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University of Arkansas announces plans to play Mizzou at War Memorial every other year

In a joint announcement Thursday the University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism said that the Razorback football team will play Mizzou every other year until 2024.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (Univ. of Ark.) – The University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism have signed an agreement to continue Razorback football games at War Memorial Stadium through 2024.

The agreement includes three regular-season SEC games and three spring football games, pending SEC approval, at War Memorial Stadium during the tenure of the agreement. The formal announcement of the six-year agreement was made at a press conference on Thursday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Arkansas will play the University of Missouri in a Southeastern Conference game at War Memorial Stadium during the 2019, 2021 and 2023 seasons unless SEC scheduling necessitates playing another opponent. The matchup has traditionally been played on the Friday or Saturday following Thanksgiving.

"Throughout this process, I sought and listened to many passionate Razorbacks from every corner of our state and beyond," University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek said. "While those conversations provided varying perspectives, they collectively reaffirmed my belief that this state is unified in our desire to see the Razorback program succeed."

The University of Arkansas will also seek waivers from the SEC to play its spring football game at War Memorial Stadium in 2020, 2022 and 2024. Current SEC legislation prohibits league schools from hosting off-campus spring football games without a waiver from the conference. Arkansas submitted and received a waiver to play its 2018 spring game at War Memorial Stadium, based on ongoing construction at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The agreement includes mutually agreed upon stadium facility improvements and enhancements to be made prior to the 2019 regular season game at War Memorial Stadium as well as ticket sales and revenue benchmarks for SEC games.

“I think this agreement speaks very highly of the University of Arkansas," Director of Arkansas Parks and Tourism Kane Webb said. "In an era in which money seems to be the driving force behind every major decision in big-time college athletics – and it doesn’t get any bigger time than SEC football – this wasn’t a money decision."

The University of Arkansas will play Ole Miss at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 13, 2018, in the final game of the previous agreement between the University of Arkansas and War Memorial Stadium. The University of Arkansas has competed at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock since it opened in 1948. The 2018 season will mark the 71st season of Razorback Football at War Memorial Stadium.

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