Ohio Stadium to host prep football title games

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By Marc F. Pendleton, Staff Writer Updated 11:44 AM Thursday, July 22, 2010

The state high school football championship weekend is a money-making jewel for the Ohio High School Athletic Association. And it’ll be adorned on Columbus in 2014-15.

The OHSAA announced on Wednesday, July 21, that the championships will remain at Massillon/Canton in Stark County — where it’s been held the last 20 years — through 2013. But the two-day event that features six title games the first weekend of December moves to Columbus and Ohio Stadium the following two seasons.

“We got the perfect storm because we got two very, very good proposals,” said OHSAA Commissioner Dan Ross after an OHSAA site selection committee encouraged an 11-member board of directors that the two locations should split the games for the next six years.

“This was about taking something that we believe is very, very good, and making something that we believe is even better.”

An option to retain the games at the sites for two additional years also is available. The weekend annually pumps $4 million to $5 million into a local economy and nearly a quarter-million dollars to the OHSAA, by far it’s most lucrative sport.

Ironically, Ohio State University was home of the championships from 1983-89 before Stark County made its long host run.

“I think you understand that we’re competitive enough to say that there’s a certain level of disappointment that the games weren’t awarded to us outright,” said John Kiste, executive director of the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.

Count Alter coach Ed Domsitz among those applauding the OHSAA’s decision to centrally locate the games. The Knights have won consecutive Division IV state titles at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium the last two seasons.

“It’s obviously a shorter trip,” said Domsitz, whose 1987 team lost a state semifinal to Steubenville at OSU.

“Nothing against Canton or Massillon, but, I’ll tell you, it is a thrill for the kids to be down on that (Ohio Stadium) field.”

Three games will be played at Ohio Stadium each day, at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

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