State final attendance from the 1970s

[colbert]

All the talk about attendance got me looking back to when the playoffs first started up with five classifications at ISU.
Head count from 1974-78, ranged from 3,611 (1974 1A) to 9,064 (1975 3A). Metamora was biggest draw of the time, attracting crowds of 8,000-9,000 in 3A state finals ('75 vs Geneva, '76 vs Geneseo, '77 vs Geneseo).
Only two other games (1975 4A between JCA and Springfield Griffin and 1975 5A between Boylan and Deerfield) were over 8K.

 

[tomloner]

With the Mayor Daley Youth Foundation sponsoring the Prep Bowl game and city employees selling or giving away tickets, huge crowds continued to jam Soldier Field as late as 1970, when 65,735 fans watched Marek help lead St. Rita past Lane Tech 12-8.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-11-29-9811290273-story.html

 

[colbert]

The Prep Bowl was still king when the playoffs got off the ground. The first couple years did not feature a Chicago Catholic team. St. Laurence did win 5A in '76 and St. Rita the same in '78.
I'm trying to recall if Chicago schools opted for the Prep Bowl over the IHSA playoffs, because it was more prestigious. Kinda like the NIT once being more popular than the NCAA tourney.

 

[MC63]

Back in the day, the Chicago Park District was a huge operation with a massive workforce. Each employee had to purchase ten Prep Bowl tickets. They could sell them or give them away, but they were expected to go to persons who would actually attend the game
.
We didn't call it the Prep Bowl, but rather, the "City Championship."

 

[MC63]

BTW, there is a book written on the history of Soldier Field: "Soldier Field: A Stadium and its City" by Liam T.A. Ford.

It is fascinating. Google it.

 

[mc140]

The Prep Bowl was still king when the playoffs got off the ground. The first couple years did not feature a Chicago Catholic team. St. Laurence did win 5A in '76 and St. Rita the same in '78.
I'm trying to recall if Chicago schools opted for the Prep Bowl over the IHSA playoffs, because it was more prestigious. Kinda like the NIT once being more popular than the NCAA tourney.

Catholic league did not join the IHSA until 1975.