GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After months of speculation and swirling rumors, the Florida High School Athletic Association announced on Tuesday the locations for the football state championships for 2021 and 2022.
First, was the not so unexpected return of the Class 1A-3A state championship games to Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee.
Originally, the agreement was agreed to in a three-year deal back in 2019 and was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That agreement has since been renewed for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Gene Cox Stadium boasts seating for 6,500 fans, with high-definition video boards as well as field turf that was installed in the renovations in 2018.
This year’s Class 1A-3A State Championship games will take place December 9-11.
Second, however, was the location of where the Class 4A-8A state championship games would go this year after the original three-year agreement with Daytona Beach signed in 2019 was terminated after one year due to multiple issues the FHSAA saw with the facility when hosting the games in December 2019.
But now we know where and it is huge news for South Florida which has been clamoring to host state championship games in football for a long time now. The last time the South Florida region hosted an FHSAA Football State Championship was in 2006 when it was played at Hard Rock Stadium, formerly Dolphins Stadium, in Miami Gardens.
For Classes 4A-8A, the FHSAA will be taking the state championship games to DRV PNK (pronounced as Drive Pink) Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, which is located on the former site of Lockhart Stadium. DRV PNK Stadium is currently home to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF as well as its developmental soccer teams.
DRV PNK Stadium was opened in 2020, boasting 18,000 seats and offering fans an intimate football viewing experience for the Class 4A-8A state championship events.
The last time the city of Fort Lauderdale itself along with the old Lockhart Stadium hosted an FHSAA state championship game was in 1973 when Hollywood Hills defeated Jacksonville Raines for the Class 4A state championship, then the highest classification for football in Flordia.
The Class 4A-8A State Championship games will take place December 16-19.
“The FHSAA is thrilled to partner with both the Tallahassee and Fort Lauderdale communities to host the 2021 & 2022 Florida High School Football State Championships,” said FHSAA Executive Director, George Tomyn in a press release. “Each location is sure to provide a unique and memorable football championship experience to all participating student-athletes and coaches, as well as their traveling fans.”
The exact days on which each of the classifications will play will be announced closer to the state championship game dates.
Ticket costs for the FHSAA State Championships will be $12 if purchased in advance or $15 if purchased on the day of the game and Spectrum Sports will live stream all eight state championship games from Tallahassee and Fort Lauderdale.
2021 FHSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
TALLAHASSEE
Gene Cox Stadium
Thursday, December 9, 7 p.m. ET
Friday, December 10, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, December 11, 7 p.m. ET
FORT LAUDERDALE
DRV PNK Stadium
Thursday, December 16, 7 p.m. ET
Friday, December 17, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, December 18, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m. ET
