The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Athletics announced today at a media conference that they agreed to an eight-year contract extension that grants the WIAA the availability of facilities to host high school State championships in boys' basketball, football, boys’ and girls’ golf, individual and team wrestling, and softball through the spring of 2033.

The UW campus and the City of Madison are premier destinations and locations for WIAA?State Tournaments. In 2023-24, the State Tournaments at UW facilities drew a paid attendance of more than 196,000 with thousands of additional participants, coaches, and school administrators.

A recent study, conducted using data shared by Destination Madison, indicated that the economic impact of WIAA State Tournaments held in the Madison area is estimated at $22.2 million.

“It is a thrill for UW Athletics, our campus, and our city to play host to the state’s top high school student-athletes, coaches, and staff members each year,” UW Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh said. “I am very pleased that we will be welcoming teams and their fans to Madison for years to come, and I appreciate the partnership we have with Stephanie Hauser and the WIAA.”

The agreement recognizes the mutual commitment to provide memorable experiences for participating student-athletes and spectators attending WIAA State Tournament events. In addition to identifying the best high school student-athletes and teams in the state, the tournaments showcase several of the state’s finest facilities, the UW campus, and the City of Madison.

“Chris McIntosh and his entire staff have conveyed the importance of showcasing the WIAA Championships on their campus, and we look forward to continuing this partnership in serving the member schools and their student-athletes,” WIAA Executive Director Stephanie Hauser said. 

Many thrilling and unforgettable memories for WIAA State Tournament participants and spectators have been experienced at UW’s iconic venues. The Kohl Center has been the site of the State Boys Basketball Tournament and the State Individual Wrestling Tournament since 1998, when the facility was opened. Except for 1936 and then 2020-2021, during the pandemic, the boy's basketball tournament has been played in Madison since 1920, and the wrestling championships have been conducted there since 1949. The UW Field House has been the State Team Wrestling Championship Tournament site since 2005, with the 2020-2021 exceptions.

In addition, Camp Randall Stadium has been home to the WIAA?State Football Finals since 1982 except 2021, and University Ridge has hosted the girls' and boys' State Golf Championships a combined 54 times since 1994. Goodman Diamond has been the site of the State Softball Championship Tournament since it moved to Madison in 2002, except 2020-2021.

The WIAA State Girls and Boys Team and Individual Tennis Tournaments are also held on the UW campus but are not associated with this agreement. Those event and venue agreements are with UW Recreation Sports.

The membership’s Constitution defines the WIAA as a private, voluntary, unincorporated, and nonprofit organization. The association was formed in 1896 – becoming the nation's first state high school association – after the first State Track & Field Championships were held on the UW campus in 1895.

The WIAA oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 513 senior high schools and 36 junior high/middle-level schools in its membership. It sponsors 30 State Tournaments in 2024-25.