It seems everyone’s a winner now that Free State High will play its five home football games at Kansas University’s Memorial Stadium next season.

Including those not directly involved.

FSHS, Lawrence High, Haskell and KU all profess to be happy with the deal, but teams the Firebirds play are pumped.

“It’s not just the kids,” FSHS athletics director Steve Grant said. “I’ve talked with the Shawnee Mission West athletic director, the Olathe North principal, the people over at Washburn Rural, all those schools, they’re really excited about playing there, too.”

Next season’s games — Sept. 12 against Olathe South, Sept. 19 against SM West, Oct. 10 against Olathe North, Oct. 24 against LHS and Oct. 31 against Topeka Washburn Rural — will cost Free State roughly the same amount if it were to play at Haskell, but that’s not the issue.

FSHS, in its sixth year, hasn’t played at Haskell for 72 years like the Lions. The move represents a shift closer to the school, located at Sixth and Wakarusa, while providing a stable playing environment.

“It’s a nice venue, nice playing surface and a nice atmosphere,” FSHS coach Bob Lisher said. “We’re excited.”

Indeed, the artificial turf at Memorial, which FSHS used twice and LHS used once in 2002, was available when the natural surface at Haskell was torn up from overuse and excessive rain in the fall.

LHS and Haskell’s football and soccer teams will still play at the stadium, but Free State’s removal should help alleviate field destruction — thus the plus for LHS and Haskell.

“It’s a burden off our field for wear and tear,” Haskell interim athletics director Phil Homeratha said. “From when they talked to me, it sounded like something they wanted, which is fine.”

The move won’t save FSHS money.

Haskell charges a $3,000 flat fee, while KU charges $2,000 for use of the field. But Grant also has to pay for cleanup, elevator operators and some security personnel. In the end, it works out to nearly $3,000.

Even better for KU, only one game overlaps a Jayhawk home contest.

“Amazingly, four of the five games fall on away weekends for us,” KU senior associate athletics director Richard Konzem said. “That works much better for us. If it’s a Friday night game and we have an 11:30 game the next day, from a logistical standpoint with teams bringing in equipment and cleanup, it can be tight. But our experience with the two high schools in that they’ve done a great job cleaning the stadium up after games.”

LHS also was given the opportunity play at KU, but politely declined. The Lions have always maintained Haskell is their home field — a fact LHS officials and Homeratha take pride in.

“That made me feel pretty good,” Homeratha said. “They’ve always said that Haskell was their home field, and it’s pretty close. They’ve played here forever.”

Free State’s one-year contract with KU will probably be renewed next season if both parties are pleased with the arrangement, though Homeratha said if the Firebirds wish, they could return to Haskell.