WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Jacksonville Awarded ACC Football Championship Game

Aug 19, 2004

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Atlantic Coast Conference will play its first two championship football games at Alltel Stadium, beginning next year.

The first game will be played Dec. 3, 2005.

The games are expected to earn the ACC $6 million annually.

The league is adding the game as part of its expansion to 12 teams -- Miami and Virginia Tech are joining the conference this year, and Boston College will join next year.

"It's formal and official ... Jacksonville has landed the ACC football championship game," Florida State athletic director Dave Hart told The Florida Times-Union after emerging from a meeting of 11 ACC faculty representatives in Greensboro, N.C.

Jacksonville gets the game on a two-year contract, with an option for another two years at the city's discretion.

Jacksonville and Charlotte, N.C., were the top cities seeking the game. Jacksonville's selection was unanimous.

The decision will give the city its third major college football game at Alltel Stadium, along with the Gator Bowl and the annual Florida-Georgia game.

In addition, the 2005 Super Bowl is being played in Jacksonville.

"We are absolutely ecstatic that we have been awarded this game," Gator Bowl President Rick Catlett said. "We look forward to hosting this game for many years to come..