In the 14 seasons that Frisco, Texas has hosted the FCS Championship Game, the Dallas suburb has become a staple of FCS football.
The city has been a destination for fans of the participating teams as well as fans of teams from around the country to enjoy some time together celebrating the Football Championship Subdivision as a whole.
Frisco and Toyota Stadium, which is the site of Sunday’s game between No. 1 South Dakota State (14-0) and No. 2 Montana (13-1), have been the home of the championship event since 2010. Before that the game was held at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee from the 1997 season through the 2009 season.
There had been multiple championship sites before Chattanooga including Wichita Falls, Texas, Orlando, Florida, Sacramento, California, Charleston, South Carolina, Tacoma, Washington, Pocatello, Idaho, Statesboro, Georgia And Huntington, West Virginia
No city, however, has bought into the idea of the FCS Championship Game quite like Sports City, USA.
“When you think about a championship location, every FCS program’s goal to start the year is to get to Frisco. So, it has that similar Omaha feel for baseball or Oklahoma City for softball,” FCS playoff committee vice chair and NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen said Friday at Toyota Stadium. “Having a place that invests and cares about the championship is huge.”
Per Star Local Media, the estimated economic impact from last years championship is around $9.7 million. Josh Dill, director of sports and events with Visit Frisco said that transportation, retail, recreation, lodging, food and beverage and other business services all contribute to the sum.
Frisco and the NCAA agreed to a five-year uncontested extension after the original contract when Frisco beat out Chattanooga and Missoula, Montana. An option is available for the Championship to remain in Frisco through 2026.
“It truly feels like a championship event,” FCS playoff committee chair and Montana athletic director Kent Haslam said. “Frisco, the organizing committee, and the NCAA have really done a great job.”
The title game will also be staying on network television for years to come.
The NCAA and ESPN have reached an eight-year deal worth $115 million annually to national televise 40 NCAA championships, which includes the FCS playoffs.
The deal guarantees that the FCS championship game, along with Division I women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and women’s gymnastics, will be aired on ABC. Haslam says that the title game will still be the weekend in early January with the three weeks in-between semifinals and the championship, but the specific day of the week and time will be determined by TV slots.
“On the football oversight committee, we moved to lock in this weekend regardless of what happens with the CFP and their championship,” Haslam said. “So, the first weekend after new year’s is the slot we’re going with for the FCS title.”
