. X. That kind of talent hasn't been on display of late. And of course the manipulation of districts/regions in the largest class to make some teams happy has made it difficult to assure the two best teams are playing in the championship game.

With the current playoff system, the state championship games at all levels are a joke, how does it get fixed, how does the KHSAA put more butts in the seats in Bowling Green, and how does the KHSAA make these games watchable? I want my $9.95 back

 

Just to let you know, this is not just a KY problem. The same issues/concerns are happening in FL.

 

I don't know how to fix the problem, but I know typically the championship games aren't as exciting because the the best teams are more often than not on the same side of the bracket and they end up playing each other in the 3rd or 4th round.

 

Maybe the state could seed the playoffs using a ranking system, similarly to how basketball uses a ranking for the LIT in January. Don't think that will happen, but until a major change happens there will always be a few tweaks along the way, that don't really make that big of a difference come championship time.

FWIW:

 

Ohio (seven divisions), five of the seven games decided by a touchdown or less:

 

Ohio High School Athletic Association

 

Attendance:

 

D1: 13,690 (Clev. St. Ignatius vs Cin. St. Xavier)

D2: 6,750

D3: 7,396

D4: 8,646

D5: 5,954

D6: 6,270

D7: 6,725

Nevada 4A championship

Bishop Gorman 84 Henderson Liberty 8.

So 6A teams that can't hang should be allowed to play down? Same for 5A, 4A and 3A teams? The teams that are currently dominating should play up? Is that what you are saying?

 

YES. EXACTLY

YES. EXACTLY

 

Are you Bernie Sanders?

YES. EXACTLY

 

Okay. Wanted to be sure. I don't have a problem if they play up. I don't have a problem if they play in their correct class.

 

Question about this format. When a school plays up and sees or knows their talent is on a downswing can they go back down to their respective class or play down even further?

 

For example, say BG moves up to 6A for the next 3-6 years. When year 6 is complete can they move down to 3A or 4A so they can compete or do they have to stay in 6A or 5A?

Are you Bernie Sanders?

 

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

 

Excellent.

Yes, AAAA had some 20,000+ crowds. The other classes had attendance numbers that are almost the exact same as they are in Bowling Green.

 

AAAA has certainly diminished since the move, but that's in part because of Louisville dominating the class but going to Bowling Green to play. Also, as another poster said, early-2000s Louisville had Bush and Brohm, Male, Trinity, and St. X. That kind of talent hasn't been on display of late. And of course the manipulation of districts/regions in the largest class to make some teams happy has made it difficult to assure the two best teams are playing in the championship game.

 

The reason for the 6A (formerly 4A) attendance drop is more than the finals in BG. For one, the 6A support is a mile wide and an inch deep. "Supporters" show up by the thousands for the annual X versus T game. But it's a party. Most do not care a thing about football, it's about the event. It's being seen.

 

Johnson Central made the trip. Belfry made the trip. Mayfield always makes the trip. Of course Franklin-Simpson and BG were there.

 

6A is not competitive. Trinity just out works everyone else in the class.

 

Make one more class. 7A. Private schools with a male enrollment over 800. 6A becomes interesting again.

The reason for the 6A (formerly 4A) attendance drop is more than the finals in BG. For one, the 6A support is a mile wide and an inch deep. "Supporters" show up by the thousands for the annual X versus T game. But it's a party. Most do not care a thing about football, it's about the event. It's being seen.

 

Johnson Central made the trip. Belfry made the trip. Mayfield always makes the trip. Of course Franklin-Simpson and BG were there.

 

6A is not competitive. Trinity just out works everyone else in the class.

 

Make one more class. 7A. Private schools with a male enrollment over 800. 6A becomes interesting again.

 

I can predict the finalists every year in the 7a class. Trinity vs St X. Of course they would be the only 2 teams in that class.

Are you Bernie Sanders?

 

IN NO WAY would I be considered Bernie Sanders. Bernie would be more for the everyone wins program that we have now. Playoffs that are TOO deep, Champions crowned for beating inferior competition, and more control by the powers that be. What I am suggesting is that schools that have the ability to play up do so to test themselves (a team gets no better playing teams that they can dominate without being challenged). Sure, schools that are not successful in the class they are in will be moved down, but only proportional to those moving up. The ones crying about this suggestion the most are the ones that are glad their particular school is dominating the class they are in.

Okay. Wanted to be sure. I don't have a problem if they play up. I don't have a problem if they play in their correct class.

 

Question about this format. When a school plays up and sees or knows their talent is on a downswing can they go back down to their respective class or play down even further?

 

For example, say BG moves up to 6A for the next 3-6 years. When year 6 is complete can they move down to 3A or 4A so they can compete or do they have to stay in 6A or 5A?

 

Only move down one class at a time. Probably 4 year spans on moves. Moving classes based on both a team moving up and one moving down. Equal.

IN NO WAY would I be considered Bernie Sanders. Bernie would be more for the everyone wins program that we have now. Playoffs that are TOO deep, Champions crowned for beating inferior competition, and more control by the powers that be. What I am suggesting is that schools that have the ability to play up do so to test themselves (a team gets no better playing teams that they can dominate without being challenged). Sure, schools that are not successful in the class they are in will be moved down, but only proportional to those moving up. The ones crying about this suggestion the most are the ones that are glad their particular school is dominating the class they are in.

 

Everybody wins would never be more exemplified.

 

Class 2A, 4A, and 6A would be brutal. Those would catch the teams playing up.

 

Classes 1A, 3A, and 5A would become the teams who won a Championship only because the best teams moved up.

 

 

Your 2020 1A State Champion... the 8-7 Williamsburg Yellowjackets over the 9-6 Barren County Polar Bears.

 

Your 2020 2A State Champions the 14-1 Danville Admirals over the 14-1 Mayfield Cardinals

 

Your 2020 3A State Champions... the 11-4 Lawrence County Bulldogs over the 10-5 Allen County-Scottsville Patriots

 

Your 2020 4A State Champions... the 15-0 CAL Centurions over the 13-2 Belfry Pirates

 

Your 2020 5A State Champions... the 12-3 Muhlenberg County Mustangs over the 11-4 Whitley County Colonels.

 

Your 2020 6A State Champs... the 15-0 trinity Shamrocks over the 14-1 Bowling Green Purples.

 

 

 

 

Going to be a lot of bad teams in the Finals hoisting trophies in 1A, 3A, and 5A while the teams that beat them that had to play up lose in the 2nd Round