November 24, 2012
Indianapolis Colts to Continue as IHSAA Presenting Sponsor Through 2014
The Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. today announced an extension to an agreement recognizing the Indianapolis Colts as the presenting sponsor of the state high school football tournament series.
The Colts will continue to sponsor and support the entire tournament through the 2014 season including all sectional, regional, semi-state and state championship games at Lucas Oil Stadium. The original deal was first announced in May 2009 when the Colts became the first professional sports franchise in the nation to partner with a state high school association.
“The IHSAA is extremely grateful to the Indianapolis Colts for their continued support of our football tournament series,” said IHSAA Commission Bobby Cox. “While our partnership is unique throughout the country, it is their dedication to the young people of our state for which I am most thankful.”
“The Indianapolis Colts are proud to partner with the IHSAA in presenting the Indiana state football tournament,” said Colts Chief Operating Officer Pete Ward. “With its great traditions and long-standing dedication to good sportsmanship and character, we feel the IHSAA is a natural fit for us.”
Another continuing component to the agreement is the IHSAA Blue Horseshoe Award, another first-of-its-kind program that invites all Indiana high school football teams to complete a community service project during the off-season. The program helps teach high school students to be good citizens and to accomplish something together to benefit their community. Since 2009, schools have been invited to enter their projects into the contest with the winning squad earning an invitation to an Indianapolis Colts game and recognition for the difference they made.
The IHSAA football state finals have been played in Indianapolis since 1984. They were played at the RCA Dome from 1984-2007 before moving to Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008.
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About the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. (IHSAA)
Founded in 1903, the purpose of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. (IHSAA) is to encourage, regulate and give direction to wholesome amateur interschool athletic competition between its 410 member schools. The Association provides state championship tournament series in 20 sports, 10 for girls and 10 for boys. Approximately 160,000 student athletes participate in IHSAA sports on an annual basis.