According to a report in the Peoria Journal Star, due to Illinois’ COVID-19 pandemic regulations, the organization that oversees junior high sports in the state of Illinois is in financial difficulty. The Illinois Elementary School Association, or IESA, might have to suspend operations for the first time in its 91-year history.
IESA executive director Steve Endsley says that without postseason tournaments being held, there is no revenue being generated. Endsley says the organization has enough money to operate for another five or six months. The IESA has no plans to fold, but they might have to suspend operations for awhile. The IESA has 900 member schools and during the 2019-2020 school year, offered 24 boys and girls sports that had nearly 157,000 student-athletes participating. Endsley says the IESA currently operates on an annual budget of $1.6 million and tournament revenue accounts for around $1 million annually. Each IESA member school pays yearly dues of $100 and also pays $55 per each team sport that it participates in. After the shutdown of volleyball, wrestling and track and field state finals during the spring season in 2020, the IESA lost $400,000.
The Illinois Department of Public Health is expected to announce its decision on the status of high school sports and other winter youth sports on Oct. 28. If IDPH allows games, but without spectators, the IESA is still in trouble.
