Shrine Classic Attracts Sellout Crowd : Football: The new format shifting from intrastate to interstate competition is a hit with fans. California beat the Texas team 6-0.

For the members of the Shriners organization, it was a fourth down and goal-line situation.

The 45-year-old California Shrine All-Star Football Classic was in jeopardy because of dwindling fan interest and the resulting loss in revenue.

So the Shriners called on their secret weapon: a format change.

The high school all star game’s traditional Northern California versus Southern California structure was scrapped for an interstate contest between California and Texas.

The play, which was implemented July 22 at the Shrine Classic held at Cal State Fullerton, scored big with fans and the game’s future appears to be safe.

For now.

“The game was a success from the standpoint of the spectators,” said Nate Grosher, managing director of the Shrine Game. “The economic facts and figures will not be available until next week but, at this moment, everything looks good.”

California won the game, 6-0, before a capacity crowd of 10,000, which was double last year’s attendance.

“This was the first sellout in the nine years I’ve been here,” Grosher said. “We wanted to fill the stadium and be forced to find larger quarters next year.”

The Shrine Game was held at sporting venues such as the Coliseum and the Rose Bowl in the 1950s.

Budget problems forced the game to be played in smaller arenas such as Citrus College in Glendora and Veterans Stadium, last year’s site, in Long Beach.

“Based on this year’s turnout, it looks like it would be advisable to have a larger stadium next year,” Grosher said.

Grosher admits that switching gears from an all-California game to an interstate showdown was a last-ditch effort to preserve the Shrine Game.

“The change in format has created the interest we hoped for,” Grosher said. “We worked about three years to get [the change] into fruition. There was a sense of urgency because our goal is to raise money for charity. We were concerned about raising interest and money.”

Even the Texans were pleased with the game’s outcome.

“I think it was a big success based on the positive response and good news coverage we received in California and Texas,” said Joe Cole, the Texas team’s general chairman. “We will do it again next year.”

Next year’s game will probably change venues but not locale.

“Since the Shriners’ temple here in Los Angeles sponsors the game, I don’t think it will be played in Texas in the near future, but it could,” Grosher said. “In addition, there is a lot of work that goes into these games and some people from Texas didn’t realize the extent that this organization goes to to promote this game.”

A new format was not the only difference in this year’s Shrine Game. There were also rules changes.

“In the past, I took all the high school all-star rules and came up with my own set for this game,” said Nick Thomas, general chairman of the Shrine Game. “Texas plays by NCAA rules, so I combined them to find a happy medium.”

As opposed to the wide-open play allowed under NCAA guidelines, the two teams were more restricted.

For instance, linebackers were not allowed to stunt [anticipate the offensive play and move before the snap]. In fact, both teams aligned in a straight 50 set--a basic five-man front with two or three linebackers--on defense.

Offensively, players in motion had to clear the tackles before making a block.

“We wanted to make the game wide open, which is ironic because the score was low,” Thomas said. “We played 12-minute quarters because we didn’t think the players were prepared to go the standard 15 under NCAA regulations.”

Despite changes made to improve game play, there had to be a sense of rivalry between the two squads in order for the new format to be successful.

“This was one of the best games in terms of rivalry that I’ve ever seen,” Grosher said.

That feeling of team superiority was tossed back and forth by both teams leading up to the game.

During the week, players exchanged words at luncheons and workouts.

These emotions eventually boiled over on the field as several fights erupted, resulting in a number of unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties.

“The Texas team was talking all week but all I could say was, ‘Look at the scoreboard,’ ” said former Loyola High tackle Matt Pentecost, who will attend UCLA in the fall.

The Shrine Game will be held next season. After that, it’s up to the Texans.

Said Grosher: “There will always be this type of game as long as they are interested.”