Game time

[shooter1]

Game starting time is 7 PM--you arrive early and are on the field at 6:20 PM. Both teams are warming up and a fight breaks out between the two teams.  You notice that #88, #80, and #24 of Blue and #21 and #54 of White were the individuals who were throwing punches. When does your authority start and how will you penalize the situation? Will it have a possible impact on where the ball will be placed for the kickoff?

[FLAHL]

In FL, our responsibility for the game begins when we take the field and that is at least 30 minutes before kickoff.  Our crew takes the field together, usually between 6:55 and 7:00 for our 7:30 kickoffs.

In your situation, we would penalize and disqualify all 5 of the participants in the fight.  4 of the 15 yard fouls would cancel, and the remaining penalty on Blue would be enforced on the KO.

[zoom]

In Connecticut, we are not given authority for the game until the rulebook-specified 30 minutes prior to the game.  If it is CLEARLY before the 30 minute mark, we can't penalize the fouls.  However, I would still note all of the numbers and let both teams know that we will be filing a report.  This will ensure players involved will be penalized (via suspension) at some point after the game.  However, we cannot bar the players from participating in the game. 

If it is 6:25 or later, I am just going to say that they happened within the 30 minute mark and go ahead and penalize all 5 players for fighting...

[prab]

In Connecticut, we are not given authority for the game until the rulebook-specified 30 minutes prior to the game. 

If you have no authority for the game prior to 30 minutes before scheduled game time, why would you choose to arrive on the field prior to that time?

[zoom]

If you have no authority for the game prior to 30 minutes before scheduled game time, why would you choose to arrive on the field prior to that time?

We wouldn't.

[shooter1]

In Kansas, our responsibility begins when we take the field.

[bama_stripes]

In Alabama, we're on the field at least 45 minutes (and usually 60 minutes) before game time, and our authority begins then.  In addition, we station officials at each 45-yard line if both teams are warming up.  Teams are not allowed to use that 10-yard "no-fly zone during warmups.ok

[AlUpstateNY]

It seems consistent, our responsibility, and authority, begins when "we" take the field, either at the recommended standard of 30 minutes before scheduled game time or some adjusted time designated by an appropriate authority. 

Whenever we take the field, we have specific duties to attend to, one of which is taking common sense precautions to prevent scenarios like the sample situation from ever happening.  When both teams are warming up at the same time on opposite ends of the field, establishing a reasonable buffer (to simply avoid opponents running into each other, or other common sense safety issues) seems like a logical and prudent measure. 

When established, such a buffer would again, logically, be inconspicuously monitored and enforced to avoid any potential confrontations.

For those who require specific rule support to justify common sense, NFHS 1-1-6 is intended to be extremely flexible.