By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal
SAN ANTONIO — Attendance at the UIL girls basketball state championships declined noticeably in 2026, adding fuel to the debate over whether the event should remain in San Antonio.
Across the six championship sessions at the Alamodome, three-day total attendance dropped from 18,545 in 2025 to 15,427 in 2026, a decrease of 3,118 fans (16.8%). Average attendance per session fell by 520 fans, from 3,091 to 2,571.
The biggest decline came during Saturday morning’s Class 5A session, which dropped from 4,164 fans in 2025 to 2,117 in 2026, a decline of more than 2,000 spectators.
Meanwhile, Class 6A attendance actually increased, rising from 2,048 in 2025 to 2,510 in 2026, one of only two sessions that saw growth from last year.
A look at the numbers
| SESSION | 2026 | 2025 | DIFFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A (Thursday afternoon) | 1,780 | 1,677 | 103 |
| 2A (Thursday evening) | 2,880 | 3,651 | -771 |
| 3A (Friday afternoon) | 3,032 | 3,483 | -451 |
| 4A (Friday evening) | 3,108 | 3,522 | -414 |
| 5A (Saturday afternoon) | 2,117 | 4,164 | -2,047 |
| 6A (Saturday morning) | 2,510 | 2,048 | 462 |
| Ttotal | 15,427 | 18,545 | -3,118 |
| Average | 2,571 | 3,091 | -520 |
Geography appears to play a major role
A review of participating schools shows that travel distance to San Antonio could be influencing turnout, particularly when teams were located hundreds of miles from the Alamodome.
Many of the 2026 championship matchups featured schools from the Texas Panhandle, East Texas and North Texas, regions that require lengthy drives to San Antonio.
Examples include:
- Nazareth (464 miles one way) vs. Saltillo (396 miles) in the Class 1A Division II final
- Panhandle (507 miles) vs. Mason (114 miles) in the Class 2A Division I final
- Hitchcock (236 miles) vs. Shallowater (401 miles) in the Class 3A Division I final
Those distances translate to round trips of 700 to more than 1,000 miles for many communities.
By comparison, games featuring schools located closer to San Antonio or within the Austin–San Antonio corridor tended to perform better.
For example:
- Fredericksburg (72 miles) vs. Dallas Lincoln in the Class 4A Division II final
- Leander Glenn (108 miles) vs. Denton Ryan in the Class 5A Division I final
- Westlake (85 miles) vs. Lancaster in the Class 6A Division II final
Those teams come from regions within roughly two hours of the Alamodome, making it far easier for fans to attend.
6A increase reflects stronger regional representation
The Class 6A session, which had a 462-fan increase from 2025, featured Westlake, an Austin-area school just 85 miles from San Antonio. Westlake’s presence likely boosted attendance in Saturday evening’s session.
Similarly, Leander Glenn (108 miles) brought a nearby fan base to the 5A Division I final. But the session lacked the built-in local draw of San Antonio Wagner, which traveled just 11 miles to the Alamodome in the 2025 championship.
Panhandle and East Texas teams require major travel
Several participants came from regions 400 to 500 miles from San Antonio, making same-day travel nearly impossible.
Among the longest trips:
- Panhandle = 507 miles one way
- Nazareth = 464 miles
- Farwell = 480 miles
- Shallowater = 401 miles
For many of those communities, attending the championship requires an overnight trip and significant travel costs, including hotels, meals and gas.
A recurring challenge
The UIL moved the state basketball tournament from Austin to the Alamodome in 2015, after 36 years of playing games at the Frank Erwin Center. Rising hotel costs due to conflicting schedules with the South by Southwest festival was one of the reasons cited for the move.
But as attendance numbers continue to decline, the calls for moving the state championships from San Antonio are getting louder.
When schools from nearby regions such as San Antonio, Austin or the Hill Country reach the finals, attendance typically rises.
When the bracket features teams from the Panhandle, East Texas or North Texas, turnout drops significantly.
The 2026 championship field leaned heavily toward those more distant regions, a factor that appears to have contributed to the tournament’s continued decline in attendance.
Debate continues over moving tournament from San Antonio
The attendance decline has increased the discussion around whether the UIL girls basketball state tournament should remain at the Alamodome or move to a more central location such as Foster Pavilion in Waco or the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Based on the 2026 championship field, moving the championships to Waco would have significantly reduced travel distances for many teams, particularly those from the Dallas–Fort Worth area and North Texas.
For example:
- Panhandle: 507 miles to San Antonio → about 385 miles to Waco
- Nazareth: 464 miles → 340 miles
- Shallowater: 401 miles → 290 miles
- Decatur: 306 miles → 115 miles
- Argyle: 296 miles → 105 miles
- Denton Ryan: 304 miles → 110 miles
Even schools from the Austin and Hill Country regions would still have relatively manageable trips:
- Westlake: 85 miles to San Antonio → 100 miles to Waco
- Fredericksburg: 72 miles → 150 miles
- Glenn: 108 miles → 120 miles
By comparison, a move to Dallas would reduce travel for North Texas and Panhandle schools but significantly increase it for programs from South Texas and the Austin–San Antonio corridor.
For example:
- Westlake: 85 miles to San Antonio → 200 miles to Dallas
- Fredericksburg: 72 miles → 260 miles
- Glenn: 108 miles → 200 miles
Meanwhile, Panhandle schools would still face trips of 350 to 450 miles to reach Dallas.
Because of those tradeoffs, Waco may represent the most geographically balanced option, sitting roughly between the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Central Texas and much of East Texas.
Whether the UIL ultimately considers a change remains uncertain, but the attendance trends from the 2026 tournament are likely to keep the debate going.
