The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has announced a significant shift for its Class 1A and 2A state baseball finals, moving the championships from Peoria to Champaign’s Illinois Field. This new agreement will see the tournaments held in Champaign through 2030, marking a long-term relocation for these prestigious high school events.
Key Takeaways
- The IHSA Class 1A and 2A baseball finals will be held at Illinois Field in Champaign through 2030.
- This move ends a long-standing tradition of the tournaments being held at Dozer Park in Peoria.
- A scheduling conflict with the Peoria Chiefs’ Major League Baseball schedule was cited as the primary reason for the initial move last year.
A New Home for Championship Baseball
The decision by the IHSA board of directors to secure Illinois Field in Champaign as the long-term venue for the Class 1A and 2A baseball finals signifies a new era for the state’s high school baseball championship. This agreement ensures a consistent location for the tournaments for the next several years.
Peoria’s Farewell to the Finals
Dozer Park in Peoria had been the host site for the 1A and 2A tournaments since 2011. However, last year, the games were relocated to the University of Illinois campus due to a scheduling conflict with the Peoria Chiefs, a Midwest League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Major League Baseball, which manages the Chiefs’ schedule, had a home series that overlapped with the IHSA’s planned dates for the finals. IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson noted that the conflict was not identified until it was too late to resolve with MLB.
Reactions to the Move
Discover Peoria CEO J.D. Dalfonso expressed disappointment but acknowledged the strong ongoing partnership with the IHSA. "While the news today from IHSA is not the news we had hoped for, I know that our partnership with IHSA remains one of the strongest in the state and we look forward to our work together as a leading destination of IHSA championships," Dalfonso stated.
A spokesperson for the Peoria Chiefs also shared their sentiment, saying, "We are disappointed to see the 1A/2A state finals leave Peoria after years at Dozer Park. Dozer Park is the premier baseball stadium in the state of Illinois and should be where state championships are played." The spokesperson added, "We understand the IHSA was looking for a turf location and we wish them the best in their next chapter."
Despite the move, this year’s 1A and 2A finals are scheduled for June 12-13, with the Peoria Chiefs set to be on the road that weekend.
