State Championship Sites

[TarVikes]

Every alternative option has been from the fan perspective.

I’d be willing to bet the players would rather travel a little further to play at NC State, UNC or Duke than to play at UNCC or A&T.

 

[btango]

Every alternative option has been from the fan perspective.

I’d be willing to bet the players would rather travel a little further to play at NC State, UNC or Duke than to play at UNCC or A&T.

I think the kids like the idea of playing at State or UNC. I think they may prefer a night game in the smaller venue packed out if they were able to compare.

I was at some state title games when we played at the schools and there was good and bad. At the end, safety/crowd control, and fairness for the visiting team were the biggest reasons the idea gained steam back in the early 1980's. Mack Brown made it come together when he was at UNC the first time.

 

[Tarboro Vikings fan 2018]

Oh I know the kids love playing at Carolina and NC State. I just always hate how these big stadiums swallow up the crowds. But I'll also look at it from a player's perspective, very few of these players that will be competing in state championships next weekend will get a chance to go big time. So for the players it's something they can always remember for the rest of their life that they got to play on a division one college football field and be on TV.

 

[KW2346]

I say just have 1a game at Tarboro they are in it every year

 

[ReidsvilleRam90]

Is there a 1A player that is being heavily recruited by Mack Brown? I would love for them to pull a few strings and swap the 1A and 2a games.

 

[HowerinJr]

Does Wake and Duke being private cause any problems for the NCHSAA as far as booking the field?

I’m not sure what you mean by booking the field, but if anyone is getting money out of the deal, it’s the association. Hosting the championship games is a statewide recruiting advantage and the colleges with the largest athletic budgets can afford to pay more for the privilege. Being public/private has no relevance. It’s who can scratch the largest check.

 

[DaBluePrint1]

I miss the days when all championships were at one site on one day. It was an all day event with the 1st game at 11:00 and the late game at 9 or so..it was a long day. But such great football. Just 4 games no subdivisions. This took place at UNC. I remember going to several in the late 90's- early 2k's...Pay your $10 and watch all games til you decided to leave.

 

[vikandpirate4christ]

I miss the days when all championships were at one site on one day. It was an all day event with the 1st game at 11:00 and the late game at 9 or so..it was a long day. But such great football. Just 4 games no subdivisions. This took place at UNC. I remember going to several in the late 90's- early 2k's...Pay your $10 and watch all games til you decided to leave.

Those days were indeed fun

 

[btango]

I’m not sure what you mean by booking the field, but if anyone is getting money out of the deal, it’s the association. Hosting the championship games is a statewide recruiting advantage and the colleges with the largest athletic budgets can afford to pay more for the privilege. Being public/private has no relevance. It’s who can scratch the largest check.

Due to some state rules there are reimbursement for employees that work the event but the school gets parking. Do not think it is really a school thing.

Duke and Wake have been the most supportive especially Wake when they first got the games.

NC State torn down the field house two weeks before the title games in 2005. Remember the teams dressing in tents on top of the hill where the Murphy Center is now. Had the big blower heaters. State would not put off the tear down for 12 days. Should have moved them that year.

Four title games you can get by with one venue playing a game on Friday night. That should be either the largest attendance expected game or the teams that are nearest the venue. More than four you need two and seven or more it makes sense to go to three but it can be done with two. Three games on Saturday requires a noon start at the latest. 3:45 should be the secon game and 7:30 the third but that is still tight and would be a logistical nightmare at Wake if they only allowed the field house to be used for dressing rooms.

 

[btango]

If my memory serves me correctly in 2004 we played in the second game at nc state and they didn't have a second dressing room either. I remember standing outside of the dressing room waiting for Swain to come out so we could go in and also a nice little stare down with the WRH players as they walked to the other side to wait to get in to theirs as well. A lot may have changed since then though i'm sure

There are five dressing rooms at Carter Finley now. The old field house was torn down 12 days prior to the 2005 title games and the players dressed in tents on the opposite end of the field.