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JQH Arena is one of the host sites for Missouri State High School Activities Association play.
SBJ file photo
JQH Arena is one of the host sites for Missouri State High School Activities Association play.

Sports association extends local venue agreements

Posted online

The Missouri State High School Activities Association extended a handful of local hosting agreements.

Lance Kettering, executive director of the Springfield Sports Commission, said MSHSAA added one-year extensions to existing contracts for championship basketball, baseball, speech and debate, and softball at local venues. The agreements impact Missouri State University's JQH Arena and Hammons Student Center, the Killian Softball Complex and U.S. Baseball in Ozark, he said.

Kettering said financial agreements differ by sport and by bid. In general, he said MSHSAA pays for facility rentals, and the Sports Commission and Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau puts together a bidding process with event partners to bring the events to the area.

"That support and event enhancements help to make the event experience memorable for the teams that travel to Springfield to compete in their respective state championship," he said.

The extensions were added because of changes and cancellations brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news release.

With the extensions, Kettering said MSHAA boys and girls basketball would remain in the area through at least March 2023, with fall softball at least through 2025, and baseball, speech and debate, and spring softball at least through 2026.

The events in the past have generated millions of dollars for the area economy, according to past reporting.

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