Neutral sites during playoffs

[ThevinStealberg]

I currently live in the Dayton, Ohio area. I went to a playoff game last night as a coworkers son is on the team. This was the 3rd round of the playoffs.

I find it interesting that in Ohio, after the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, every game is played at a "neutral" site. I say use the word 'neutral' loosely as the higher seeds school was 15 minutes from the neutral site while the lower seed was an hour and 15 minutes away. I did some research and found that this was case for most of the 3rd round games. I didn't research the why yet (and I'm sure there's a "good" reason) but on the surface, this seems pointless. True home field advantage is lost after 2 rounds yet it somewhat remains at the neutral site for the higher seed seeing as you're pretty much going a few miles down the road from your school. I hope VHSL doesn't pull this type of caper ever.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I currently live in the Dayton, Ohio area. I went to a playoff game last night as a coworkers son is on the team. This was the 3rd round of the playoffs.

I find it interesting that in Ohio, after the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, every game is played at a "neutral" site. I say use the word 'neutral' loosely as the higher seeds school was 15 minutes from the neutral site while the lower seed was an hour and 15 minutes away. I did some research and found that this was case for most of the 3rd round games. I didn't research the why yet (and I'm sure there's a "good" reason) but on the surface, this seems pointless. True home field advantage is lost after 2 rounds yet it somewhat remains at the neutral site for the higher seed seeing as you're pretty much going a few miles down the road from your school. I hope VHSL doesn't pull this type of caper ever.

I agree with you. Home field is earned, not given. And should not be taken away. The players AND the fans deserve to keep that privilege.

We had to move a home playoff game to another field one time, and we lost the damn game. It may not have really had any affect, but I think it did.

 

[OCBoy]

I currently live in the Dayton, Ohio area. I went to a playoff game last night as a coworkers son is on the team. This was the 3rd round of the playoffs.

I find it interesting that in Ohio, after the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, every game is played at a "neutral" site. I say use the word 'neutral' loosely as the higher seeds school was 15 minutes from the neutral site while the lower seed was an hour and 15 minutes away. I did some research and found that this was case for most of the 3rd round games. I didn't research the why yet (and I'm sure there's a "good" reason) but on the surface, this seems pointless. True home field advantage is lost after 2 rounds yet it somewhat remains at the neutral site for the higher seed seeing as you're pretty much going a few miles down the road from your school. I hope VHSL doesn't pull this type of caper ever.

They do it in basketball

 

[ThevinStealberg]

I agree with you. Home field is earned, not given. And should not be taken away. The players AND the fans deserve to keep that privilege.

We had to move a home playoff game to another field one time, and we lost the damn game. It may not have really had any affect, but I think it did.

I'm sure it did! There's small nuances about your home field that can give you the slightest of advantages. What if you go from turf to grass or vice versa? Hell sometimes a number of fans can't make it to the neutral site due to logistics.

On another note, the neutral site was gorgeous. Centerville High School in Centerville, OH (just south of Dayton). The home of Kirk Herbstreit. The mascot leaves much to be desired (the Elks).

 

[ThevinStealberg]

They do it in basketball

Very true! Hoops is somewhat different (to me) as you play a number of tournaments in regular season often away from home.

 

[OCBoy]

Very true! Hoops is somewhat different (to me) as you play a number of tournaments in regular season often away from home.

In the playoffs they won’t let them play at home but can play in a gym across town

 

[DinwiddieProud]

LOL, for the sake of honest disclosure, I like playing at home because: 1). It’s 10 minutes from my house. 2). I can watch the game from the press box if it’s too cold or wet, and 3). we eat like champs at all our home games.

I like it for the advantage it gives our players and our fans, but besides that, I am a little selfish!