ARLINGTON -- Once the 2015 UIL State football championships in Houston drew nearly 100,000 less spectators and brought in a $1 million less revenue, it was only a matter of time before the 2016 UIL State football championships moved back to the home of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
In a news conference Thursday, the UIL and AT&T Stadium formally announced the 2016 State finals for Class A through Class 6A will be back in North Texas Dec. 14-17. A national record crowd of more than 54,000 spectators watching Allen defeat Pearland in the Class 6A state final.
“The UIL Football State Championships will be bigger and better than ever this year at AT&T Stadium, with all 12 games in the same week in one location,” said UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt. “The UIL is excited to showcase the best high school football in Texas at AT&T Stadium during the football finals for an outstanding championship experience.”
The State championships will also be at AT&T Stadium for 2017, marking the first time the UIL has made a two-year agreement with a venue.
"When yuou change venues year to year, it's tough, especially when you have something this size," UIL Director of Athletics Dr. Susan Elza told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "We have a lot of setup and coordination and it just makes sense."
At NRG Stadium last December, the UIL was charged $450,000, nearly three times the rental fee at AT&T Stadiu, While AT&T drew 250,000 in three days at AT&T Stadium, the Houston championships drew approximately 150,000 last December. The UIL moved the games to Houston after an NFL scheduling conflict with the Cowboys. Houston, San Antonio and Arlington are the only three cities with a domed venue large enough to host the event.
Nearly all State championship games (except some lower classes) have been played at AT&T Stadium since 2011.
The first State championships were held in 2010 at AT&T a year after it opened. But the Cowboys have a long history with Texas high school football. More than 600 regular and playoff games since 1970 have been played at the ho
"For almost four decades the Cowboys have been involved in hosting high school football going back to Texas Stadium in the 1970s, " Cowboys Chief Operating Officer Stephen Jones said. "We transformed that tradition at AT&T Stadium.. We had four years (at AT&T) hosting the UIL state championships and over a million people through the doors here in Arlington. A tradition we are very proud of and want to be involved with.'
Stephen Jones, UIL VP and Deputy Director announce UIL State Championships are coming back to @attstadium. pic.twitter.com/R5K7zhiaYj
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) May 26, 2016
