Columbus Crew, OHSAA promoting Friday Night Futbol

COLUMBUS – There will be a new form of high school sports highlighted on a Friday night. The Ohio High School Athletic Association has partnered with the Columbus Crew to encourage high schools across the state to change their first soccer games to Friday, Aug. 21, in effort to help create the OHSAA’s Friday Night Futbol.

The initiative will permit games to be played a day earlier than the traditional Saturday start in an effort to promote soccer on the same level as football and other popular sports.

“There is no charge, no lengthy forms and no donation. We simply want to help promote high school soccer,” OHSAA assistant commissioner Jerry Snodgrass said in a press release announcing the statewide initiative.

The initiative has a few goals in mind. The OHSAA is working to provide an opportunity for high school soccer teams to get the publicity and recognition that high school football teams receive during Friday nights. They also want to get the high school bands and cheerleaders involved because most bands are concluding camps and is a good time to showcase their skills before the football season begins.

To do this, the OHSAA is allowing any participant in the Friday Night Futbol to extend their halftime to 15 minutes to accommodate a band show.

“It is the first week of school for the majority of Ohio, and kids are going to be looking for something to do on Friday night with no football game. Most of the students attend games because it is a social event. This will give them the opportunity to attend a game they normally would not and socialize with friends,” Snodgrass said.

Each school that hosts a Friday Night Futbol game will receive two tickets to a Crew game on Sept. 26 against the Portland Timbers at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus.

The Crew also is offering to host games at MAPFRE Stadium during Friday Night Futbol.

“It is very likely that there will be some games played at MAPFRE Stadium, and it is likely that there will be multiple games throughout the day. The Crew have been very supportive of promoting soccer in Ohio. We play our state championship games there and now they want to host some Friday Night Futbol games,” Snodgrass said.

The Crew are also hosting a high school night promotion where high school students can receive $10 off of face value tickets. It is also $1 beverage and $1 brat night and a post-match crossbar challenge will be held on the main field. That promotion will be on the same day as the tickets provided to each school.

Interested schools are encouraged to contact the OHSAA.

jfurr@gannett.com

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Twitter: @JakeFurr11