I spent a fall in Dallas Texas and worked with someone who had tickets to Allen HS football. He took me to a game and it was unbelievable. 700 kids in the Marching band. At halftime there was a kid standing on each yard marker from goal line to goal line and there was 7 rows of them from sideline to sideline.
The cheerleaders, dance squad etc. brought at least 1,000 kids into the event as participants plus the 75-100 kids in uniform. It was a College Football game for a kid from New England.
But what totally blew me away was the playoffs at Jerry's place. 45,000 people to watch two HS teams play football.
That was a college football game both on the field and in the stands.
But I couldn't help but wonder - for most of those kids on the field that might end up being the highlight of their life. Not sure that is a healthy result.