Report: UIL football title games to return to AT&T Stadium in 2016

Houston TV station Fox 26, citing sources close to the situation, reported Saturday that the three-day UIL state football championships from Dec. 15-17 would return to AT&T Stadium in Arlington in 2016.

Despite the report, UIL media coordinator Kate Hector said nothing has been decided yet.

“We don’t have any announcement or anything finalized for football next year,” she told The Dallas Morning News.

Three arenas in the state fit the UIL requirements: AT&T Stadium, NRG Stadium in Houston and the Alamodome in San Antonio.

“[Hector] said we have an arranged time where we announce that, and to be honest with you, I can tell you that’s not something we’ve homed in on ... we’re just not there yet,” UIL athletic director Susan Elza told the Star-Telegram on April 16. “We have to make a decision on the side, then we’ll make an announcement when it’s appropriate.”

“We’re still at a point where we’re checking our options and figuring what we’re going to do and where will the best place be to have the state championship games.”

On April 14, the San Antonio Express-News reported that the Alamodome was out of the running, with the arena booked during that time.

That same day, the NFL released its 2016 schedules with the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans playing games at home the Sunday after the state title games.

NRG Stadium hosted the games last season while AT&T Stadium hosted in 2014. The Cowboys played at home on Dec. 19 last year, the final day of the championship event, causing the UIL to look elsewhere.

In 2015, the attendance was down 94,509 compared to 2014. NRG charged the UIL a usage fee of $495,000. AT&T Stadium charged the UIL $195,000.

This story was originally published April 23, 2016 at 6:24 PM with the headline "Report: UIL football title games to return to AT&T Stadium in 2016."