OHSAA Basketball Postseason Returns to Fairgrounds Coliseum
Partnership Announced Between OHSAA and Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds
COLUMBUS, Ohio – After a decade-long hiatus, postseason high school basketball is set to return to the Taft Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds in February and March. The announcement was made Monday by Doug Ute, Executive Director of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), and Adam Heffron, Executive Director of the Ohio Expo Center.
The historic multipurpose arena, located on the State Fairgrounds campus, played a significant role in OHSAA basketball history. It was one of the venues for the OHSAA Basketball State Tournament from 1923 until the event moved to St. John Arena in 1958. The Fairgrounds Coliseum then hosted district and regional tournament games from 1959 through 2014.
“We have been working with the Expo Center on this for quite a while and are so excited to make this announcement,” said Ute. “We are also excited to announce that girls’ basketball will now play tournament games at the Coliseum in addition to boys’, which wasn’t done before. Reaching the Fairgrounds Coliseum was the goal for so many schools in Central Ohio for decades, and we are thrilled that the Coliseum will be that destination once again.”
The Taft Coliseum, a 5,000-seat arena, has hosted countless basketball and ice hockey events, as well as hundreds of other activities over its storied history.
“We are thankful for this great partnership with OHSAA,” said Heffron. “The Taft Coliseum is the perfect historic location to host postseason games, and we cannot wait to welcome players, coaches, families, and fans back to the fairgrounds for years to come.”
Starting the week of February 17, 2025, the OHSAA will schedule select girls’ and boys’ district and regional tournament games at the Taft Coliseum. The venue may also host state semifinal games. Additional details will be released in January.
2025 OHSAA Basketball Tournament Schedule
Girls’ Basketball
• Tournament Draw: February 2
• Sectional Tournaments: February 10-15
• District Tournaments: February 17-22
• Regional Tournaments: February 24-March 2
• State Semifinals: March 3-9
• State Finals: March 14-15 at University of Dayton Arena
Boys’ Basketball
• Tournament Draw: February 9
• Sectional Tournaments: February 17-22
• District Tournaments: February 24-March 2
• Regional Tournaments: March 3-9
• State Semifinals: March 10-16
• State Finals: March 21-22 at University of Dayton Arena
The return of postseason basketball to the Fairgrounds Coliseum marks a significant moment for Central Ohio basketball, reconnecting the community with one of its most iconic sports venues.