By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          For two years, the GHSA tried to have smooth state football championships at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

          One year, weather ended things early and most finals were played at home stadiums. The next year, games were played in the middle of the week because of Atlanta United soccer.

          There won’t be similar issues in 2019, because the GHSA announced Tuesday afternoon that the next set of football championships will be played at Georgia State Stadium in Atlanta.

          “We are excited to announce that the GHSA/ Tommy Guillebeau Football State Championships will be held at Georgia State Stadium,” said GHSA executive director Dr. Robin Hines in a GHSA release. “Charlie Cobb at Georgia State University has been tremendously supportive in planning with the GHSA an event that will provide a first class experience for our student athletes and benefit our participating schools. We look forward to our partnership with Georgia State University.”

          Georgia State has played two seasons of football in the converted Turner Field.

          “We thank Dr. Hines and the Georgia High School Association,” said Georgia State athletics director Charlie Cobb. “Georgia State is honored to host the eight GHSA state championships this December. It is exciting for us to know that the culminating point for high school football throughout the state is Georgia State Stadium. Our staff will showcase a first-class experience for the players, coaches, and fans of the participating teams.”

          The stadium used to be Turner Field, and was converted to a football/multi-use facility after the Atlanta Braves moved to Marietta. Georgia State has played two seasons in the facility, which has also hosted high school games.

          The school bought the stadium for $30 million, and it became the centerpiece for development in that area, including a baseball facility that brings the Georgia State baseball program to within a mile of campus after years at Panthersville.

          It’s not a shocking development.

          Hines said at the GHSA’s executive committee meeting in Macon last month that the prohibitive cost, among other things, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was forcing the association to consider alternatives.

          He said at the time that Georgia State was very interested.

          The cost to play at the new domed facility was more than double that of playing at the Georgia Dome, with more red tape to go through for almost any need.

          The payout to teams participating in the 2018 finals was so poor, Hines subsidized $250,000 to those teams, and said the association couldn’t afford for that to be a regular solution.

          Georgia State Stadium seats about 25,000 for football, and is a substantially more intimate setting than Mercedes-Benz, which seats more than 70,000, similar to the old Georgia Dome. It’s still unlikely that any fans will be turned away, barring the rare perfect matchup, perfect weather, and perfect kickoff time.

          There are concerns about the weather, but it’s notable that most northern and Midwestern states play their championships outside.

          The only dome in New England is the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.

          Minnesota, Indiana, and Michigan have large-stadium football domes, and Iowa plays its finals in Northern Iowa’s 16,000-seat UNI Dome. but there are none in Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, and Nebraska, among other cold-weather states.

          Hines has been adamant about keeping the finals in one spot for television and sponsorships.