TMC OKs winter tourney formats

With the first rendition of the new MIAA statewide tournament set to get underway next week, the Tournament Management Committee is oozing with confidence that it will go as planned.

On Thursday morning the Tournament Management Committee met in-person at the MIAA Headquarters in Franklin for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed optimism the statewide tournament will get off the ground relatively smoothly.

TMC liaison Sherry Bryant was pleased with how schools have reported scores throughout the fall noting how in the latest update of MIAA field hockey power rankings; only 16 scores total were missing. Still, she cautioned the practice of reporting scores must continue at a high rate to ensure seedings are accurate.

On a similar note, the TMC announced there would be no extension of fall cutoff dates despite the fact the nor’easter that bowled through southeastern Massachusetts has left many schools unable to play for multiple dates.

Instead of pushing cutoff dates back, the TMC built upon its existing policy as it pertains to COVID-19 cancellations where schools that are prevented from reaching the .500 threshold for tournament qualification due to the storm may apply for a waiver to be granted entry into the postseason. The committee will evaluate each situation individually. Burlington athletic director and TMC member Shaun Hart was poignant in noting this is not an open policy.

The most tumultuous moment of the meeting came when discussion arose surrounding GoFan, the MIAA’s new all-online platform for selling tickets during the state tournament. While Bryant and TMC committee chairman Jim O’Leary assured the room that they received positive reviews on the program from other state associations that used it, Wellesley athletic director John Brown expressed strong reservations.

“My district has serious questions,” Brown, who represents District 7, said. “The idea of not having any hard paper tickets does not sit well with a lot of my members.”

A few other members also expressed reservations on the prospect of going to an all-digital service for ticket issuance. While superintendents mentioned to Brown their skepticism of not having an ability to help elderly fans who may not have smartphones, school business offices are hesitant to pre-purchase hundreds of tickets that could provide a remedy for those who were unable to purchase them pregame.

Despite the objections raised about the turn to GoFan, there will be no reversing course. The incorporation of the all electronic-ticket method was part of the financing piece of the statewide tournament that was approved by the TMC and entire school member body back in February of 2020.

Scituate athletic director Scott Paine noted how his school has used FanGo throughout the fall with minimal issues.

The TMC approved all winter sport tournament formats. For MIAA Basketball and Hockey tournaments, all games are hosted by the higher seed up to the final four. There are minimum capacity requirements of 250 fans in the preliminary round and round of 32 and 500 in the round of 16 and round of eight.

The pairings for the fall tournament will be released starting on Sunday with football followed by volleyball Monday, and field hockey and soccer on Tuesday.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3pLZBEV