with IHSAA Commissioner Blake Ress

In a recurring feature, VYPE Associate Managing Editor Rich Torres sits down with IHSAA Commissioner Blake Ress to discuss the issues facing the state's athletic sanctioning body with winter sports finalized and spring sports under way. Torres: The 2008-09 high school sports season has been a tremendous success. Numerous IHSAA state tournament series attendance records have been broken, and it appears fan interest is on the rise. Has the IHSAA seen an increase in revenue and ticket sales as a result? Ress: I think the economy is affecting us a little bit at the lower levels (in the state tournaments) as we look at paid attendance, but we've been fortunate that there have been so many good teams with high interest in them that our state championship attendance has really been up. I think people are sacrificing in some cases to attend games because they're so interested in the teams, and there have been great matchups. I also think the novelty of Lucas Oil Stadium (for the girls basketball and football state finals) has helped us a little bit as well. Overall though, I think interest in high school sports is increasing. Torres: Speaking of the economy, several businesses and organizations across the state have felt the repercussions of the nation's unstable economic climate. Has this trying environment affected the IHSAA? Ress: The economy does impact us. It impacts us at the grassroots level. We've been fortunate to have some corporate sponsors that have been very loyal to us, but as far as locating and picking up additional sponsorships to assist, that's been tougher. Some people are cutting back on their advertising dollars. I'm not sure that's smart because that may be when you need to advertise more when things are tough, but at the same time, that's one of the things some companies have cut out and feel they can do without. We've been getting along pretty well, but I do think the economy does have some impact on you. Torres: Recently, there have been discussions that the IHSAA might need to relocate its basketball and football state finals outside of the city of Indianapolis due to cost. What are your thoughts on this matter? Ress: I don't think people realize how fortunate we are here in Indiana because we do have great venues. A lot of states play their state championships in high school gymnasiums because they either don't have quality venues or they're not located anywhere near the center of the state. Here, Indianapolis is in the center of the state and has some of the best venues. Now, the cost of those venues is an issue, and that's the reason our ticket prices are as high as they are, at least at the state level, in order to afford those venues. I'd like to get them for free, but it doesn't work that way. Torres: Earlier this year, a proposal from the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association to reduce all sports with a four-class format, in particularly basketball, to three was dropped by the IHSAA executive committee after reviewing the results from a statewide principals' survey. In your opinion, what hindered support for this particular proposal? Ress: The athletic directors had 58 percent supporting the three-class proposal, but when we surveyed the principals, it was almost the exact opposite. It won't be brought to a vote by the board because of the results of the survey. I think the longer the proposal was out there, the longer the schools looked at it and evaluated it. At best, it would have been 50/50. When you analyzed the whole thing, it would have helped about 50 percent of the schools and hurt 50 percent. That's why I think it didn't get the legs to go on. There are legitimate arguments for it. It would have cut down some on transportation. It would have provided for four-team sectionals, which could have been played on Fridays and Saturdays, but you would need more referees, which means the quality could have decreased in some cases. When it really comes down to the nitty-gritty, the question of 'how it affects my school competitively,' is more important than any of those other things. Torres: In regards to officials, is there a growing concern at the IHSAA over the potential need to replace the several accredited referees who are approaching retirement? Ress: I don't think we have any problem with the sports that people think of most often. In basketball, there are plenty of officials. In baseball and softball, we have plenty of umpires. We don't have many issues in volleyball, but sports like wrestling, gymnastics and to some degree swimming along with soccer, we're still short somewhat. We don't have many extras, but as officials see opportunities, they seem to come back. I wish we had more, but not at the risk of quality. Torres: Looking ahead, next year will mark the 100th IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals. Is the IHSAA planning anything special for this historic milestone? Ress: I think we do have to do something to celebrate 100 years of the high school basketball tournament in Indiana. (IHSAA Communications Director) Chris Kaufman is putting together a committee to do some special things. We don't know exactly what that is going to be yet, but we're working on it. We want to do something to make it special and unique. -