Debate over state football sites raises equity, health and local concerns

The New Mexico Activities Association state football championships played out across multiple communities over the Thanksgiving weekend, reigniting debate about whether title games should remain at school and regional sites or move to a single centralized location. Five championship games were decided, with only the Class 4A final taking place in Albuquerque at Nusenda Community Stadium, a rematch of last year between Bloomfield and St. Pius. Class 6A between Cleveland and Las Cruces was held in Rio Rancho. The Class 5A game took place at Artesia’s Bulldog Bowl against Roswell. The Class 3A championship was hosted by Dexter, population 1,055, where the Demons faced unbeaten St. Michael’s. The Class 2A title featured Texico versus Eunice at Texico High School, with the two towns combining for just over 4,000 people.

University of New Mexico Athletic Director Fernando Lovo weighed in on social media, saying UNM would be open to hosting and "would love to host the championship at University Stadium." Advocates for centralizing point to the logistics and capacity advantages a big city can provide, and to the opportunity for athletes to play on a college field. Supporters of the current system emphasize fairness through an even exchange where hosting alternates between finalists, a format that has governed postseason play for decades.

For San Juan County, which has hosted finals in recent years including the 2022 title at Farmington’s Hutchison Stadium and Aztec’s 2011 victory at Fred Cook Memorial Stadium, the stakes are practical and emotional. Home site games bring economic activity to restaurants, hotels and small businesses, and they allow families and local emergency responders to attend without long travel. Centralization could concentrate revenue in larger urban centers while increasing travel time for rural residents and their children.

Public health and safety are part of the calculus. Thanksgiving weekend travel places extra strain on local health care and emergency services, and long distance trips to a single site can complicate access to timely care for injured players or attendees. Ensuring equitable access to tickets, transportation and medical support across communities will be essential whether the NMAA maintains the current model or pursues a centralized plan.

The scheduling history also informs the debate. Historian Dan Ford noted that state championships were traditionally played on Thanksgiving or the holiday weekend from 1953 to 2004, then moved to the week after Thanksgiving from 2005 through 2018, before reverting back in 2019. Choices about where to play touch on tradition, fairness and resource allocation, and they will require policymakers to weigh community identity alongside public health, equity and the practical needs of families across San Juan County and the state.