This week, city leaders and fans of college football found out they both have a lot to be excited about.
At Lucas Oil Stadium on Wednesday, civic leaders announced that Indianapolis will host the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship. It will take place Jan. 10 that year.
Indiana Sports Corp and Visit Indy, initiatives that help promote the city, announced that they had been awarded the championship by the College Football Playoff.
Business, government and community leaders enthusiastically proclaimed the news as a major victory.
“I am very excited for the city of Indianapolis,” Jeff Harrison, president and CEO of Citizens Energy, told the Recorder after the announcement at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Harrison will be the vice chairman of a volunteer host committee that will help prepare Indianapolis for the championship.
“This is yet another major event that will be able to showcase this great city that is very welcoming and a growth city as well,” Harrison said.
Organizers say the national championship game will generate more than $150 million in economic benefits for central Indiana, along with hours of anticipated national media coverage for Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett was also ebullient after the announcement. He said hosting the game will also provide opportunities to the estimated 78,000 residents who work in the local hospitality industry.
“I’m confident this event will be much more than a game for our city,” Hogsett said. “As with other major sporting events, thousands of volunteers will step into our neighborhoods, classrooms and local nonprofit centers to leave a positive footprint in our community.”
In 2022, the championship will occur over a four-day period with festivities kicking off Friday, Jan. 7. Along with the national championship game, the weekend will feature a fan fest inside the Indiana Convention Center, a music festival, themed food event and plenty of championship tailgating.
Being awarded the college football championship is only the latest achievement for a growing city that has earned the moniker “Where Champions are Crowned” and has already successfully hosted several national and international sporting events.
Indianapolis has served as the host city for memorable events such as Super Bowl XLVI, seven NCAA Men’s Final Fours, three NCAA Women’s Final Fours, 18 U.S. Olympic Team trials, six Big Ten Football Championship Games and the 1987 Pan American Games.
The city’s history of hosting world-class sporting events began with the annual races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading it to become known as the “Racing Capital of the World.”
The Indiana Sports Corporation and Visit Indy say Indianapolis has staged more than 450 major sporting events over the last 30 years, and the college football championship will give the city another chance to showcase its “Hoosier Hospitality” with preparations being made by numerous volunteers.
“Our next step would be to build that volunteer base,” Harrison said. “When we do that, we want to make sure that we have a very diverse set of members on the committee to make sure we touch all aspects of our community and make this the greatest event it could possibly be.”
“Between the community events, fan experiences and the game itself, the College Football Playoff National Championship will bring more than 100,000 visitors to Indy in 2022,” said Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy.
Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff, said Indianapolis was selected in large part because of its welcoming atmosphere.
“Those of us who have worked there for many years know that it’s all about the people,” Hancock said. “Also, the community provides a state-of-the-art stadium, top-flight convention center and a centralized, ‘walkable’ downtown that our fans will love.”
The College Football Playoff was launched after the 2014 regular season and has evolved into an annual event hosted at different sites throughout the country. Each season, a selection committee ranks the top four teams to take part in the College Football Playoff. Based on these rankings, the teams compete in two bowl games serving as the semifinals, with the winners advancing to the national championship game.
For more information, visit WhereChampionsAreCrowned.com.
Jeff Harrison, president and CEO of Citizens Energy
