Massachusetts high school football leaves Gillette
MIAA officials are seeking new venues for eight divisional finals after the Foxborough stadium cited scheduling conflicts with the Revolution and Patriots.
By Bianca Herrera ·
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association will not hold its Division 1 through 8 football championship games at Gillette Stadium this year. The MIAA announced the change in a statement on Monday, ending a hosting arrangement that began in 2007.
The title games are scheduled to take place in four weeks. Officials have not yet confirmed the new locations. A spokesperson for Gillette Stadium attributed the decision to scheduling constraints and logistics tied to the New England Revolution’s playoff schedule and a Patriots home game on December 6.
The Revolution may host playoff games on December 2 and 5 at the same stadium. Those teams would use the turf for practice the day before each match. The Patriots are set to play the Buffalo Bills on December 6. The MIAA must conclude its football season by the first week of December to accommodate winter sports calendars.
The MIAA stated it was informed late last week that using Gillette was no longer an option. The organization thanked the Patriots for hosting the event for nearly two decades. It pledged to work diligently to secure sites that offer a quality championship experience for student athletes and school communities.
An MIAA spokesperson responded to the stadium's comment about hosting in the future. The group said, “The future we are dealing with is now. We were left in the lurch and will be doing everything we can in the next four weeks to provide our student athletes with a memorable championship experience that they deserve.”
Reilly Christie, the Malden Catholic athletic director and state football tournament director, said the MIAA is assessing all options across the state. The organization needs fields with suitable parking, seating, locker rooms, lights, and concessions. He noted that hosting games at the NFL stadium has not been a major revenue source for the MIAA in recent years.
The association receives $7 of every $20 ticket sold at Gillette. Service fees built into ticket prices reduce direct revenues. Attendance has fluctuated in recent seasons. Last year, poor weather limited combined attendance for the eight Super Bowls to 16,800. That figure dropped from approximately 19,000 in 2024 and around 22,000 in prior years.
Brian St. Pierre, coach of the No. 1 seeded St. John’s Prep team, called the late change shocking. He suggested Boston College or Harvard as potential hosts. Randolph coach Jon Marshall proposed nearby college venues. The MIAA currently holds other championship finals at a mix of professional, college, and high school facilities.
