Kansas Shrine Bowl has a new location for 2020, just down the street from the original
There was a real chance the Kansas Shrine Bowl wouldn’t see the 47th straight edition of its high school football all-star game played in 2020.
This year’s event was in danger because of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Washburn University, the initial host, closed its campus for the summer May 5. The Shrine Bowl had to scramble to find a last-minute site, and it has succeeded.
This year’s Shrine Bowl will be at Topeka’s Hummer Sports Complex, just 2 miles down MacVicar Avenue.
“While health and safety concerns are still a factor, we are excited to have a new venue and are increasingly hopeful we will be playing football on July 18,” B.J. Harris, the Shrine Bowl executive director, said in a Friday news release. “Hummer Sports Complex is an amazing facility, and their staff and support will be a tremendous asset.”
Although the announcement is exciting for all the players, band members and cheerleaders involved, as well as fans of Kansas high school sports, the Shrine Bowl isn’t yet out of the water. With the coronavirus situation changing daily, the Shrine Bowl is working with the Shawnee County COVID-19 Task Force, Harris said in the release, and monitoring updates.
Assuming it is played, the 2020 Shrine Bowl won’t look the same as it has in years past. It will feature a “virtual” marching band. The appreciation banquet has been canceled. Cheer camp has been shortened. The parade and football combine are still on as scheduled, but those events are at risk, too.
“We remain fully aware that additional changes and disruptions could occur as we continue to plan for our event, and we encourage our fans and supporters to remain engaged and flexible,” Harris said. “Our fundraiser will only move forward with the support and guidance of local authorities. We trust their leadership and hope to execute a quality event on July 18.”
This story was originally published June 5, 2020 at 3:21 PM.