NCHSAA Looking To Bring State Football Championships Back to Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium

Plans are in motion to bring high school football championships to Charlotte's NFL venue this fall. The city hasn't seen state finals since 1987, when games took place at Memorial Stadium.

"We have had some discussions with the Panthers and are still in discussions with the Panthers about football," NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker said at the Region 6 meeting at Cabarrus Events Center, per The Charlotte Observer. "Hopefully, we will be able to announce something in the next couple of weeks."

With eight classifications now instead of four, officials need more sites for title games. The stadium got its first taste of prep football during the "Keep Pounding" Classic last August, marking a successful trial run.

"We came down as a staff and were excited about what we saw with the high school football games there," Tucker said. "The Panthers have been great supporters over the years."

Since 1989, state finals have moved between university fields. The rotation started at UNC's Kenan Stadium. N.C. State joined in 2002, followed by Wake Forest and Duke taking turns through 2019.

Construction at N.C. State's Lenovo Center blocks that site this year. This gap opens the door for Bank of America Stadium to step in.

The last time Charlotte saw a state title game, Garner squared off against Harding at Memorial Stadium. That was back in '87, capping five championships held there since 1943.

Changes touch other sports too. Winston-Salem's Joel Coliseum will split basketball finals into regional and state rounds across two weeks. Wrestling championships move to Greensboro's main arena complex.

A new committee studies adding girls' flag football to the mix. They'll soon ask schools about their interest in the sport.

Tucker voiced concerns about rising player ejections: 222 this year alone. Bad language, hate speech, fights, and rough play caused most removals.

Six schools in Region 6 stood out with zero ejections: Central Academy, Corvian Community, J.M. Robinson, Porter Ridge, Sugar Creek Charter, and Math & Science Academy of Charlotte.