Proposed law calls for high school football championship games to be played at neutral sites

A bill introduced by a state lawmaker would require that high school football championship games be played at neutral sites after leaders from rural schools complained that playing at the home fields of larger schools can put them at a disadvantage, KGET television reported.

Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, introduced  SB-486 on Tuesday. The bill’s aim is to ensure rural schools are treated equally when it comes to host sites for California Interscholastic Federation football championship games.

“Games need to be played on an equal footing and not relegate rural and small schools to unequal treatment,” Hurtado tweeted about the bill, KGET reported.

The bill was written after the coach of Shafter High School complained last year about unfair playing conditions at a championship game played on the home field of a larger school.