Attendance and financial figures from the 2025 Georgia high school football state championships have stirred up the ongoing debate about where future state championships should be played.
According to data from the GHSA, last season’s state finals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium drew 46,132 fans over the three-day event from Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 15-17.
That was 5,456 fewer fans than the previous year’s event, which drew 51,588.
The result was $125,813 less in ticket revenue.
That, coupled with an increase in operating costs of $57,134 from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, resulted in a lower payout to each of the 16 participant teams that averaged just over $9,900 per team.
When fans were presented with these numbers, the first reaction was to take the finals away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. However, a deeper look at the numbers, specifically the attendance figures, paints a different picture.
Attendance Up Significantly Since Finals Moved to Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Despite reports that 2025 state finals attendance was lower than the prior year, the broader trend tells a different story.
When the GHSA announced it would move the high school football state championships from Georgia State University’s Center Parc Stadium to Mercedes-Benz Stadium beginning with the 2023 finals, the reactions were mixed.
To accommodate the three-day event, the finals would have to move to a Monday-through-Wednesday schedule to avoid potential conflicts with Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s other full-time tenants, namely the Atlanta Falcons.
Despite initial concerns that a weekday schedule would keep fans away, attendance leapt from a yearly average of 26,971 over the four years at Georgia State to an average of 49,692 per year for the three-day weekday finals from 2023 to 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That is about 23,000 more fans each year at Mercedes-Benz Stadium compared to Center Parc Stadium.
That is the good news.
The bad news, as revealed by the GHSA financial report from last year’s finals, is that despite the increase in attendance, expenses at Mercedes-Benz Stadium were well out of sight.
According to reported financials, expenses for the 2025 finals were approximately $843,658, an increase of 7.3% over 2024 expenses and an increase of 44.8% over 2023 expenses.
Although more fans turned out for games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium than at Center Parc Stadium, expenses were dramatically higher at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, resulting in significantly smaller payouts to the participating teams.
The 16 state finals teams received an estimated $21,000 each in 2022, the last season the finals were played at Georgia State University. Over the last three seasons, that payout has averaged just $9,731 per team.
If the state finals are going to stay at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, there will have to be a major reduction in expenses.
What Georgia High School Football Coaches Think About the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Debate
Several coaches shared their thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages of playing the state finals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, including coaches with firsthand experience winning championships there.
Thomas County Central Head Football Coach Justin Rogers: ‘It Creates a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience’
Thomas County Central head football coach Justin Rogers led his Yellow Jackets to the 2023 Class 6A and 2025 Class 5A state championships at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He acknowledged that something has to be done to address the rising costs.
“I fully support playing at the Benz,” Rogers said. “It’s one of the premier venues in the country, hosting Super Bowls and national championships. It creates an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience for our student-athletes.
“That said, I believe the state needs to be more involved. With the amount of state funding and tax incentives that went into building Mercedes-Benz Stadium, there should be a more affordable path for the GHSA to host championship events there. It’s hard to justify costs being higher in 2025 than they were in 2023. That shouldn’t be happening.
“There has to be a solution where the GHSA can host games at a reduced rate, ideally covering operational costs like staffing, while recognizing that the venue still benefits from concessions and the public investment already made. It’s about doing what’s right for our schools, communities, and, most importantly, our student-athletes.”
Coffee Head Football Coach Mike Coe: ‘I’m More of a Traditionalist’
Coffee head football coach Mike Coe led the Trojans to the 2023 Class 5A state championship, completing a perfect undefeated season with a 31-14 win over Creekside at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Coe also led Madison County, Florida, to four state championships played at several outdoor venues throughout the Sunshine State.
“I’ve coached in state finals games at the Swamp, the Benz, and Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee,” Coe said, referring to the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. “Obviously, the best thing about the Benz was it being indoors, but I am more of a traditionalist and would love to see the finals at the high school location, allowing more local people who may not be able to afford to travel to attend the game. I would rather the two teams and the host community be able to keep more of the money to help support their programs in the future, while creating one heck of an atmosphere and a memory that will last forever.”
Peachtree Ridge Head Football Coach Matt Helmerich: ‘Many High School Stadiums Barely Have the Capacity to Host a Championship’
Matt Helmerich has been the head football coach at Peachtree Ridge since 2022, after spending five seasons as the head coach at Johns Creek High School. Helmerich was 35-20 during his time at Johns Creek, including two region championships. Since he left, Johns Creek has finished 3-37, including back-to-back winless seasons.
Before arriving in Georgia, Helmerich was a key member of the St. Thomas Aquinas football coaching staff from 2010 to 2016, serving as defensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015. He coached in four state finals with the Florida and national powerhouse in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2015.
Helmerich has led Peachtree Ridge to a 29-17 record in his first four seasons, including a region title.
“I like the finals being played at neutral sites,” Helmerich said. “Many high school stadiums barely have the capacity, per GHSA rules, to host semifinal games, so I’d be curious to see just how many teams in the past few title games could’ve even hosted a championship game.”
He pointed to the 2006 state title game involving Peachtree Ridge and Roswell, when neither team hosted the game and neither won it.
“Peachtree Ridge played Roswell in 2006 for the state title,” Helmerich said. “Roswell couldn’t host, so the game was moved to McEachern.”
The game ended in a tie, with both teams sharing the state championship.
“I’m betting both teams would have preferred the Benz or another neutral site,” Helmerich said.
Former Colquitt County Head Football Coach Rush Propst: ‘That Game Should Have Never Been Played at North Gwinnett’
In 2017, Rush Propst led Colquitt County into North Gwinnett for the GHSA Class 6A state championship, one of six finals contests that year moved to participating teams’ stadiums.
Propst said if there was ever a game that set the example for why the state finals should always be played at a neutral site, that was it.
“That game should have never been played at North Gwinnett’s stadium for several reasons,” Propst said. “For starters, the stadium could not hold the crowd. We had to refund a lot of money because there was no room, plus going back up there was so costly.”
He added that the officiating was among the worst he had ever seen.
“The official on their sideline eventually cost us the game with several controversial calls,” Propst said.
Colquitt County scored with 49 seconds left in the fourth quarter to take a 17-16 lead. A couple of short pass completions moved the ball across midfield. Then game officials called four consecutive penalties on Colquitt County’s defense, including a pass interference on a Hail Mary. Propst said that penalty was the back-breaker.
“The pass interference call on the Hail Mary was the worst call of my career,” Propst said. “Their receiver came over the back of our defensive back to catch the ball, yet they called us for pass interference.”
That gave North Gwinnett one final untimed down with the clock showing all zeroes. The Bulldogs sent their kicker, Cameron Clark, out to attempt a 38-yard field goal, which he made to give North Gwinnett the improbable win and its first state championship.
Helmerich said watching the game left a lasting impression on him and his belief that a game of that magnitude should always be played at a neutral site.
“One of the best games I’ve ever watched was Colquitt at North Gwinnett for the Georgia Class 7A championship,” Helmerich said. “It was an unbelievable atmosphere, but I would not have wanted to be the road team in that situation.”
Propst said his preference is clear.
“I prefer the state championship game be played on a neutral site,” Propst said.
Milton Head Football Coach Ben Reaves: ‘100% Benz’
Milton head football coach Ben Reaves has the unique experience of having been part of three state championships at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and another state finals at Center Parc Stadium.
Reaves was a coordinator on Milton’s 2018 state championship team and the head coach of Milton’s 2023 and 2024 state championship teams, which won titles at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He was also the team’s offensive coordinator when Milton played Collins Hill for the state championship at Center Parc Stadium, a game Milton lost to finish as the GHSA Class 7A runner-up.
Having been part of state finals at both venues gives Reaves a clear perspective.
“I’m 100% Benz,” Reaves said. “I’ve played in state championships in the Benz and also at Georgia State. The year we played at Georgia State, it was cold, the games were late, it was raining, no fans came or wanted to be outside in that weather.
“When you’re indoors, it’s just an overall better experience for the teams and the fans, and whatever the weather is that night won’t affect the game, which lets both teams play and show who the overall better team is because both are in a picture-perfect environment.”
Reaves acknowledged he may not be entirely objective on the subject.
“Plus, unlike any other college or professional team, I’m also undefeated in the Benz, so I could also be biased to that venue,” Reaves said.
