[Observing]

Just wondered if anyone would support the idea of
holding semi-final playoff games at neutral sites?
DIstrict play, and ot a lesser degree within regions,
does allow for at lest the semblacne of earning
home field advantage among common opponents.
But at the semi level, home filed(which can
be the deciding factor) is totally arbitrary depending
upon the even or odd numbered year. It would
be a big change, but would anyone like to see it?

[Jumper Dad]

I agree 100%

Semi-finals at neutral sites is a great idea, there are plenty of turf fields that you wouldn't have to worry about poor or intentionally bad field conditions factoring in to the game.

Classes that play Saturday finals could play Saturday semi's the week before as well.

[toussaints]

I think a neutral site will benefit every school in terms of travel cost and will bring more fans to the semi-final games. Region should still be held at a home site as it's a reward for teams that earn the top seed.

[WideRight05]

Love it!

[64cat]

I not only agree with the neutral site but I also believe they should rotate districts in regions to freshen up the playoff system year in and year out similar to the way theSweet 16 is played out.

[Jumper Dad]

I not only agree with the neutral site but I also believe they should rotate districts in regions to freshen up the playoff system year in and year out similar to the way theSweet 16 is played out.

Great idea but at sweet 16 all the teams are at one location.

If football rotated then there would be a ton more travel...unless your Bell Co then any rotation would be less travel for them.

[toussaints]

Should they announce the neutral site locations before the playoffs begin, or should they wait until the day after they know who's playing?

[Stardust]

Should they announce the neutral site locations before the playoffs begin, or should they wait until the day after they know who's playing?

By neutral, I am assuming you are talking about one of the District teams fields. HOW could you announce neutral site before the playoffs and guarantee it will still be neutral?

[tomcatfan722000]

There are problems with this.

1. You wouldn't know the sites till after the regional championship. Example a neutral site for Boyle and Ashland would have to be different than Lex Cath and Highlands.

2. Money.you would have smaller crowds since both teams have to travel hurting the total gate. Also who would get the gate. The school hosting would want a cut as well a the two schools playing. So now your cutting revenue 3 ways. Also with the smaller crowds now the other organizations selling programs and concessions suffer.

This is good idea in the spirit of competition. But not financially and to many people miss out on money that could be used and a lot of fans wouldn't be able to attend. I think the current system works it gives your team a chance every other year to play at home in the playoffs

[Stardust]

I think a neutral site will benefit every school in terms of travel cost and will bring more fans to the semi-final games. Region should still be held at a home site as it's a reward for teams that earn the top seed.

Then eliminate Multi-District playoffs. I can't support that Regions remain non-neutral, but District does, that just doesn't make any sense at all. If top regions deserve the top seed, then why don't top districts? If you like a teams record in Region, then it is deserved in District!

[Observing]

I figure if they did something like this, then schools/towns(college stadiums too)
could bid, and if you're the regular home field for a h.s. team, then you'd have to
get another class's semi. KHSAA could split the gate with the site, and let
them have all the concessions, to make it worthwhile.

[toussaints]

By neutral, I am assuming you are talking about one of the District teams fields. HOW could you announce neutral site before the playoffs and guarantee it will still be neutral?

they could use a college stadium like Morehead State or Campbellsville. In the smaller classes, use big school stadiums. You were leading me towards making my point.

Say they announced the location before the playoffs and in 2A, the region 3 and 4 semifinal would be played in Lexington. NCC and LCA make the semis, it's no longer a neutral site, it's in LCA's back yard.

What Ohio does is they allow schools and stadiums to put in a bid before the playoffs, but wait until the sunday before the game to announce the location.

[toussaints]

Then eliminate Multi-District playoffs. I can't support that Regions remain non-neutral, but District does, that just doesn't make any sense at all. If top regions deserve the top seed, then why don't top districts? If you like a teams record in Region, then it is deserved in District!

i was just talking about state semi-final games. with regional games, there's still that chance that the #1 and #2 teams in the same district could meet up for the regional championship

[Observing]

There are problems with this.

1. You wouldn't know the sites till after the regional championship. Example a neutral site for Boyle and Ashland would have to be different than Lex Cath and Highlands.

2. Money.you would have smaller crowds since both teams have to travel hurting the total gate. Also who would get the gate. The school hosting would want a cut as well a the two schools playing. So now your cutting revenue 3 ways. Also with the smaller crowds now the other organizations selling programs and concessions suffer.

This is good idea in the spirit of competition. But not financially and to many people miss out on money that could be used and a lot of fans wouldn't be able to attend. I think the current system works it gives your team a chance every other year to play at home in the playoffs

I agree to a point with some of those issues. And the current system
does work pretty well for the constistently strong programs. But
there are plenty of programs that only occasionally, or even maybe
once a generation, that produce a true contender. It's a 50/50
bet for them.

As for the gate, I'd expect the host site and the KHSAA to split
the gate. If not there'd be no incentive to bid for it. The teams
could get some travel expenses from the KHSAA.

[Jumper Dad]

Use EKU, Morehead, Mt Sterling, Lindsey Wilson, Centre, Georgetown and other college turf fields. I would set them as permanent locations on rotating basis for different classes. Some schools would end up with shorter trips and others that would be inevitable.

[Observing]

they could use a college stadium like Morehead State or Campbellsville. In the smaller classes, use big school stadiums. You were leading me towards making my point.

Say they announced the location before the playoffs and in 2A, the region 3 and 4 semifinal would be played in Lexington. NCC and LCA make the semis, it's no longer a neutral site, it's in LCA's back yard.

What Ohio does is they allow schools and stadiums to put in a bid before the playoffs, but wait until the sunday before the game to announce the location.

Why would you even have to wait? Sites could bid, and they could
name them at any point. Just make sure a Boyle Co. for example hosted
2A, or a LexCath hosted 6A. And locate them as centrally as possible.

[tomcatfan722000]

I agree to a point with some of those issues. And the current system
does work pretty well for the constistently strong programs. But
there are plenty of programs that only occasionally, or even maybe
once a generation, that produce a true contender. It's a 50/50
bet for them.

As for the gate, I'd expect the host site and the KHSAA to split
the gate. If not there'd be no incentive to bid for it. The teams
could get some travel expenses from the KHSAA.

I just think it would make it very hard for students to attend the game and support there school. Also I want the two schools playing in the game to get the gate. Not a school that didn't earn it and the khsaa. Neutral site work for college and NFl cause of the mass following may even work in a since of Some Major High Schools like trinity. But for most of the state I think it just doesn't work financially for them and there students.

[zaga_fan]

I don't like the idea of a 6-6 team hosting a 12-0 team....
which is something you get sometimes in the semis

I think if you don't do neutral fields - let home field be earned and not inherited

[MustangSally]

no
win and earn the home field

[tomcatfan722000]

I don't like the idea of a 6-6 team hosting a 12-0 team....
which is something you get sometimes in the semis

I think if you don't do neutral fields - let home field be earned and not inherited

But say you have a team that Is 12-0 but played mostly cupcakes

Vs a team like Louisville central who is 7-5 8-4 but really challenges themselves in the no district part of there schedule. You'd really weaken the quality of non district games teams would play. Making it really hard for the highlands and trinity of the world to schedule games. Say you have a 12-0 Ashland who has played the Likes of Lawrence,Raceland,Russell
Hosting lex cath who has played nationally ranked opponents and might drop a game or 2 cause they challenged themselves. I would be irate if I were the knights in that scenario.

[Stardust]

^ Best argument I have seen in this thread!

[tomcatfan722000]

I think the best thing to say about the current system is it is unbiased. It doesn't favor certain schools. And it doesn't reward weak scheduling or punish a team for challenging itself. It is 100% arbitrary. Also if your going to win a state title your going to have to win games on the road whether it is in the playoffs or regular season. Playing regional championships at Johnson Central and semi finals at lex cath certainly hasn't kept highlands from having any success. Belfry went on the road last year and won a state semi game. Also didn't central win a region@ bell co? State champions do and should win on the road.

[HDE]

I think this is an example of trying to fix something that does not need fixing.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
I couldnt agree more HDE.

It is completely fine the way it is.

Playing on the road is part of the game.

Just like in every playoff format, the only game that should be neutral is the state title game, and if anything needs fixing its that we have to drive all the way to Bowling Green for a state title game when it should be more centralized.

[adopted purple]

The system we have now is the fairest it has been in a long time. Plus, If you need that home field advantage, you're probably not the best team. The state champ should be the one that can win on the road as well as at home.

[BellCoBobcats09]

I can't wait until we water down the field for Central this year at Log Mtn for Regional Title.

[Hatz]

Use EKU, Morehead, Mt Sterling, Lindsey Wilson, Centre, Georgetown and other college turf fields. I would set them as permanent locations on rotating basis for different classes. Some schools would end up with shorter trips and others that would be inevitable.

Can't speak for the others but Centre would not be a good location. They might have turf but their seating and parking would be inadequate. I remember Boyle talked about hosting Bell in the Semi-Finals there when they had grass. Bell was up in arms about the idea and one of the big reasons was seating. Unless they've added some, there are no visitors stands and the present stands seat about 4,000 at the most I think.

I also think that there are few EKU's, and places that will "bid" for a high school game. Too much cost in hosting the event and a 'crap shoot' as to whether you will get a good return on the game.

[tomcatfan722000]

I can't wait until we water down the field for Central this year at Log Mtn for Regional Title.

And central is good enough that is still probably wouldn't matter.

[64cat]

Great idea but at sweet 16 all the teams are at one location.

If football rotated then there would be a ton more travel...unless your Bell Co then any rotation would be less travel for them.

I said similar to Sweet 16, not exactly alike. They could rotate districts that are close in proximity to each other to avoid the long travel. There would be no western district playing an eastern district for the region travel. But you could have say four districts rotating with each other every couple of years so that the travel would be the same if not much more.

[3wishes]

Terrible idea!

The system in place like many have said is unbiased and fair, every team knows before hand where they will play.

In addition to the many cons that have mentioned I will add this:
Support as in volunteers to take up tickets, concessions parents, booster sales at games, etc. There is no guarantee that these people can make a trip and setup this stuff at a college concession stand, etc. It takes many school personnel to run a Friday night game and these small colleges aren't going to fork over a bid for a few thousand people to show up and have to pay people to work concessions, etc.

Bad idea all around, good intentions but just not justifiable.

For the people who are just throwing suggestions out, just remember things are easier said than done. The coach of the team has more worries during that week than to get parent's, team, busses, etc planned for what should be a home game for them.

Right now, both teams get to split the money after expenses. Why take that away and give it to another organization?