MSHSAA Show-Me Bowl Moves to St. Joseph for Next Five Seasons

The Missouri State High School Athletic Association Show-Me Bowl is set to make a big move to St. Joseph, as announced on Tuesday. This change comes after nearly 30 years of hosting the event in Columbia and St. Louis, with the next five seasons being held in St. Joseph.

The transition to St. Joseph will begin in 2024 for 8-man teams and in 2025 for 11-man classes. The town of St. Joseph, with a population of 70,000, along with host school Missouri Western State, won the bidding process for the hosting contract, which will run through 2028. This move will mark the first time that an 11-man championship game will be played at Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium, with a capacity of approximately 10,000.

Spratt Stadium, which has hosted the 8-man state championship game 10 times in the past, is no stranger to hosting MSHSAA title games. However, hosting all seven classes at the end of the 2025 season will be a significant milestone for the stadium.

MSHSAA Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad expressed her excitement for the next five years of the Show-Me Bowl, stating, “We have an obligation to our membership to find not only the best facilities to host our championships, but also the best support from the host site to serve our schools’ needs. We are very excited about the next five years for the Show-Me Bowl.”

The move away from Memorial Stadium in Columbia was influenced by changes in availability, with the potential use of the stadium for the College Football Playoff creating uncertainty. The St. Joseph Sports Commission offered a full five-year hosting contract to MSHSAA, securing the cyclical hosting rights for the event.

Overall, the shift to St. Joseph is expected to bring a new and exciting chapter to the MSHSAA Show-Me Bowl, with the promise of outstanding championship experiences for all involved.