It’s not news to anyone around here to say UD Arena is a great environment for high school games. The arena’s setup makes for a loud environment with a decent crowd in the lower bowl, even if the upper is empty.
That’s a nice thing, especially for modern attendance. Last weekend’s boys state semifinals and finals drew 59,476 fans, an average of 4,956 per session. Russia’s Friday night semifinal against Richmond Heights had 4,256 in attendance and ranked eighth out of the 12 sessions.
Excluding the 2021 tournament with its COVID-era restrictions, that continues a sharp decline. The 2016 state tournament had an attendance of 128,694. Jackson Center lost to Lincolnview 52-39 in a D-IV semifinal on Friday afternoon that year at Value City Arena in front of 10,173 fans.
Attendance had already dropped to a little over 76,000 in 2019, which was the last year Ohio State hosted the tournament. Last year was the first year under normal circumstances UD Arena had hosted the tournament, and attendance was a little over 66,000.
The fact there was no Southwest Ohio team in any of the four state finals on Sunday surely played into this year’s attendance dropping by over 6,000 people.
I can’t blame people in other parts of the state for complaining about it being in Dayton, and not traveling here for it. As somebody who has had to travel to Canton and Akron for state football, baseball and softball numerous times, the drives aren’t fun. (Fun fact: from Shelby County, we’re closer to Ford Field in Detroit by about 25 miles than we are Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton).
But UD rolls out the red carpet for the OHSAA. The university organizes and operates the events well, and it is making financial deals to keep the games here. This year was the second of a three-year contract, and OHSAA executive director Doug Ute hinted another three-year contract is likely to follow.
With the great atmosphere and such welcoming hosts, it probably makes the decision an easy one.
Some continue to argue the tournament should be centrally located in the Columbus area. If Value City Arena is too expensive, one prominent suggestion is St. John Arena.
Sorry to those of who hold nostalgic feelings toward the old home of Ohio State basketball. The place is run down and has seating more cramped and uncomfortable than most high school gymnasiums.
UD Arena, which recently finished the last of its renovations, is immaculate.
I hope it stays here for decades to come — especially if football, baseball and softball stay in Northeast Ohio.
Billing has been the sports editor of the Sidney Daily News since 2017. He can be reached at [email protected].
