CIF Norcal and Socal Regional Finals at Host Schools?

[becoolpt55]

Am I reading this right the Norcal and Socal finals will be March 5th at the host schools?
http://www.cifstate.org/sports/basketball/bb_champ_info
Not a some large regional site?
This is a huge advantage to the Number one seeds....

 

[CW Golden Eagles]

Correct.

 

[colhenrylives]

Just noticed that today. Thought it was a misprint. Wow. Times change.

 

[cptmycpa]

And the bad thing about not playing at a neutral site this far into the post season playoffs is, it will NOT answer questions whose team is better, but RAISE more questions "what if." This is a shame. A big advantage for the home team and the CIF saves money renting out a venue.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

That's such BS. Neutral sites AND I think they dropped the price for admission. They should have "host" high schools in the general vicinity. Deer Valley, Dublin, Albany, Mitty, Berkeley, VCSJ, Kezar, are ALL good enough to host a single Norcal playoff game without having to have home court advantage. Sorry if I'm excluding SJS schools...not too familiar with many home sites in the Sac area. But my point is all the high schools that can hold 2000-3000 people should suffice for a single game. What if a team like BOD's boys and girls make it and are top seeds? They'll probably play at Chabot NEUTRAL

 

[ClayK]

It's really a shame but it's all about money, I'm pretty sure.

1) Host sites are free, so CIF gets its percentage of the gate and does nothing.

2) Renting a neutral site makes sense for multiple games, especially three or more, but on Tuesday, two games is the max.

3) History shows that Saturday is the biggest day for ticket sales, and Tuesday night is very weak in comparison. So why rent a site and then have a relatively small crowd?

This is a byproduct of CIF's push to get winter sports completed sooner, with a three-game week followed by a two-game week (regional finals and state). If you make this decision, you pretty much guarantee home sites for the regional finals.

 

[coach_augie]

It's really a shame but it's all about money, I'm pretty sure.

1) Host sites are free, so CIF gets its percentage of the gate and does nothing.

2) Renting a neutral site makes sense for multiple games, especially three or more, but on Tuesday, two games is the max.

3) History shows that Saturday is the biggest day for ticket sales, and Tuesday night is very weak in comparison. So why rent a site and then have a relatively small crowd?

This is a byproduct of CIF's push to get winter sports completed sooner, with a three-game week followed by a two-game week (regional finals and state). If you make this decision, you pretty much guarantee home sites for the regional finals.

But we're talking about the finals...not anything earlier. Finals should be at a Neutral site..that's what a lot of people are arguing. If Mitty is in the finals, it's too advantageous to have it at Mitty. Why not have it at X high school in the vicinity of Mitty or if Heratigae is in the finals, have it at Los Medanos/Las Positas or deer valley. just seems stupid and if history has shown anything, NCS/CIF makes stupid decisions based on nothing concrete. I get the griping and complaining! lol

 

[basketba11]

Another bad thing is many of these schools can't hold that many fans in their home gyms. So there will be an issue trying to get tickets and I'm sure many sites will have to turn people away. That doesn't sound like a valid option either.

 

[SouthBayHoopFan]

Another bad thing is many of these schools can't hold that many fans in their home gyms. So there will be an issue trying to get tickets and I'm sure many sites will have to turn people away. That doesn't sound like a valid option either.

I'm trying to imagine how much money would be left on the table if the NorCal final is played at Pinewood. Imagine Pinewood winning the CCS Open, and then Mitty at Pinewood for the NorCal Open championship. That game might draw 600 - 800 people, but the gym only holds (maybe) 200 people. Hopefully they can get back to normal next year.

 

[OnBall8]

I'm trying to imagine how much money would be left on the table if the NorCal final is played at Pinewood. Imagine Pinewood winning the CCS Open, and then Mitty at Pinewood for the NorCal Open championship. That game might draw 600 - 800 people, but the gym only holds (maybe) 200 people. Hopefully they can get back to normal next year.

now back in the days before open and even the early years of it, I can remember teams playing off site to accommodate more fans, specifically c-let playing at de la salle and ygnacio valley. But then I also remember Pinewood (even smaller gym than c-let) hosting a semifinal against CN when CN made that run to the finals 3 years ago. so... did the rules change? Is it a case by case basis? Does the school have to approve?

 

[ClayK]

There are guidelines in the CIF Handbook about gym size and hosting Regionals. Of course, those are ignored on occasion, but presumably they would be applied for the finals. I think the requirement for a final is 1,500, and I'm guessing Mitty qualifies. I'm guessing Pinewood doesn't.

If the school doesn't meet the guidelines, then I believe they have to find a site.

 

[norcalbasketball]

Norcal Finals have been at top seed's home court for a few years. This isn't new.

 

[OnBall8]

Norcal Finals have been at top seed's home court for a few years. This isn't new.

false... the open norcal finals have been at Santa Clara University the last 2 years and before that, Sleep Train Arena in Sac for the previous 4 years.
Div 1 has also always been played on a neutral court even after the open era started. You are correct that Div 2-5 finals have been played at home for the last 2 years but that is obviously not what this conversation is concerned with

 

[norcalbasketball]

false... the open norcal finals have been at Santa Clara University the last 2 years and before that, Sleep Train Arena in Sac for the previous 4 years.
Div 1 has also always been played on a neutral court even after the open era started. You are correct that Div 2-5 finals have been played at home for the last 2 years but that is obviously not what this conversation is concerned with

Sorry that is what I meant. Divisions 2-5

 

[OnBall8]

Sorry that is what I meant. Divisions 2-5

this sounds terrible, but with competitive equity in place those are really just average hs games that don't garner the attention that the open and div 1 get so the cif doesn't want to shell out the money for a neutral site. It's obviously not an average game to the girls and families and schools, but I do wonder how the attendance was at these the last 2 years.
Interesting note that I just dug up while looking at past norcal results.... Div 2-5 for the last 2 years (since they started the home site) have all been won by the home team. Now obviously said team got a home game for being the higher seed, but you can't convince me that on a neutral court, out of 8 games, championship settings, that there wouldn't be one single upset. I've watched too much march madness to know that much chalk isn't the norm on a neutral court.