Competitive Balance July tidbits

4Afan

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2001
4,241
3,821
113
Will be interesting to see how this would work for football. Given the one final 8 spot available for private schools that would mean that one private school per class would be inserted to the quarterfinals. It would obviously be a separate bracket for the first two rounds but the amount of private teams varies by class and what if an odd number of privates per class qualify.
 

johnndoe

Senior
Oct 19, 2019
1,240
882
113
Notes here. Looks like some by laws will be proposed this fall.

Idea for Final 8 for State series means 1 private and 7 public for bracketed sports... interesting

"Interesting," you bet!! Furthermore, the participation restrictions for players using athletics-influenced transfer would be a bombshell. Wonder if the latter idea has even been floated for NCAA portal chaos.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4Afan

4Afan

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2001
4,241
3,821
113
"Interesting," you bet!! Furthermore, the participation restrictions for players using athletics-influenced transfer would be a bombshell. Wonder if the latter idea has even been floated for NCAA portal chaos.
I know the NCAA has floated the one time only transfer option, but who knows if that will ever happen.
 

Cross Bones

All-Conference
Aug 19, 2001
53,184
4,238
113
Dont know how I feel about the 1 quarterfinalist proposal. It doesn't really address the issue AND takes opportunities away from private school kids to advance. Is the goal to simply reduce the private school championships OR to have an equitable tournament? Also, I don't know that it has to be across sports as I dont follow enough, but I would leave basketball as is for now (I'd actually reduce the sport to 3 classes).
 

johnndoe

Senior
Oct 19, 2019
1,240
882
113
I know the NCAA has floated the one time only transfer option, but who knows if that will ever happen.
The NCAA attaching no eligibility for post-season games of any kind (CFP. conference championship) for a transfer would effectively close the portal at that level - likely a low probability occurrence, however. With the IHSA, though, no playoff participation or varsity play for transfers might gain approval and put the genie back in the bottle.
 

4Afan

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2001
4,241
3,821
113
Dont know how I feel about the 1 quarterfinalist proposal. It doesn't really address the issue AND takes opportunities away from private school kids to advance. Is the goal to simply reduce the private school championships OR to have an equitable tournament? Also, I don't know that it has to be across sports as I dont follow enough, but I would leave basketball as is for now (I'd actually reduce the sport to 3 classes).
I think the answer to both of your questions is yes. Did a little bit of a deep dive and here's what I came up with. This is just for the most recent seasons for what I feel are probably the 8 most popular team sports, so take it for what it's worth.

For purposes of this board we'll start with football. Private schools accounted for 11/64 teams making the quarters or just over 17%, but 5/8 classes or 62.5% being won by private schools.

For the remaining sports I did private schools who made the Super Sectionals, since it's the equivalent to making the quarters in football.

Boys basketball - 25% of super qualifiers were privates and they won 1/4 titles
Girls basketball - 28% of supers and 1/4 titles
Baseball - 25% of supers and 1/4 titles
Softball - 15.5% supers and no titles
Boys Soccer - 25% supers and no titles
Girls Soccer - 12.5% supers and 1/3 titles
Volleyball - 37.5% supers and 2/4 titles

In total private schools accounted for 62/272 quarterfinal/super sectional qualifiers or 23% and 11/34 titles or 32%.

These are just the factual numbers, interpret them and determine what the competition committee has in mind as you will.
 

CCL65

Junior
Oct 28, 2015
569
275
51
So, if more than one non public school makes the final eight in a given class, are we saying that only one stays and the others are booted? If so, what determines who gets to stay?
 

4Afan

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2001
4,241
3,821
113
So, if more than one non public school makes the final eight in a given class, are we saying that only one stays and the others are booted? If so, what determines who gets to stay?
I interpret it more as the the top 4, at most, non public schools per class would play in what essentially would be their own bracket against each other for the first 2 rounds and the one remaining team from that non public bracket gets a spot in the quarters.

For all other sports I would assume all non publics would have their own regional/sectional and winner gets the spot in the super sectional.
 
Edgy Tim

Latest

  1. 01 Edgy Tim Preview: Week 1 Top Games to Watch
  2. 02 Edgy Tim Watch: WJOL Pigskin Preview Thursdays 6-8PM
  3. 03 Orange & Blue News Intel: Projected Illini football 2026 depth chart
  4. 04 Edgy Tim FREE: 2026 Preseason Chicagoland Top 30 poll
  5. 05 Edgy Tim FREE 2026 Preseason EDGYTIM Class 4A Top 10