AJC Varsity
Vote: Where should the GHSA host high school football state championships?
Which matters most: experience or payout? Coaches are divided.
Bowdon captains prepare to meet Lincoln County for the coin toss during the Class A Division II GHSA football championships at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, in Atlanta. The GHSA moved the games to a neutral site — away from high schools’ home fields — in 2008. (Jason Getz/AJC 2025)
10 hours ago
For the first time, the Georgia High School Association lost money on the football state championships in 2025.
The financial deficit reignites a decades-long question: Where is the optimal place to host the finals?
And the debate involves a laundry list of considerations, including atmosphere, payouts and travel.
The GHSA moved the games to a neutral site — away from high schools’ home fields — in 2008.
In 2022, when the games were played at Georgia State, participating teams got an average $21,068 paycheck despite about one-third less attendance. For games played at Mercedes-Benz, teams get less than $10,000, in part because rent is much higher than other neutral site options.
Where do you stand on the debate? Vote below.

