Vernon,
Good morning to you.
A couple of questions I would add to your matrix would be;
-Who is the customer?
-Where will the video be viewed?
-How often will the video be viewed?
Aside:
Is the ‘football’ that game where the players wear body armour and cash helmets or is it the one with the round ball where most games end 0-0? Maybe it is that football game that originated in Rugby, England ……
If the video is to be played back on a regular basis to a discerning audience then go for a Grade A camera, if it is to be used for coaching the team then a utility camera will suffice. Collating clips of various aspects of the game will be more important than colour matching. If the video is for friends who will watch it once or twice and then ‘put it in the drawer’ then the camera is only recording memories which will never be broadcast.
As to touchline v gallery; if the video is for coaching purposes then record from the gallery every time. The camera zoom will be more than sufficient as the focus of the recording will be on the wider view of the game to capture the various match play options. Additionally, anyone videoing from the touchline will run the risk of capturing all the extraneous audio coming from the spectators, some/all of which may need to be edited out!!
The other concern about videoing on the touchline will be the loss of concentration whilst recording due to the ‘distractions’ that may be around on the touchline. This could lead to a loss of key moments in the game. Video recording a game is a lonely occupation!!
Finally, touchline recordings will only have any real perspective in an arc of about 35m, beyond that distance all relative positions of the players will be lost.
Light levels for evening games; is there a minimum Lux level set for pitch lights for evening games, there is here in the UK; 200 Lux for matches, 100 for training sessions. This may help you decided on the sensitivity specification for the camera.
[See para 17.2.8 in
http://www.rfu.com/TheGame/Regulations/GameRegulations/17Grounds.aspx]
Will your friend’s College have a radio mic kit that the referee uses to relay his/her decision to the PA system for the crowd? If yes, then is it possible to get hold of a second receiver [a scanning receiver may do] and connect it to the camera input. Yes, I should have added to the matrix that the camera should have an external mic input. Having the referee comments recorded will make the video more interesting and enjoyable.
Apologies for rambling on for so long, but I hope this helps,
Gerry
. But he is trying to keep costs low, but quality up. I know this is asking for beer from the water fountains, a solution for world hunger, and peace in our time. But I need to ask. I also know that there are some cameras which perform better than others under certain circumstances. I have a Canon HV30, but I worry about the lack of zoom. Also, since it is a high school field, who knows how good the lighting would be. 
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