Marc Narducci: Make football playoffs fan-friendly

A few years ago, the NJSIAA realized how ridiculous it was to have South Jersey public-school teams play their football championship games at a neutral site in North Jersey. So different rules were made for teams from the South.

The South Jersey public-school finals are held at the site of the higher seed. The teams have the option of playing the championship game on a Friday if both schools agree. If not, the game is played on a Saturday afternoon.

This year, two of the sectional finals will be played on Friday and two on Saturday. The South Jersey Group 3 final, between second-seeded Hammonton and top-seeded Shawnee, and the Group 2 championship, between second-seeded West Deptford and top-seeded Delsea, will take place on Friday.

The Group 4 game, between sixth-seeded Southern Regional and top-seeded Mainland, will be played at 1 p.m. Saturday, and the Group 1 final, between fifth-seeded Penns Grove and third-seeded Glassboro, will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Southern Regional and Penns Grove objected to playing on Friday night. We have just two words to say to Southern Regional and Penns Grove: thank you.

Now the South Jersey football fan can see at least two public-school championship games in two days. And if the local fan is really into it, there is always the chance to watch Holy Cross play Hudson Catholic at 11 a.m. Sunday at Rutgers in the Non-Public Group 2 final.

Three games in three days is a bonanza for the local fan. But if there is ever a time to get a little greedy, now is it.

That is why we wish all four public-school games could be seen by the diehard sports fan.

Maybe it's just sportswriters who want to see all four public-school games, but we suspect there are a few South Jersey football fanatics who would take in all four if they had the chance.

There should be a rule change in which all four South Jersey public-school games would be played on neutral fields in South Jersey.

Have two on a Friday at 5 and 8 p.m. and two on a Saturday afternoon.

There are enough artificial-turf fields in South Jersey where this could be set up, and the teams and, more importantly, their fans wouldn't have to travel an inordinate amount of time.

These are supposed to be showcase events, the culmination of a season the fans have been following since early September.

So why not give the fans the chance to see all the championship games?

All the proceeds go to the NJSIAA after expenses. So why wouldn't the NJSIAA want to have the most fans as possible at the games?

Look at the high school basketball tournament, where all the state finals are played at one site. That means fans don't have to pick and choose which games to attend.

Why should football be different?

Make the final week of the South Jersey season a football jamboree. Imagine if Southern Regional and Penns Grove had opted to play on Friday. The football fan would then have had to choose among four games.

This is the time of year when teams compete furiously for championships. The fans shouldn't have to do the same to choose the best game to attend.