TSSAA: HS Football Championships At Tech A Possibility

The TSSAA would consider the possibility of bringing the high school football championships back to Cookeville upon the completion of Tucker Stadium renovations.

TSSAA Assistant Executive Director Matthew Gillespie said a return has been discussed. Cookeville lost the State Championships in 2021. He said the TSSAA has maintained a strong relationship with Cookeville and Putnam County in the years since.

“They’ve always just gone above and beyond to put the welcome mat out, I guess you could say,” Gillespie said. “And then the hospitality that has been shown there, you know, is second to none with what they’ve been able to do from year one.”

Tech President Phil Oldham told County Commissioners Tuesday night the condition of Tucker Stadium was the main reason the championships left for Chattanooga. Oldham said Tech had talked about a return as soon a renovations are complete in 2026.

Gillespie said TSSAA is currently finalizing a deal to keep the BlueCross Bowl in Chattanooga for the 2025 season.

He said a new and improved Tucker Stadium is a leading factor in making Cookeville an attractive site for the event.

“The facility is certainly one big piece of the puzzle,” Gillespie said. “You look at location. You look at hotels and accommodations and restaurants and other amenities that go along there as well. Certainly, whatever financial arrangement and agreements are in place there is certainly a factor as well, so it’s one piece, but certainly a very important piece.”

Tech Athletic Director Mark Wilson told Commissioners there had been talks of two communities sharing the championships over a multi-year period to save wear and tear on volunteers. Wilson said he talked last week with two TSSAA staffers about a return.

Gillespie said they are looking to move from the typical two-year contracts for the event to four-year deals. He said when the board begins to look into options for hosts after the 2024 championships, they hope to sign a contract with a venue through 2028.

“It also depends on who has interest in doing it for that period,” Gillespie said. “If it’s Chattanooga bidding to extend, as they interested in bidding to extend for four years? If it’s somebody new coming in, do they have that availability or that desire to do it for that long?”

He said the Division II basketball championships are held at Tennessee Tech and that continues to be a fruitful partnership for that event. He said Tech, Cookeville, and Putnam County’s dedication to improvement across the board since the event was first held there has been key in making it an intriguing host.

Cookeville first hosted the championships in 2009.