OHSAA agrees to deal keeping State Final in Canton

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. “We are excited to continue to grow this partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 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.