Renderings of the new Protective Life StadiumConcept via Populus.
Get ready Birmingham! Alabama’s high school football championships are coming back to the Magic City!
This week, the Alabama High School Association (AHSAA) announced the return of the Super 7 State High School Football Championships to Birmingham in 2021, after a 13-year hiatus.
The restoration of the state high school football championships to Birmingham was made possible by an arrangement to rotate annually Super 7 hosting sites between Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Auburn.
Future AHSAA’s Super 7 State High School Football Championships have been set for the years 2021-2032, pending final approvals in process from the AHSAA and community partners.
Protective Life Stadium – 2021, 2024, 2027 and 2030
Concept via Populus.
Birmingham will play the 2021 Super 7 Championships at the newly constructed Protective Life Stadium in downtown’s Uptown Entertainment District. Super 7 Championships in Birmingham are also scheduled to be played in 2024, 2027 and 2030.
The last time Birmingham hosted the high school football championships was in 2008, when it was the Super 6 format. The games were held between 1996 – 2008 at Legion Field. The historic stadium was also host to the large-school championship game from 1971 – 1995.
Legion Field – photo by Pat Byington, Bham Now
“We are pleased to see the AHSAA Super 7 return to the city where it began more than 20 years ago,” said City of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “The Super 7 showcases the best of high school athletics in Alabama, and Birmingham is excited to be a host city once again.”
An Economic Boon
Photo via Uptown’s Instagram, @uptownbham
Hosting the championship games will benefit our community economically.
Last year, the state football championships drew over 51,000 fans to Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.
According to the Auburn/Opelika Tourism Bureau, this year’s 2019 Super 7 football championship will generate nearly $3 million toward their local economy.
AHSAA’s Executive Director Steve Savarese added:
“It is with great pride that we announce the continuation of Super 7 for 2021-2032 and our partnership with the communities of Auburn-Opelika, Tuscaloosa, and now Birmingham. The AHSAA is grateful for Auburn-Opelika and Tuscaloosa embracing a new idea to include Birmingham in the rotation which will now provide three high quality venues for our member schools to showcase their football programs at the end of each season.”
Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.
