Football 6A Playofff Format

[Doc Holliday]

Since there's still a bit of down time before the season kicks off, just wanted to throw out something for discussion.

I find the 6A football playoff format interesting in how they're able to mix up match-ups and teams are able to play others that they aren't exactly next to (Wayzata vs. Farmingon, EP vs. Roseville, Maple Grove vs. Eastview, just to name a few).

Obviously, it's a bit easier considering everyone in 6A is a metro team, for the most part, so travel really isn't a big thing. But could something like this work for AA hockey? Would people even want to see this in AA hockey?

I think it could work; perhaps play the 1st or even the 2nd rounds in the sections already as is, and then begin the cross match-ups. But would it even be something people would want to see?

[goldy313]

No.
*6A teams only play 6A teams throughout the year.
*there are only 32 schools in 6A; Cretin and Totino Grace opt up, while Osseo has a co-op that puts them over the limit. That moves 3 schools down to 5A: StMA, Chanhassen, and Park.
*6A football is relatively balanced; only 1 #1 vs. #8 seed game went into running time this year.
*there are only 4 sections in 6A football and the rotation is known in advance.
*once all 32 teams are seeded the bracket is set all the way through to the finals (like NCAA basketball) In football the top 2 teams are on the same side of the bracket and the semi final match ups are 2 vs 9, 1 vs 7, 3 vs 5, and 4 vs 6. (#8 Rosemount lost to #22 Hopkins in the first round)
*all 32 teams are in the metro area
*6A football playoffs are always on Friday meaning no travel on school nights.

I think with only 32 teams all in a pretty small focused area it works but as soon as you expand it beyond 32 or beyond the metro it gets pretty hairy pretty quick. If hockey ever goes to 3 classes I could see it, but not at two.

[HShockeywatcher]

No.
*there are only 32 schools in 6A; Cretin and Totino Grace opt up, while Osseo has a co-op that puts them over the limit. That moves 3 schools down to 5A: StMA, Chanhassen, and Park.

I think with only 32 teams all in a pretty small focused area it works but as soon as you expand it beyond 32 or beyond the metro it gets pretty hairy pretty quick. If hockey ever goes to 3 classes I could see it, but not at two.

I think this conclusion hits the nail on the head and some of the points listed, although I disagree about being from the metro. Football limiting to exactly 32 teams, bumping teams down when others opt up, is the biggest thing that the football system has going for it in my opinion.

Hockey's biggest issue, though, would be limiting itself to only 32 teams. There are roughly 10 opt ups, who would all likely opt up given the chance, which leaves the 22 biggest teams. One would assume there are many teams in the 33-64 range that would want to be in the top class, so limiting to a number would likely be the biggest issue. Even if you did 6 to a section, with 2 byes, and 48 teams in the top class you'd likely run into the same issue.

If you could narrow it down to a number, make 3 classes, and likely have a seeding process throughout, then maybe it'd work. But probably not.