{"id":3165,"date":"2015-12-12T12:12:42","date_gmt":"2015-12-12T17:12:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gridironstuds.com\/blog\/?p=3165"},"modified":"2015-12-12T13:23:01","modified_gmt":"2015-12-12T18:23:01","slug":"4-things-the-fhsaa-can-do-to-improve-the-florida-hs-football-championships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/4-things-the-fhsaa-can-do-to-improve-the-florida-hs-football-championships\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Things the FHSAA Can Do to Improve the Florida HS Football Championships"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/floridahsfootball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/class4agame.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" \/><strong>By: Chad Wilson &#8211; Editor GridironStuds Blog<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Twitter: @GridironStuds<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We all know the passion that exists for football in the state of Florida. With that said, \u00a0attendance to football games in the great state for football would have outsiders wondering just how much passion is there. \u00a0High School football games rarely sell out in the state and our state championship games in the Orlando&#8217;s Citrus Bowl resemble the attendance at a game for an 0-13 NFL football team playing in the snow.<\/p>\n<p>On my <a href=\"http:\/\/www.blogtalkradio.com\/the-gridiron-studs-show\/2015\/12\/11\/gridironstuds-show-121115--high-school-fb-talk--florida-football-champs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Football Friday GridironStuds Show on 12.11.15<\/a>, \u00a0I told my audience of the attendance to the state of Texas Class 5A division 1 football game between Allen and Pearland High School in 2013. \u00a0That staggering number was 54,347 and was greater than several bowl games that year. \u00a0Here are the figures from some of the other games during that championship weekend:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Texas Class 4A Division II championship: 33,745<br \/>\nTexas Class 5A Division II championship: 30,285<br \/>\nTexas Class 3A Division II championship: 22,071<br \/>\nTexas Class 4A Division I championship: 20,142<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Not too shabby. \u00a0We all know the immense passion that exists for high school football in the state of Texas. \u00a0It is perhaps the leader in the country for high school football game attendance. \u00a0You can argue that it is unfair to compare any other state to Texas when it comes to attendance however, \u00a0why not compare yourself to the best, \u00a0especially when we are talking about Florida and we are talking about football.<\/p>\n<p>On estimation, \u00a0the State of Florida high school football championships draws about 4,000 per game. So the total attendance for all eight games combined on \u00a0each year will be 32,000. \u00a0Again, \u00a0I will refer you to the single game numbers I posted for the Texas games above. \u00a0Doesn&#8217;t make you feel warm and fuzzy inside does it?<\/p>\n<p>While we may not be able to equal the fan passion for high school football in Florida that they have in Texas, \u00a0there are definitely some steps the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) can take to improve the attendance to the championship games.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here are 4 Things the FHSAA can do to improve attendance to the high school football championship games<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Put All Eight Championship Games Into One Weekend<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Currently the state of Florida divides it&#8217;s championships into two separate weekends. Class 1A-4A on one weekend then Class 5A-8A the following weekend. \u00a0This makes it extremely difficult for some interested parties to attend games that may occur in separated classifications. \u00a0A person or family from Miami who has a relative playing for Booker T., who is in class 4A , may also be interested in seeing Miami Central play the 6A championship game. \u00a0For that person to do so they would have to drive to Orlando on one weekend watch Booker T. \u00a0then drive three hours back to Miami only to rinse and repeat the following weekend. \u00a0Such plans are a deterrent for sure. \u00a0Instead, \u00a0Florida should consider what Texas does with their championships. \u00a0While Texas has 12 different division champions to crown, thus making it impossible to do it all in one weekend, \u00a0they do compile 10 of those 12 championship games into one weekend starting on Thursday. \u00a0In Texas, class 1A which includes two divisions is 6-man football. \u00a0Classes 2A up to 6A, which is split into two divisions each, \u00a0is traditional 11 on 11 football. \u00a0Texas plays class 2A through 6A Championships all in one weekend.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s a proposal for the state of Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Class 1A: \u00a0Thursday 4 PM<br \/>\nClass 2A: Thursday 8 PM<br \/>\nClass 3A: \u00a0Friday 12 PM<br \/>\nClass 4A: \u00a0Friday \u00a04 PM<br \/>\nClass 5A: \u00a0Friday \u00a08 PM<br \/>\nClass 6A: \u00a0Saturday 12 PM<br \/>\nClass 7A: \u00a0Saturday \u00a04 PM<br \/>\nClass 8A: \u00a0Saturday \u00a08 PM<\/p>\n<p>For those who love their jobs so much and can&#8217;t take two days off of work, \u00a0the following schedule may be more appealing.<\/p>\n<p>Class 1A: Friday 10 AM<br \/>\nClass 2A: Friday \u00a0 1 PM<br \/>\nClass 3A: Friday \u00a0 4 PM<br \/>\nClass 4A: Friday \u00a0 8 PM<br \/>\nClass 5A: Saturday \u00a010 AM<br \/>\nClass 6A: Saturday \u00a0 \u00a01 PM<br \/>\nClass 7A: Saturday \u00a0 \u00a04 PM<br \/>\nClass 8A: Saturday \u00a0 \u00a08 PM<\/p>\n<p>Yes, \u00a0this means that the Class 1A &#8211; 4A teams would have one week off before playing their championship games because of the 16 team brackets but is that such a bad thing? \u00a0At least this way there are no separate trips, hotels and weekends for the fans. \u00a0This makes it much easier for them to attend games other than the ones their relatives are playing in. \u00a0Surely this would increase attendance. \u00a0This would also make the state championships an event as opposed to just another game. It would be more exciting to know you can go one weekend and see two, three or more games and view some of the best talent in all of the country.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Change the Single Game Pricing to One Day Pricing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Currently, \u00a0when you attend the championships in Orlando, \u00a0you pay $12 to view a game. \u00a0Upon completion of that game, \u00a0you must exit the stadium and if you are interested in seeing the next game that day, \u00a0you must pay an additional $12 to re-enter the stadium to view it. \u00a0Come on now! We are talking high school football, \u00a0not the polo championships. \u00a0Football is a middle to lower class sport. \u00a0Asking a single individual to pay $24 bucks or a family of three to layout $96 to see two football games is not the most intelligent thing to do from a business standpoint. \u00a0Without a doubt, \u00a0that is a deterrent to viewing a second game. \u00a0Most people will just say to heck with it, \u00a0get in their car and hit the road. \u00a0Now, \u00a0the state is missing a chance to squeeze a hot dog, hamburger and soda out of each individual that put the Chevy on the highway. \u00a0You have a better chance of getting concession\u00a0funds from a patron than money for game tickets. \u00a0The payment to re-enter just seems like a smack in the face. \u00a0It&#8217;s not a necessity to buy that game ticket but the hamburger at halftime of the second game I stayed for is.<\/p>\n<p>If the FHSAA is so concerned about a loss of revenue which I really think they should\u00a0not be, \u00a0raise the price from $12 to $15 and tack an extra dollar or two onto the cost to park on the stadium grounds. \u00a0A consumer would be more willing to pay those dollars knowing they can view two, three or possibly four games during that day. \u00a0The state of Texas does this. \u00a0It costs $15 per day to enter the stadium and once you are in you can view as many games that day as you like. \u00a0Heck human nature says that once you plant your butt in a seat, \u00a0it&#8217;s hard to get out of it. \u00a0Folks may just stay just for the heck of it. \u00a0Again, \u00a0you will get more concession sales when that happens too.<\/p>\n<p>This type of pricing also adds to the event type feel of the state championships. \u00a0I can see people saying &#8220;Are you going to Championship Weekend?&#8221; \u00a0Turn the games and the weekend into an event like the SEC Championship Weekend I just attended in Atlanta. \u00a0The FHSAA could also consider offering the tickets to each day of the event at a reduced price if you buy online. \u00a0This guarantees you the money. \u00a0A person who bought a ticket in advance is going to make sure to show up too. \u00a0You can even offer pricing plans for two and three day attendance. \u00a0A three day pass to Florida State Championship Weekend would be a hot commodity in years to come.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Get the Games Back On A Larger Network than Brighthouse Sports<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I don&#8217;t know who&#8217;s cousin works for Brighthouse Network but it seems completely bush league to me for the championship games to be broadcast on a station that really only serves the Orlando area. Oh by the way, Orlando also happens to be the city where the games are played. \u00a0I&#8217;m going to stop short of calling that asinine. Folks in the panhandle and South Florida who can not make it to Orlando are forced to pay $6.95 to Brighthouse so that it can be live streamed on the computers they may or may not have in their homes. \u00a0Again, \u00a0this is a deterrent. \u00a0Someone go tell Brighthouse to go dominate the broadcasting rights to local Orlando high school tennis matches and leave the state football championships alone. \u00a0Florida looks foolish to the rest of the nation under this current situation. \u00a0In fact, \u00a0folks who stay home get to become interested in Georgia, California and Massachusetts football because that&#8217;s what Fox is able to show the Xfinity and U-verse customers. Those customers make up a larger majority of the state. \u00a0Get the championships back to Fox Sports. \u00a0Not only can more people view it on television in Florida, \u00a0you may get folks outside of Florida to see the great athletes playing the game in our state. \u00a0By viewing it on TV, \u00a0it may entice folks to attend in person in future years. \u00a0Need I remind the people of the FHSAA that the NFL really took off when it&#8217;s games started getting broadcasted on television? \u00a0Get us out of this Brighthouse Network nightmare ASAP!<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Market the Championships as an Event Weekend and Lure More Casual Fans to the Games<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I just recently attended the SEC Championship Weekend in Atlanta. \u00a0It was more than just a game. \u00a0It was an entire weekend of football that marketed the Southeastern Conference and the two schools involved. \u00a0This is exactly what should be done in Florida. \u00a0Plan and host events during the weekend. \u00a0Invite Florida high school football legends to the city for the festivities. \u00a0Find some way to honor those famous players who are are retired from the NFL or had great college football careers. \u00a0Perhaps you have an award banquet that week to honor the top players in the state.. \u00a0If these things happen to be too much because the games are being played all day then set up booths and pavilions outside of the stadium with interesting people and activities. \u00a0Ask the network with the broadcasting rights to film these events and give them some airtime. \u00a0Ask corporations to sponsor some of the events and activities. \u00a0Use this weekend and the games to promote anything that the state thinks should be of interest to the citizens of Florida (i.e. education, Lotto, sports, politics, etc.). \u00a0The possibilities are limitless.<\/p>\n<p>We could be doing so much more but the current set up we have in Florida for our championship games is screaming for people not to attend. \u00a0The young men on those football fields have worked so hard and have made far too many sacrifices to have to run out to sparse crowds littered throughout monstrous venues. \u00a0Florida high school football players deserve to be cheered for just as loud as Texas and Georgia high school football players and the coaches deserve to be compensated as generously as the coaches from those states too but that&#8217;s a whole different article.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"zemanta-related-title\" style=\"margin: 0 0 10px 0; 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Editor GridironStuds Blog Twitter: @GridironStuds We all know the passion that exists for football<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","category-high-school"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3165"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3165\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gridironstuds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}