What’s the deal with Liberty?

[southbottomU]

How about rotating 3 and 4a. ?
Liberty
JMU
Richmond
William and Mary

No need to do so for 1 and 2 a.
You could move 5a and 6a to Richmond

 

[shsspartan/taknight]

I think technology has something to do with the lack of attendance. I would not miss going to states every year until recently. It’s nice not having to drive all that way, save on fuel and not have to deal with the mess that’s in and around liberty. Pay $12 watch all the games around the state, while you watch it in the comfort of your home. Then watch Texas playoff football or other states, some basketball or whatever on nfhs for the next month and cancel it.

 

[Lafayette]

I would like to know the total in attendance because from my view it was pathetic. It’s no need to hold it at Liberty. A good high school stadium would work with vendor trucks. The school must have plenty of bath room facilities and great seating. City stadium surely would have been great and it would have accommodated the fans I saw and still would have had empty seats

In alternate years Wanner stadium could hold it. Holds 3,000 snd double concession located at each end. Nice large parking lot right in front of stadium and huge overflow at Warhill HS only 1/4 mile away,

 

[10iceiceice]

Put it in Richmond and call it a day. Many stadiums in the 804 can hold the game.

It was in Richmond for many years and they moved it for some reason. At Richmond city Stadium and also played at Virginia union .

 

[catchtds]

I think technology has something to do with the lack of attendance. I would not miss going to states every year until recently. It’s nice not having to drive all that way, save on fuel and not have to deal with the mess that’s in and around liberty. Pay $12 watch all the games around the state, while you watch it in the comfort of your home. Then watch Texas playoff football or other states, some basketball or whatever on nfhs for the next month and cancel it.

Regular season games are going to be like that too. Soon tickets will be $10/p and it will be cheaper to watch from home, especially if you have a family. I think most/all schools will end up having a paid security firm. Tickets may bump up to $12 for regular season.

 

[shsspartan/taknight]

Regular season games are going to be like that too. Soon tickets will be $10/p and it will be cheaper to watch from home, especially if you have a family. I think most/all schools will end up having a paid security firm. Tickets may bump up to $12 for regular season.

Yeah that’s ridiculous, it’s all about the money. Some schools we have to pay for our younger children to get in the gate and others we don’t.

 

[Ampipe_High]

Regular season games are going to be like that too. Soon tickets will be $10/p and it will be cheaper to watch from home, especially if you have a family. I think most/all schools will end up having a paid security firm. Tickets may bump up to $12 for regular season.

It saves money if you have small children or a larger family. Staying at home also removes the obnoxious know it all, let me scream at the officials, players, and coaches style of fan.

For me, there is something about the sounds of a high school game and the smells of the concession food that keep me from subscribing to NFHS.

 

[Bo Bob]

I think we need to look at the venue end of this from a players perspective. If you are HS football player, I imagine you are going to more hyped to go to a larger venue rather then just another HS field. Now Salem for class 1 and 2 is way bigger than the stadiums they play in (exception being Graham) so that is a big deal for them, maybe not like LU is for class 3 and 4 but bigger.
No doubt the hosting venues need to be expected to provide more than just the field though. I'm sure it is a little you get what you pay for too. Pay this much you get the field and small score board, pay this much and you get the jumbo tron too.

 

[redzone4us]

I would like to know the total in attendance because from my view it was pathetic. It’s no need to hold it at Liberty. A good high school stadium would work with vendor trucks. The school must have plenty of bath room facilities and great seating. City stadium surely would have been great and it would have accommodated the fans I saw and still would have had empty seats

Don't know what you were looking at, but Salem side was packed. I like a stadium that is roomy. Hate being squeezed together like sardines.

 

[falcettik]

I think we need to look at the venue end of this from a players perspective. If you are HS football player, I imagine you are going to more hyped to go to a larger venue rather then just another HS field. Now Salem for class 1 and 2 is way bigger than the stadiums they play in (exception being Graham) so that is a big deal for them, maybe not like LU is for class 3 and 4 but bigger.
No doubt the hosting venues need to be expected to provide more than just the field though. I'm sure it is a little you get what you pay for too. Pay this much you get the field and small score board, pay this much and you get the jumbo tron too.

I think the VHSL also has a requirement for space for VIP parking and an area to host all their straphangers and VHSL staffers. A lot of high schools just don't have that type of space or facility.

 

[Raiders Radio]

Geographic center of VA is in good ol’ Buckingham county!!! We’ll gladly host for ya and get ya some piping hot concession stand food if centrality is the issue lol

I have called several games at 78 Knights Road in beautiful downtown Buckingham so I will vouch for you and say it would be a good stadium to host a Class 2 Final. If my dreams came true, it would be Appomattox Raiders at Buckingham Knights and this time we could battle for a Hatchet to go with the Axe.

 

[10iceiceice]

I don't think it's ever been a central location, I think it's about politics and money and the VHSL having it picks. But in true opinion having it in the capital city of Richmond just like they've the state basketball championships.

 

[southbottomU]

I don't think it's ever been a central location, I think it's about politics and money and the VHSL having it picks. But in true opinion having it in the capital city of Richmond just like they've the state basketball championships.

State basketball has been held in Charlottesville and Lynchburg in years past.

 

[MCAthletics]

I think the venues for 1/2 and probably 3/4 should be at ODAC schools like Randolph Macon, Shenandoah University, Bridgewater or Hampden-Sydney. They all have very nice surfaces, about the right size seating to accommodate the fans and most of the players who go onto play college ball will be at one of these schools anyway! I know, I know, your teams stud is going to Nebraska or Michigan or Clemson, etc…but the rest of them are D3 bound.

 

[1MoreHokie]

I think the venues for 1/2 and probably 3/4 should be at ODAC schools like Randolph Macon, Shenandoah University, Bridgewater or Hampden-Sydney. They all have very nice surfaces, about the right size seating to accommodate the fans and most of the players who go onto play college ball will be at one of these schools anyway! I know, I know, your teams stud is going to Nebraska or Michigan or Clemson, etc…but the rest of them are D3 bound.

DIII and ODAC member Roanoke College has revived its football team and will play its games at Salem Stadium FWIW.

 

[MCAthletics]

DIII and ODAC member Roanoke College has revived its football team and will play its games at Salem Stadium FWIW.

I heard that about Roanoke. RMC and SU have great stadiums and turf fields. I think they would be great hosts. Big enough but not so big they look empty. And those ODAC schools would probably appreciate the additional revenue and do concessions right.

 

[Kilroy25]

Most ODAC schools have very limited visitor seating

 

[MCAthletics]

Most ODAC schools have very limited visitor seating

Macon and SU have ample seating for both teams. Especially for class 1/2/3.

 

[MMQP 6.0]

Between a lack of decent food and waiting for what seems like an eternity between games, I burned out on state title games many years ago...

But from what I'm understanding now, they clear out the stadium between games. Am I reading that right??

 

[mike salem]

Between a lack of decent food and waiting for what seems like an eternity between games, I burned out on state title games many years ago...

But from what I'm understanding now, they clear out the stadium between games. Am I reading that right??

They didn't clear out at Liberty, but if you left you had to pay to get back in for the 2nd game. IDK what they did at Salem, it's a lot smaller venue than UVA or LU.

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

They should bring the div 5 and 6 championship games back to Richmond. Access to hwy 95 and 64 makes it easier to travel to. Plus the optics of empty looking stadiums puts Virginia football in a bad light. We don't have the fan base like Texas and Ohio so stop trying to fill 60,000 seat stadiums. I wouldn't mind if they had home games based on rotation. If there is a stadium that is big enough you should be able to host.

 

[ThevinStealberg]

Early I said move it back to Williamsburg, but also Virginia state university Roger field is outstanding place to to play a championship game. Central lotion colonial heights, petersburg and Ettrick Virginia . Also all kinds of restaurants, the mall and easy to get to inter 85,95 and 460. And the vendors are outstanding for games. But the Vhsl are going to do what they want to do.

As a proud VSU Alumni, I 100% support this. Rogers is a decent sized stadium (~13000) and parking is pretty decent on campus. Plus all of the other facts you mentioned.

 

[ThevinStealberg]

They should bring the div 5 and 6 championship games back to Richmond. Access to hwy 95 and 64 makes it easier to travel to. Plus the optics of empty looking stadiums puts Virginia football in a bad light. We don't have the fan base like Texas and Ohio so stop trying to fill 60,000 seat stadiums. I wouldn't mind if they had home games based on rotation. If there is a stadium that is big enough you should be able to host.

Even here in Ohio they play at HoF Stadium in Canton which only seats 23K.

 

[wikki]

But then if ECG or HHS would make a final, people would complain that they are playing on their home field. There isn't a solution that is going to make everyone happy. It is a shame the jumbotron and concessions at LU was subpar. Bring back the good ol days of standing on the fence line because the stadium home of the home team was packed. I know I know, not all higher seeds have the stadium that meets requirements but I do miss that. Btw, to play, coach, or watch my team in a state championship game, travel wouldn't be an issue.

True I don’t think it’s fair for any school to play on their own field. These venues are picked months in advance so not sure how that would play out..

 

[Agibbs757]

They should bring the div 5 and 6 championship games back to Richmond. Access to hwy 95 and 64 makes it easier to travel to. Plus the optics of empty looking stadiums puts Virginia football in a bad light. We don't have the fan base like Texas and Ohio so stop trying to fill 60,000 seat stadiums. I wouldn't mind if they had home games based on rotation. If there is a stadium that is big enough you should be able to host.

Yeah I've been to championship games at Hampton ODU and UVA. I'd have to say Hampton was probably the best size to hold the class 5 and 6 games stands looked filled only problem was bathrooms and concessions. Odu was bad ethier really. But UVA no no no

 

[BigWinners]

When did they get rid of rotating home games for state finals? I remember growing up, BSG hosted several state title games for Powell Valley and Appalachia but I also remember traveling to Nadua HS on the peninsula for a title game. Talk about a drive, like 10+ hours.

 

[DitkaXX]

True I don’t think it’s fair for any school to play on their own field. These venues are picked months in advance so not sure how that would play out..

I get that, but man I remember going to see Heritage play at Spotsy for the title in 1998 and that environment was a 100x better than any of the championship games at Liberty.

 

[wikki]

I get that, but man I remember going to see Heritage play at Spotsy for the title in 1998 and that environment was a 100x better than any of the championship games at Liberty.

Amherst played at Brookville in 1995 against Sherando and it was filled to capacity

 

[MMQP 6.0]

When did they get rid of rotating home games for state finals? I remember growing up, BSG hosted several state title games for Powell Valley and Appalachia but I also remember traveling to Nadua HS on the peninsula for a title game. Talk about a drive, like 10+ hours.

I think it was in '98

 

[wikki]

I think it was in '98

I’ve been attending the state games at LU for over 10 years now because Amherst host the event. The attendance seems to go down each year. The largest crowd was Amherst/Louisa. That was before the expansion at LU. Both bottom halves were filled to capacity. Since then I would say the schools that had good crowds were Richlands, Christiansburg, Salem, Magna Vista, Dinwiddie and Brookville. Granted schools that have to travel far you can understand. Some local schools here that played in states the last 5 years, the crowds were pathetic. I just don’t get it.

 

[MMQP 6.0]

I’ve been attending the state games at LU for over 10 years now because Amherst host the event. The attendance seems to go down each year. The largest crowd was Amherst/Louisa. That was before the expansion at LU. Both bottom halves were filled to capacity. Since then I would say the schools that had good crowds were Richlands, Christiansburg, Salem, Magna Vista, Dinwiddie and Brookville. Granted schools that have to travel far you can understand. Some local schools here that played in states the last 5 years, the crowds were pathetic. I just don’t get it.

That Amherst/Louisa game was a good one. I was there for the Rockbridge game but figured I'd stay around. I have to admit, I still don't understand the call on that late onside kick by Louisa where the Amherst guy called a fair catch and then fumbled it and the whistle blew anyway... then again, I still don't understand how that Salem receiver was called in bounds when he was like 3 yards out of bounds the year before that. So whatever HA!!

I wish we had a stadium where all the titles were played, the way they are done in West Virginia. But that will never happen I'm sure. I'd be fine with Darling Stadium.

 

[EPJr]

is there some rule that Class 6 and 5 have to be played at the same site?

 

[wikki]

is there some rule that Class 6 and 5 have to be played at the same site?

It’s been that way for years. 1&2, 3&4 and 5&6. Two games at different venues.

 

[EPJr]

It’s been that way for years. 1&2, 3&4 and 5&6. Two games at different venues.

BUT is there some rule that Class 6 and 5 have to be played at the same site?

 

[wikki]

BUT is there some rule that Class 6 and 5 have to be played at the same site?

Not sure about a rule but where would they play? I doubt VHSL would have 2 games at two different sites. That seems costly to me