Contract with UCO to host state football finals allows flexibility

The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association's contract with the University of Central Oklahoma to host the 11- man state football championships the next three seasons allows some flexibility in case of interruptions, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Back in September, the OSSAA board approved a new three-year agreement with UCO to host its 11- man state football championship sat Want land Stadium in Edmond. The OSSAA signed a one-year agreement for the 2019 season and wanted to continue having a centralized championship site after a successful event.

The agreement is set to start next month and run through 2022, but it does allow some wiggle room in case of disruptions, according to a contract obtained by The Oklahoman. It says if games are unable to be played on the agreed to dates, the agreement will be automatically renewed for one year if both parties agree.

So if the championship games scheduled for December were unable to be played this year, UCO and t he OSSAA could agree to push the agreement back a year and have it run through 2023.

All games are scheduled the first two weekends of December, but t his season will run the first three weekends because of the change in the playoff brackets. The Class 6A-I and 6A-II games will be Dec. 4-5, Classes 5A, 4A, 3A will be Dec. 11-12 and Classes 2A and A on Dec. 18-19.

The OSSAA will pay UCO $8,320 per game for the duration of the contract. Last season, the OSSAA paid UCO $7,500 per contest. UCO will sell concessions at the event and retain all profit, as well as securing employees necessary to operate the facility during the games.

The OSSAA will retain all ticket sales.

For COVID-19 protocols, the contract states the OSSAA will“take all reasonable effort to enforce public health agency recommendations of social distancing of 6 feet per person and recommendations regarding the wearing of cloth face masks.”

The football playoffs are slated to begin next week.