OT: Nebraska HS softball causing a ruckus.

[nja13]

Disparity between high school softball and baseball tournaments inspired this story:

The Stark Disparity Between High School Softball and Baseball in America Is Impossible to Ignore

Women's fastpitch softball has steadily climbed in popularity over the years. We've seen the Women's College World Series set record viewership numbers years o

www.si.com

 

[realbp]

I've never been to the state softball tournament, but I assume it's highly attended?

Looking at the balance sheet provided in the article, baseball makes more money than softball. Are they contending that softball would make more money if played only in college facilities? If so, I think they are overlooking the additional expenses associated with not being able to utilize a free facility that leverages volunteers for the initial rounds of the tournament.

What am I missing?

 

[Baron Winnebago]

I think the real question is why do they shell out money for sparsely attended college and pro stadiums for other sports when a much cheaper high school facility will suffice?

But maybe it's heavily discounted to use memorial stadium for football.

 

[Cavalot]

I think the real question is why do they shell out money for sparsely attended college and pro stadiums for other sports when a much cheaper high school facility will suffice?

But maybe it's heavily discounted to use memorial stadium for football.

Having coached in Memorial stadium 3 times. I can tell you it's a special experience. But I understand what you are saying. Looking up into the stands it seems so vacant. Even with 5-10K fans showing up. Not sure what other venue could handle that. Maybe Kearney?

It would change the experience having it somewhere else.

On a side note. It would be nice to have decent locker rooms at Memorial. Teams are basically holed up in crappy storage areas that once were locker rooms for the pre- Devaney era I presume. We get some folding chairs, a taping table. A small white board, and some dripping showers. LOL. Field is awesome though.

 

[Soda Popinski]

So we’re unhappy that the tournament is done in four days, and that they drive to Lincoln from Hastings to play at Bowlin stadium?

 

[Frogsker30]

Having coached in Memorial stadium 3 times. I can tell you it's a special experience. But I understand what you are saying. Looking up into the stands it seems so vacant. Even with 5-10K fans showing up. Not sure what other venue could handle that. Maybe Kearney?

It would change the experience having it somewhere else.

On a side note. It would be nice to have decent locker rooms at Memorial. Teams are basically holed up in crappy storage areas that once were locker rooms for the pre- Devaney era I presume. We get some folding chairs, a taping table. A small white board, and some dripping showers. LOL. Field is awesome though.

I was in a state game back in 2011. Our medium sized class b team could barely move in the locker room. Some Underclassmen used shower stalls as their lockers

 

[nja13]

I've never been to the state softball tournament, but I assume it's highly attended?

Looking at the balance sheet provided in the article, baseball makes more money than softball. Are they contending that softball would make more money if played only in college facilities? If so, I think they are overlooking the additional expenses associated with not being able to utilize a free facility that leverages volunteers for the initial rounds of the tournament.

What am I missing?

You’re missing nothing. You are essentially agreeing with the way they currently run it. The gist of the article is that it’s not fair to the girls, and that making decisions based on finances isn’t right.

 

[realbp]

You’re missing nothing. You are essentially agreeing with the way they currently run it. The gist of the article is that it’s not fair to the girls, and that making decisions based on finances isn’t right.

It's not like the NSAA is raking in the funds.

 

[nja13]

I have a hard time taking softball seriously when it seems that the people who run softball don't take it seriously.
I am talking more about summer softball than NSAA school softball.

The district tournament is one of the first tournaments of the season they play. There are, I don't know, let's say 10 teams in a district tournament. The top three finishers will qualify for the Class B tournament at the end of the year. The next four teams in places 5-8 will qualify for the Class C state tournament. Then there are like 24 teams or something in the state tournament.

They're not playing to determine a champion. They are trying to get as many teams as possible to state so they can make money.

On the other hand, in Legion baseball, they district tournament is at the end of the season. Classes are determined by the size of the schools represented. Only the district champion qualifies for state. The state tournament is eight teams, just like most sports. There are things to complian about with the Legion program, but they run the championship system like it should be.

By comparison, summmer softball seems to be run by people who don't really pay attention to other sports and are more interested in handing out participatoin trophies and selling T-shirts.

To put it in a more sexist manner, baseball seem like it’s run by dudes who know sports, while softball is run by a bunch of moms.

 

[alt f4]

Disparity between high school softball and baseball tournaments inspired this story:

The Stark Disparity Between High School Softball and Baseball in America Is Impossible to Ignore

Women's fastpitch softball has steadily climbed in popularity over the years. We've seen the Women's College World Series set record viewership numbers years o

www.si.com

Baseball doesn't have to be played at a complex, it can be played at several fields with teams playing a single game a day. Softball must be at a complex for the teams to play 2-3 games in a single day. That limits the options in the state to 3.

There was talk about Sandhills Global complex in Lincoln, but it was already booked a year out for a USSSA youth softball tournament. There is significant cost increase moving it to Lincoln.

 

[nja13]

Baseball doesn't have to be played at a complex, it can be played at several fields with teams playing a single game a day. Softball must be at a complex for the teams to play 2-3 games in a single day. That limits the options in the state to 3.

There was talk about Sandhills Global complex in Lincoln, but it was already booked a year out for a USSSA youth softball tournament. There is significant cost increase moving it to Lincoln.

That makes sense. Though that was one of the compalints in the article, that state baseball gets to be spread out over a week, while softball is jammed into a couple of days requiring 2/3 games a day.
And I understand the difference in pitching limits between the two sports (though they complain that is overblown as well.)

 

[alt f4]

That makes sense. Though that was one of the compalints in the article, that state baseball gets to be spread out over a week, while softball is jammed into a couple of days requiring 2/3 games a day.
And I understand the difference in pitching limits between the two sports (though they complain that is overblown as well.)

If you look at softball Class B and Class C there are several central/western teams in state every year. Baseball is typically Omaha and a Lincoln area schools.

Travel/hotels is factored into this as well.

 

[Cavalot]

I have a hard time taking softball seriously when it seems that the people who run softball don't take it seriously.
I am talking more about summer softball than NSAA school softball.

The district tournament is one of the first tournaments of the season they play. There are, I don't know, let's say 10 teams in a district tournament. The top three finishers will qualify for the Class B tournament at the end of the year. The next four teams in places 5-8 will qualify for the Class C state tournament. Then there are like 24 teams or something in the state tournament.

They're not playing to determine a champion. They are trying to get as many teams as possible to state so they can make money.

On the other hand, in Legion baseball, they district tournament is at the end of the season. Classes are determined by the size of the schools represented. Only the district champion qualifies for state. The state tournament is eight teams, just like most sports. There are things to complian about with the Legion program, but they run the championship system like it should be.

By comparison, summmer softball seems to be run by people who don't really pay attention to other sports and are more interested in handing out participatoin trophies and selling T-shirts.

To put it in a more sexist manner, baseball seem like it’s run by dudes who know sports, while softball is run by a bunch of moms.

Summer softball at the state level in nebraska is for towns that do not have highly competitive select teams. It is much different at the HS level as far as state tourney goes.