Here’s why San Diego’s biggest game of the year is being played on a Tuesday at Southwestern College

For decades, Qualcomm Stadium was the home of the San Diego Section football championships.

When the Q was torn down, the championships moved to 35,000-seat Snapdragon Stadium.

That will not be the case this season. Six section championship games will be played at Southwestern College, including Tuesday night’s Open Division final between Cathedral Catholic and Carlsbad.

Here’s why:

• The ideal day for the Open Division championship game, which drew 6,600 fans a year ago, would have been last Saturday. But San Diego State was hosting San Jose State. The Aztecs understandably didn’t want a high school game on their field Friday.

• Last Saturday at Southwestern College would have worked, but Southwestern hosted Moorpark College in the Coaches Against Cancer Patriot Bowl at 4 p.m. Southwestern won that game, 31-7. Southwestern’s football stadium seats 8,500 fans.

• San Diego FC hosted a playoff game on Monday, and Snapdragon Stadium officials nixed the idea of a high school game there on Tuesday. Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, was never an option.

• USD’s 6,000-seat Torero Stadium was discussed, but talks stalled.

• Palomar College’s new football stadium was considered, but the site holds just 3,200 fans.