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Making dollars and cents of high school sports

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There are no minor sports. Sports are like surgery. Minor surgery is surgery performed on someone else. When it is on you, it is major.

All professional sports are revenue-producing or they go out of business. If a community can’t support a team, the teams moves or folds. San Diego is an excellent example. Remember the Sockers, the Clippers, the Rockets, the Gulls, the Sea Dawgs, the semi-pro basketball teams, the indoor football teams, women’s professional soccer, etc?

Unfortunately, not all high school sports can or do make money. Those who do make money help support those that don’t.

In this economy we must find ways to make revenue. We are not doing as much as we could.

Our basketball teams have just finished playing in tournaments. The CIF has a point system for every sport. Each game counts as a point. Each tournament counts as only two points. Back in the day all tournaments were double elimination tournaments, two and a barbecue, hence two points.

Basketball coaches found a way around the double elimination by having round robin tournaments and playing for seventh and seventeenth place in tournaments. Hence more games for only two points. However, most teams must play all road games unless they are hosting or co-hosting a tourney.

Ramona used to host boys and girls basketball tournaments, but that takes time and not much money is made. It is easier on coaches to travel than to host a tourney. So the boys and girls teams played over 12 games apiece, but most were on the road. Money was spent but none was made.

The CIF has to change the point system. Instead of 12 road games and one home game in tournament play, give each team 25 points and let them play pre-league home games and make some money. Only count double elimination tournaments as two points. Count the round robin tournaments for what they are.

Ramona supports its teams. Ramona would support pre-season basketball games. Money could be made and parents and fans would not have to travel to Chula Vista, Coronado and the Imperial Valley to see their Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs. The tournaments are being played when many people are doing holiday shopping. It would be a win-win-win-win deal for players, coaches, parents and fans.

Soccer has to make money. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, yet high school soccer does not produce revenue. It did when Bill Pittsford was the coach in Ramona. It did when Val Nelson was the coach in Ramona. It still can.

Basketball and wrestling parents and fans pay to support their teams. Ante up, soccer fans! Play varsity games later in the evening or on weekends. Parents would rather pay admission than take time off work. It is cheaper. If a game cost $10 (and it doesn’t yet), that is cheaper than taking three hours off work.

Soccer is a fall sport in most of the country and in part of this state. Maybe it should be a fall sport. But you can’t blame the weather. Soccer made money when Pittsford was the coach and it was colder then (global warming and all).

With more home games, prices could be cut. Season passes could be sold. Fans could spend less per game and save on travel expenses.

Winter sports could produce more revenue and save on travel expenses. More parents could see more games. More money could be made in the fall and spring, too. Making dollars and cents makes good sense.

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