OHSAA to keep state football finals in Canton through 2026
The Ohio High School Athletic Association and the Pro Football Hall of Fame have announced a new three-year contract that will keep the OHSAA football state championships in Canton at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium through 2026.
The agreement includes two option years. The current three-year contract is set to expire after this week’s state finals.
OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute made the announcement Monday in Canton at the Hall of Fame Luncheon Club.
More: How is Moeller senior doing after being taken to hospital on last play of state semi game?
“We are excited to continue to grow this partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Ute said in a press release. “They have been so good to work with and are just as excited as us to take the next steps with the finals in Canton and have people experience all that the Hall of Fame, the surrounding Hall of Fame Village, and Canton have to offer in addition to state championship football. We also thank Visit Canton for their support of the state championships and appreciate their support to host the games in Stark County.”
After Ohio Stadium in Columbus hosted the state championships throughout the 1980s, the finals moved to Massillon and Canton in Stark County from 1990 through 2013. The finals moved back to The Ohio State University from 2014-16, which was also when Fawcett Stadium in Canton was torn down to build Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, which has hosted the state finals since 2017 except in 2020 due to the pandemic when the finals were hosted in Obetz and Massillon.
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame is proud to partner with Visit Canton and the OHSAA to keep the seven state championship games in Canton for the next three years,” said Jim Porter, Hall of Fame president. “The Hall wants this relationship to continue long into the future. Our staff will look for additional ways to build the weekend into a full community celebration – making the experience even more special for the teams playing in Canton and creating memories that will last a lifetime.”
Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium is a 17,000-seat NFL-caliber stadium that annually hosts the NFL Hall of Fame Game and Enshrinement Weekend, the Black College Football Hall of Fame, and numerous other high school and college football games. It is surrounded by Hall of Fame Village Powered by Johnson Controls, a mixed-use development project, that features shopping, entertainment and dining options.
How to watch this year's finals
No Cincinnati teams advanced to the state finals after Moeller and Anderson fell in the semifinal round, but for football fans who still want to see the games, here’s how.
Tickets for this week’s state championships games are only available online at www.ohsaa.org/tickets.
Pairings are shown with Associated Press state rank. All games are on Spectrum News 1 and OHSAA Radio Network.
Division II - No. 1 Massillon Washington (15-0) vs. No. 3 Akron Archbishop Hoban (13-1), Thursday, 7 p.m.
Division VI - No. 1 Kirtland (14-1) vs. Versailles (13-2), Friday, Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m.
Division III - No. 1 Toledo Central Catholic (15-0) vs. No. 4 Columbus Bishop Watterson (14-1), Friday, 3 p.m.
Division I - Springfield (10-5) vs. No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward (13-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Division VII - No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (15-0) vs. No. 5 Dalton (13-1), Saturday, Dec. 2, 10:30 a.m.
Division V - No. 1 Perry (15-0) vs. No. 2 Liberty Center (15-0), Saturday, 3 p.m.
Division IV - No. 5 Cleveland Glenville (12-2) vs. Kettering Archbishop Alter (12-3), Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: OHSAA to keep state football finals in Canton through 2026
