The gridiron rivalry between Saint Ignatius High School and St. Edward High School will return to FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Cleveland Browns, as the Wildcats host the Eagles on Friday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets.
"By hosting high school football at FirstEnergy Stadium, we have an exceptional opportunity to continue our support of education and youth football in Northeast Ohio, and we are eager to welcome Saint Ignatius' and St. Edward's students, coaches, band members, faculty and families to our stadium for what will be an exciting game," said Cleveland Browns Vice President of Community Relations Jenner Tekancic. "It was an incredible atmosphere for everyone in 2016, and we look forward to creating another special experience for the Wildcats and Eagles when this historic rivalry game returns this fall."
More details related to tickets, parking and gameday information for the 2018 matchup will be available closer to the event at ignatiuswildcats.com.
Saint Ignatius and St. Edward most recently played at FirstEnergy Stadium in 2016, when the Saint Ignatius Wildcats emerged with a 34-7 victory in front of a crowd of more than 17,000 fans in Downtown Cleveland.
This year's game marks the 56th meeting between the Wildcats and Eagles. Saint Ignatius holds a 30-24-1 series advantage after winning the past three contests. The Wildcats have a 2-1 record at FirstEnergy Stadium since 1999.
Saint Ignatius and the Browns have a longstanding connection, as the Wildcats played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium 27 times from 1932-1980. Head Football Coach Chuck Kyle, a member of Saint Ignatius class of 1969, played in two Charity Games in Cleveland Municipal Stadium in 1967 and 1968.
"The experience as a player was amazing," said Kyle. "Coming onto the field where Jim Brown and all of these legendary players played was tremendous. For today's kids, it's just a great environment. This game can attract a crowd. The environment, the lighting and the pictures on the scoreboards, it's an amazing experience."
Through Browns Give Back, the Browns are committed to youth and high school football throughout Northeast Ohio with year-round programming for players, coaches, officials and parents to promote healthy, social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of youth by enhancing opportunities for participation and education.
As part of their dedication to education, youth and high school football and Cleveland, the Haslams in 2016 announced a commitment to provide five Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) fields with high-quality synthetic turf through a two-year project. The fields are available to all CMSD schools and are lined to accommodate multiple sports to offer more students opportunities to benefit from the upgraded playing surfaces. In 2018, the field project expanded beyond Cleveland with the refurbishments of a field at Roy C. Start High School in Toledo and George Daniels Field at Lorain High School.
Coach Kyle, who serves as a youth football ambassador for the Browns, is thankful for the Browns' continued dedication to youth in Cleveland and the team's efforts to help advance important phases of the game and participation at all levels of competition.
"The Browns are great to work with," Kyle said. "The organization is earnestly interested in development of youth. The Browns believe that sports help kids, especially with the possibility of helping to motivate for the classroom. Cleveland is very fortunate for the way the Browns are the meeting their vocation with youth."
"Highlighted by Dee and Jimmy Haslams' commitment to providing fields for high schools in our region, our team consistently emphasizes the importance of participation in extracurricular activities like youth sports and their benefits to youth in and outside of the classroom, including improved school attendance," Tekancic said.
Frequently Asked Questions:
WHO/WHAT: Saint Ignatius will host Saint Edward at FirstEnergy Stadium for their annual rivalry game* WHEN:* Kickoff at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 26, 2018* WHERE:* FirstEnergy Stadium* CONTACT:* With questions, fans may call Joe Ginley of Saint Ignatius athletics (216-651-0222 x242) or visit ignatiuswildcats.com.
Ticket Information: General admission tickets are $10 each and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, as well as at each of the schools' athletic departments. Fans are encouraged to purchase seats online in advance of the event.
On the day of the event, tickets may also be purchased (as quantities are available) at the FirstEnergy Stadium ticket office, located on the south side of the stadium.
Seating information: General admission tickets will provide entry to FirstEnergy Stadium for fans to select their seating location in FirstEnergy Stadium's lower bowl on a first-come, first-serve basis in. Upon entry, fans will be provided information on which side will be designated to each school's fans.
Entry: FirstEnergy Stadium's University Hospitals Gate (southeast corner) and the southwest gate will be open to all fans 90 minutes prior to kickoff (5:30 p.m.).
Parking: Cash parking on the day of the event will be available to fans as space permits. All lots surrounding FirstEnergy Stadium are managed by the City of Cleveland, which determines the price point for each lot. *Note: Overnight parking will not be permitted to fans attending Saturday's game.
Concessions: A select number of concession stands will be open in FirstEnergy Stadium's lower bowl. Alcohol will not be available for purchase at FirstEnergy Stadium concession stands on the day of the event and is among the list of prohibited items upon entry to the stadium.
Bag policy: The NFL's all-clear bag policy that applies to all Browns home games will be in effect during the Saint Ignatius-Saint Edward game at FirstEnergy Stadium. It is recommended that fans do not bring bags to games, but each fan is allowed one clear plastic bag that does not exceed 12"x6"x12" OR a small clutch bag approximately the size of a hand. Backpacks and all other bags that do not meet these requirements are prohibited. For more information, visit www.NFL.com/allclear.
Weather: Time and event details are subject to change in the event of inclement weather.
Prohibited items: A list of prohibited items is available at www.FirstEnergyStadium.com. Detailed information will be available closer to the event date.
About Saint Ignatius High School:
Saint Ignatius High School is a vital educational institution dedicated to the formation of young men to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ. With a rich tradition of academic excellence, unparalleled athletic achievements, a distinctive arts program and unique and broad-ranging service programs, the school continues to be a regional and national leader in Jesuit, Catholic education.
Located in the vibrant and historic Ohio City neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, the school enrolls more than 1,500 young men who hail from 98 cities in an eight-county region and boasts 109 faculty members, 91 percent of whom hold advanced degrees. Fifty nine percent have spent 10 years or more teaching at Saint Ignatius.
About the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back:
The Browns Give Back to Northeast Ohio with a commitment to education and youth football while engaging the community through the team's signature First and Ten volunteer movement. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback.
Education – The Cleveland Browns are dedicated to a solution-based, holistic approach to ensure Northeast Ohio youth receive the education and development they need as a foundation for independence and success. The team also engages local schools and promotes education in various capacities throughout the year to help identify opportunities, remove barriers and provide support to students to empower them to be successful.
Youth Football – The Cleveland Browns are committed to assisting the development, safety and growth of youth and high school football throughout Northeast Ohio with year-round programming for players, coaches, officials and parents. Through camps, clinics and other initiatives, the Browns' goal is to promote healthy, social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of youth by enhancing opportunities for youth football participation and education.
First and Ten – Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team's community program, established to inspire fans to #give10 and help their communities by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual's city across the globe, as well as the franchise's local community. To date, nearly 1.5 million hours of volunteering have been pledged through First and Ten. All Browns fans are encouraged to join the volunteering effort by signing the First and Ten pledge on the team's website and by sharing their stories with #give10.
