Flexible Finals Scheduling - Predict the Lineup

[Bobref]

This year there’s a new wrinkle in the Finals scheduling. In previous years, the 1A, 3A and 5A games would be one day, and the 2A, 4A and 6A games would be the other. This year, however, the IHSAA has changed the scheduling format. The schedule won’t be set until the semistates are completed. The IHSAA will then arrange the schedule to minimize travel inconvenience (read: maximize attendance). For example, if Valpo and Andrean both make the finals in 5A and 2A, respectively, the IHSAA may arrange the schedule so that they both play on the same day.

I applaud this sort of outside the box thinking, in an attempt to make a good product better, and boost attendance in the era of streaming. But if you give it a little thought, you can see the potential for some challenging situations ... and possible hurt feelings.

Give your predictions for flexible scheduling, and any attendant controversies, in the Finals.

[Moshiner1345]

1 hour ago, Bobref said:

This year there’s a new wrinkle in the Finals scheduling. In previous years, the 1A, 3A and 5A games would be one day, and the 2A, 4A and 6A games would be the other. This year, however, the IHSAA has changed the scheduling format. The schedule won’t be set until the semistates are completed. The IHSAA will then arrange the schedule to minimize travel inconvenience (read: maximize attendance). For example, if Valpo and Andrean both make the finals in 5A and 2A, respectively, the IHSAA may arrange the schedule so that they both play on the same day.

I applaud this sort of outside the box thinking, in an attempt to make a good product better, and boost attendance in the era of streaming. But if you give it a little thought, you can see the potential for some challenging situations ... and possible hurt feelings.

Give your predictions for flexible scheduling, and any attendant controversies, in the Finals.

I had heard a rumor that this year, due to COVID, the stadium may need to be emptied between each contest. Any truth to this?

Edited October 18, 2020 by Moshiner1345

[Bobref]

15 minutes ago, Moshiner1345 said:

I had heard a rumor that this year, due to COVID, the stadium may need to be emptied between each contest. Any truth to this?

Have not heard that.

[WilELee]

36 minutes ago, Moshiner1345 said:

I had heard a rumor that this year, due to COVID, the stadium may need to be emptied between each contest. Any truth to this?

The commissioner said it during the section draw stream.

[Staxawax]

Current max attendance in Lucas is 7,500. If that stays the same it would only make sense to sell single game tickets and empty the stadium after each game. That provides each school an equal opportunity to see the game and the IHSAA can maximize ticket sales. 6 x 7,500 = 45,000.

There would need to be probably 75 - 80 minutes between games so start times would be adjusted accordingly. 

[tango]

10 minutes ago, Staxawax said:

Current max attendance in Lucas is 7,500. If that stays the same it would only make sense to sell single game tickets and empty the stadium after each game. That provides each school an equal opportunity to see the game and the IHSAA can maximize ticket sales. 6 x 7,500 = 45,000.

There would need to be probably 75 - 80 minutes between games so start times would be adjusted accordingly. 

I like that plan.

[PHJIrish]

First and foremost, I hope we get to play the finals at Thanksgiving this year, or at all.  Things are all that good right now.  

I believe that emptying the stadium and cleaning it would be good.  I do hope there's enough seats so that all the fans of the school will get first choice on the tickets and not just interested onlookers.  It's been  tough getting to see the games in person this year.

[Staxawax]

4 hours ago, Staxawax said:

Current max attendance in Lucas is 7,500. If that stays the same it would only make sense to sell single game tickets and empty the stadium after each game. That provides each school an equal opportunity to see the game and the IHSAA can maximize ticket sales. 6 x 7,500 = 45,000.

There would need to be probably 75 - 80 minutes between games so start times would be adjusted accordingly. 

Just verified there were 12,000 at today’s Colt’s game. That makes the numbers even better!

[Donnie Baker]

3 hours ago, PHJIrish said:

First and foremost, I hope we get to play the finals at Thanksgiving this year, or at all.  Things are all that good right now.  

I believe that emptying the stadium and cleaning it would be good.  I do hope there's enough seats so that all the fans of the school will get first choice on the tickets and not just interested onlookers.  It's been  tough getting to see the games in person this year.

Hypothetical question. Have you ever been to a state finals game that Cathedral wasn’t playing in and asked to move from your seat? 

[Whiting89]

Here is a controversy some team gets covid after winning semi state and some team wins state without playing.

[Staxawax]

3 hours ago, Whiting89 said:

Here is a controversy some team gets covid after winning semi state and some team wins state without playing.

What controversy? It could happen. 
 

I would think every coach by that time has his entire team e-learning by that point.

[PhilLee]

4 hours ago, Whiting89 said:

Here is a controversy some team gets covid after winning semi state and some team wins state without playing.

 

More like a team wins semi-state and one member of the team, who isn't sick, is needlessly quarantined because some kid in Algebra may have come down with something a oversensitive and likely inaccurate test says is Covid, shutting an entire football team down because of idiotic protocols. 

[PhilLee]

And speaking of needless quarantines, I know of one very large school in Indiana that through the last 3 months and the many, many kids who were quarantined because of supposed "close" contact, a grand total of ZERO of them ever came down with any virus.  None. 

 

[Bobref]

5 hours ago, PhilLee said:

 

More like a team wins semi-state and one member of the team, who isn't sick, is needlessly quarantined because some kid in Algebra may have come down with something a oversensitive and likely inaccurate test says is Covid, shutting an entire football team down because of idiotic protocols. 

 

5 hours ago, PhilLee said:

5 hours ago, PhilLee said:

And speaking of needless quarantines, I know of one very large school in Indiana that through the last 3 months and the many, many kids who were quarantined because of supposed "close" contact, a grand total of ZERO of them ever came down with any virus.  None. 

 

Let’s leave the commentary to the OOB Forum and stick to the topic of this thread.

Edited October 19, 2020 by Bobref

[Purdue Pete]

11 hours ago, Staxawax said:

What controversy? It could happen. 
 

I would think every coach by that time has his entire team e-learning by that point.

Unfortunately, many schools implemented a plan where remote learning make u ineligible for sports.

[hhpatriot04]

20 hours ago, PHJIrish said:

First and foremost, I hope we get to play the finals at Thanksgiving this year, or at all.  Things are all that good right now.  

I believe that emptying the stadium and cleaning it would be good.  I do hope there's enough seats so that all the fans of the school will get first choice on the tickets and not just interested onlookers.  It's been  tough getting to see the games in person this year.

I assume the IHSAA and Lucas Oil have been in touch with relevant Marion County and state health authorities to see what real effect emptying and "cleaning" the stadium between games would actually do to thwart the spread of the virus. It's not b exactly like every surface will get sterilized which makes social distancing the bigger concern... I'd be quite surprised if they can fit six games in two days with a policy of emptying and cleaning between games. 

[PHJIrish]

17 hours ago, Donnie Baker said:

Hypothetical question. Have you ever been to a state finals game that Cathedral wasn’t playing in and asked to move from your seat? 

No.

[mykidssportsfan]

13 hours ago, Staxawax said:

What controversy? It could happen. 
 

I would think every coach by that time has his entire team e-learning by that point.

Easier said than done when you have kids taking AP classes, I believe they have to be in person for those classes?

[djbowzz]

Attendance would be way down if they cleared the stands after each game.  If I have to pay to get back in to watch another game I am not vested in, I'm going home to watch it.  If I can stay, buy some concessions and catch 2 more games of great State football, I'm in.

 

So I guess the question would be:  If they cleared the stadium, would you pay again to go back to watch the next game?

[region]

I bet they’ll charge for each game. They’re charging for both boys and girls sessions of cross country state and that is usually a one ticket event. 

I really hope they don’t though. Coming from Lake County would suck to only go to one game. I’m not spending 45 bucks to watch 3 games either

[foxbat]

2 hours ago, hhpatriot04 said:

I assume the IHSAA and Lucas Oil have been in touch with relevant Marion County and state health authorities to see what real effect emptying and "cleaning" the stadium between games would actually do to thwart the spread of the virus. It's not b exactly like every surface will get sterilized which makes social distancing the bigger concern... I'd be quite surprised if they can fit six games in two days with a policy of emptying and cleaning between games. 

Wonder if they could implement something like even-odd.  First game seating in odd sections. second game seating in even sections with cleaning commencing in odd sections, and then odd sections for 3rd game.  Haven't looked at the specifcs, but it would buy time for cleaning... and would only need one major cleaning during games, with the rest reserved for before and after the days' crowds.

[WestfieldRocks]

16 hours ago, Staxawax said:

What controversy? It could happen. 
 

I would think every coach by that time has his entire team e-learning by that point.

But remember, a lot of schools are out last week and more this week for fall break. How much control would a coach have over where the kids and their families go during these times? Now the 1A-4A schools will be playing this week, and with one exception, a 5A school. I'm sure those kids families won't be taking vacation time since the kids will be at practices all week, preparing for these games. But what about the rest of 5A and all of 6A? Will there be practices every day? Even so, what will the kids be doing when not at the practice fields? Would there be a greater chance of catching the virus when the kids are out with their friends and family when not at practice than their would be when they are in school most of the day?  Just wondering.

[Staxawax]

10 hours ago, WestfieldRocks said:

But remember, a lot of schools are out last week and more this week for fall break. How much control would a coach have over where the kids and their families go during these times? Now the 1A-4A schools will be playing this week, and with one exception, a 5A school. I'm sure those kids families won't be taking vacation time since the kids will be at practices all week, preparing for these games. But what about the rest of 5A and all of 6A? Will there be practices every day? Even so, what will the kids be doing when not at the practice fields? Would there be a greater chance of catching the virus when the kids are out with their friends and family when not at practice than their would be when they are in school most of the day?  Just wondering.

I know for a fact Eric Moore has his roster on e-learning. Center Grove was on fall break last week, but you can bet those players families didn’t go to Florida!