Hypothetical Neutral Site Regionals

[HoopsCoach]

I am an advocate of neutral sites to host tournament games after the sectional round, and I think the facilities in Indiana are capable of a format with neutral site hosts for regional and semi-state.  Here are my hypothetical neutral site regional games for this year.  All games would be played at locations with turf fields.  A few hosts/venues that would be logical choices for some matchups are not selected because the host school will be playing in the regional round (Tri-West, Huntington North, Bloomington South, Warren Central). This will reduce travel times and remove field conditions as a variable.   It also gives schools an opportunity to showcase the investment they have made in their facilities.

Neutral Site Regionals - Friday Night

6A

Crown Point/Carroll @ Plymouth

Fishers/Westfield @ Noblesville

Brownsburg/Lawrence North @ Arsenal Tech

Center Grove/Warren Central @ Southport

5A

Merrillville/Valparaiso @ Hobart

Lafayette Jeff/Warsaw @ Kokomo

Decatur Central/East Central @ Shelbyville

Bloomington South/Castle @ Jasper

4A

Mishawaka/New Prairie @ SB St Joe

East Noble/Huntington North @ Columbia City

Bishop Chatard/New Palestine @ Lawrence Central

Evansville Reitz/Martinsville @ Washington

3A

Garrett/Knox @ Northwood

Maconaquah/Bishop Luers @ Wabash

Tri-West/Batesville @ Triton Central

Heritage Hills/North Harrison @ Corydon Central

2A

Andrean/Central Catholic @ Kankakee Valley

Adams Central/Eastern @ Eastbrook

Indianapolis Lutheran/Lapel @ Mount Vernon

Linton-Stockton/Brownstown Central @ Bloomington North

1A

North Judson/Taylor @ Logansport

North Miami/South Adams @ Oak Hill

Sheridan/South Putnam @ Western Boone

Milan/Providence @ Madison

Edited November 9, 2024 by HoopsCoach

[RegionFBFan]

The sites don’t really matter to me but the concept of neutral sites for Regional and Semistate games would be my #1 change in IHSAA playoff structure.

[yogi]

Why should teams that play on turf get the advantage over teams that play their home games on natural grass?  Your whole point of this topic is to make it a neutral site, right?  In my opinion, it would put the team that plays on natural grass at a disadvantage because they are not normally a team that plays on turf.  Also, this idea takes money away from schools having the possibility of hosting a home game and making money as the host school.  Just a few thoughts!

[BDGiant93]

Tech did not even host its own home games. I think there must be issues with the stadium.

[btownqbcoach1]

1 hour ago, HoopsCoach said:

I am an advocate of neutral sites to host tournament games after the sectional round, and I think the facilities in Indiana are capable of a format with neutral site hosts for regional and semi-state.  Here are my hypothetical neutral site regional games for this year.  All games would be played at locations with turf fields.  A few hosts/venues that would be logical choices for some matchups are not selected because the host school will be playing in the regional round (Tri-West, Huntington North, Bloomington South, Warren Central). This will reduce travel times and remove field conditions as a variable.   It also gives schools an opportunity to showcase the investment they have made in their facilities.

Neutral Site Regionals - Friday Night

6A

Crown Point/Carroll @ Plymouth

Fishers/Westfield @ Noblesville

Brownsburg/Lawrence North @ Arsenal Tech

Center Grove/Warren Central @ Southport

5A

Merrillville/Valparaiso @ Hobart

Lafayette Jeff/Warsaw @ Kokomo

Decatur Central/East Central @ Shelbyville

Bloomington South/Castle @ Jasper

4A

Mishawaka/New Prairie @ SB St Joe

East Noble/Huntington North @ Columbia City

Bishop Chatard/New Palestine @ Lawrence Central

Evansville Reitz/Martinsville @ Washington

3A

Garrett/Knox @ Northwood

Maconaquah/Bishop Luers @ Wabash

Tri-West/Batesville @ Triton Central

Heritage Hills/North Harrison @ Corydon Central

2A

Andrean/Central Catholic @ Kankakee Valley

Adams Central/Eastern @ Eastbrook

Indianapolis Lutheran/Lapel @ Mount Vernon

Linton-Stockton/Brownstown Central @ Bloomington North

1A

North Judson/Taylor @ Logansport

North Miami/South Adams @ Oak Hill

Sheridan/South Putnam @ Western Boone

Milan/Providence @ Madison

Brownstown Linton at Bedford. 

[HoopsCoach]

24 minutes ago, BDGiant93 said:

Tech did not even host its own home games. I think there must be issues with the stadium.

I forgot about that.  Pike was my alternative location for that game instead of Tech.

 

10 minutes ago, btownqbcoach1 said:

Brownstown Linton at Bedford. 

Bedford could certainly host that game, but I tried to find host locations that are a relatively similar drive time for the two teams.  It’s about 30 minutes from Brownstown to Bedford, and just over an hour from Linton to Bedford.  Bloomington North is right at an hour for both schools.

On a related note, it was tough to choose a host with a turf field for the North Harrison/Heritage Hills game.  Corydon Central or Southridge were my two choices.

Edited November 9, 2024 by HoopsCoach

[US31]

2 hours ago, HoopsCoach said:

 

Crown Point/Carroll @ Plymouth

 

Have you ever been to the Rock Pile!???🤣  The capacity there would be absolutely inadequate for the number of people CP/FWC would bring to that game, the visitors side is way to small (despite being a “neutral” site..one team has to be the “visitors”)

Penn would be the proper location.

Edited November 9, 2024 by US31

[NLCTigerFan07]

On 11/9/2024 at 8:18 AM, HoopsCoach said:

6A

Crown Point/Carroll @ Plymouth

 

On 11/9/2024 at 11:02 AM, US31 said:

Have you ever been to the Rock Pile!???🤣  The capacity there would be absolutely inadequate for the number of people CP/FWC would bring to that game, the visitors side is way to small (despite being a “neutral” site..one team has to be the “visitors”)

Penn would be the proper location.

Warsaw would be a great option as well. I almost laughed when seeing Plymouth listed. But I agree with Penn being proper too. Maybe even Mishawka or Elkhart (but I haven't been to Elkhart in awhile and forget what their visiting section looks like).

[Yuccaguy]

1 hour ago, NLCTigerFan07 said:

 

Warsaw would be a great option as well. I almost laughed when seeing Plymouth listed. But I agree with Penn being proper too. Maybe even Mishawka or Elkhart (but I haven't been to Elkhart in awhile and forget what their visiting section looks like).

Edited November 11, 2024 by Yuccaguy

[Yuccaguy]

[HoopsCoach]

2 hours ago, NLCTigerFan07 said:

 

Warsaw would be a great option as well. I almost laughed when seeing Plymouth listed. But I agree with Penn being proper too. Maybe even Mishawka or Elkhart (but I haven't been to Elkhart in awhile and forget what their visiting section looks like).

Warsaw is an excellent venue, but I did not suggest Warsaw as a host because they are still playing.

I am sure Mishawaka, Penn, or Elkhart would be good choices to host the Crown Point/Carroll game.  I suggested Plymouth mostly based upon their location.  I’ve been to the Rockpile and don’t really understand the hate for that venue, but this is all hypothetical anyway.

[NLCTigerFan07]

1 hour ago, HoopsCoach said:

I suggested Plymouth mostly based upon their location. I’ve been to the Rockpile and don’t really understand the hate for that venue, but this is all hypothetical anyway.

It's a fine venue for regular season Friday nights - but for a neutral site game - the visiting seating is not enough in my opinion. Not that every stadium has to have equal seating on both sides to qualify for this scenario, but it helps to have a bigger visitor seating section. Elkhart and Mishawaka would be great options due to those reasons.

I am definitely on your side with this though - Ohio does neutral site games starting in the 3rd round of their tournament. I like the idea.

[Yuccaguy]

1 hour ago, HoopsCoach said:

Warsaw is an excellent venue, but I did not suggest Warsaw as a host because they are still playing.

I am sure Mishawaka, Penn, or Elkhart would be good choices to host the Crown Point/Carroll game.  I suggested Plymouth mostly based upon their location.  I’ve been to the Rockpile and don’t really understand the hate for that venue, but this is all hypothetical anyway.

Uh, BOTH still playing in the Tournament.... Looks like Elkhart or Penn in this situation.  

Is a week enough time for a host school to get set up, though?  I agree with REAL "neutral" sites though following the Sectional Finals.  

 

[NLCTigerFan07]

3 minutes ago, Yuccaguy said:

Uh, BOTH still playing in the Tournament.... Looks like Elkhart or Penn in this situation.  

Is a week enough time for a host school to get set up, though?  I agree with REAL "neutral" sites though following the Sectional Finals.

Ohio has done it FOREVER (not really forever, but for at least two decades) and that includes a school hosting a game while their team plays somewhere else potentially. If they have figured it out, surely Indiana could.

I am pretty sure the host schools in Ohio agree with the OHSAA before the season starts that they'll commit to hosting various rounds. If their schools happen to be playing during that same round... I guess they figure out a way to make it happen. It's not like a high school gets reached out to on Saturday to host a game the following Friday. The school is already well aware before the season even starts that they'll be hosting X round(s) of playoff games.

Edited November 11, 2024 by NLCTigerFan07

[Yuccaguy]

1 minute ago, NLCTigerFan07 said:

Ohio has done it FOREVER (not really forever, but for at least two decades) and that includes a school hosting a game while their team plays somewhere else potentially. If they have figured it out, surely Indiana could.

I am pretty sure the host schools in Ohio agree with the OHSAA before the season starts that they'll commit to hosting various rounds. If their schools happen to be playing during that same round... I guess they figure out a way to make it happen. It's not like a high school gets reached out to on Saturday to host a game the following Friday. The school is already well aware before the season even starts that they'll be hosting X round(s) of playoff games.

I grew up in Missouri, and THEY always play the postseason at neutral sites.   Totally agree with you!  

[US31]

5 hours ago, NLCTigerFan07 said:

 

Warsaw would be a great option as well. I almost laughed when seeing Plymouth listed. But I agree with Penn being proper too. Maybe even Mishawka or Elkhart (but I haven't been to Elkhart in awhile and forget what their visiting section looks like).

I agree Warsaw would be a great venue…but I bet it’s an hour closer to Carroll than CP.  Penn is a much better middle ground if that is supposed to be a goal

[HoopsCoach]

4 hours ago, Yuccaguy said:

 Is a week enough time for a host school to get set up, though?  I agree with REAL "neutral" sites though following the Sectional Finals.  

 

Yes. Every school hosting a game this week didn’t know they would still be playing until they won last Friday night.  They figure it out, and neutral site hosts could potentially have even more notice that they will most likely host a regional game than the hosts in the current format which depend upon the outcome of the sectional finals.  Schools could apply to host as they do in other sports, but geography and travel time are rarely considered by the IHSAA when selecting hosts.  I’d like to see a rule that a school must make their facility available to host a regional or semi-state game to be able to host any round of the tournament.  Schools that refuse are on the road for every round.  That rule would never fly, and I would rather see the IHSAA increase the payout to host schools to make it more lucrative if this ever did become a reality.

[MacAttack53]

It would be more of a challenge for a smaller school to host while still playing than a larger school. Warsaw, for example, has 2 ADs and like 35 different administrators.

Maconaquah has one AD for grades 6-12 and four admin for grades 6-12. It's a lot more of a burden for the smaller districts to have to double up, potentially. While it's a good problem to have (having your team still playing and "getting" to host) I feel like just due to logistics most of the potential host schools would have to be 4A+.

Edited November 12, 2024 by MacAttack53

[Yuccaguy]

21 minutes ago, MacAttack53 said:

It would be more of a challenge for a smaller school to host while still playing than a larger school. Warsaw, for example, has 2 ADs and like 35 different administrators.

Maconaquah has one AD for grades 6-12 and four admin for grades 6-12. It's a lot more of a burden for the smaller districts to have to double up, potentially. While it's a good problem to have (having your team still playing and "getting" to host) I feel like just due to logistics most of the potential host schools would have to be 4A+.

Here's a GREAT problem to have...  Looks like the Braves are now getting into "big boy" FB.  I'll bet that you would take that as a push to beef up the athletic admiration system in place at this time.

All in all, if the success of Maconaquah continues for the next few years;  I bet that things will change/expand.  Heck, yawl turfed the place a couple of years ago.   And the AD is fantastic down there, also.  

[NLCTigerFan07]

2 hours ago, MacAttack53 said:

It would be more of a challenge for a smaller school to host while still playing than a larger school. Warsaw, for example, has 2 ADs and like 35 different administrators.

Maconaquah has one AD for grades 6-12 and four admin for grades 6-12. It's a lot more of a burden for the smaller districts to have to double up, potentially. While it's a good problem to have (having your team still playing and "getting" to host) I feel like just due to logistics most of the potential host schools would have to be 4A+.

Yup, agreed. No one said smaller schools had to host either. I would imagine in this hypothetical world - only schools with big enough stadiums would be selected, and I doubt the IHSAA would TELL schools they had to host. They likely have the option to decline or not volunteer to do so.

[PDB26]

22 hours ago, NLCTigerFan07 said:

Elkhart and Mishawaka would be great options due to those reasons.

Does anyone know if Mishawaka took care of the visitor's locker room when they renovated Steele Stadium? Because if you know, you know.

[adambetz]

@HoopsCoach Eastbrook over Marion, that hurts man

Edited November 13, 2024 by adambetz

[HoopsCoach]

1 hour ago, adambetz said:

@HoopsCoach Eastbrook over Marion, that hurts man

Nothing against your Giants and their field, but I went with Eastbrook since it closer to an equal travel time between Adams Central/Eastern, and it is a 2A school.  I think it would be good to play at venues in the class of the teams playing when it makes sense.  If Lebanon had beaten Huntington North, I was going to suggest East Noble/Lebanon at Marion.