The city of Atlanta once again was the host site for the Celebration Bowl. Since 2015 the championship game for HBCU football, between the MEAC and SWAC champions, has taken place in downtown Atlanta. It will remain in Atlanta, according to the leadership of Celebration Bowl and title sponsor, Cricket Wireless.
“We don’t see that changing anytime soon, because if it’s not Atlanta, then where?,” asked Celebration Bowl Executive Director John Grant. “I don’t think there’s any city in America that is better for this type of event than where it is right here in Atlanta.”
The contract between the Celebration Bowl (and MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff game) and Cricket Wireless, which calls Atlanta home, runs through 2027. The game, which was broadcast at noon on ABC, had a viewership of 1.5 million, according to data provided by Cricket Wireless. Both Grant and Cricket Wireless President John Dwyer feel Atlanta is the right location for the annual events.
Dwyer said the games are an opportunity to give back to the Atlanta business community and community at large. “It is where great athletes, HBCU culture, and giving back to the community come together,” Dwyer told The Atlanta Voice during a recent interview.
With thousands of fans coming to Mercedes-Benz Stadium hours before the game, which took place Saturday, Dec. 16, and remaining downtown in hotels and at restaurants afterwards, the Celebration Bowl remains an economic driver.
“The Cricket Celebration Bowl means a lot for Atlanta and means a lot for the participating HBCUs, and the impact the game has on the broader HBCU diaspora because this game exists,” said Grant.
During the past two years, the Celebration Bowl has taken place on the night of the annual UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball and has become a part of the fabric of the holiday season in Atlanta.
“Atlanta has such a tremendous history with the Atlanta University Center and HBCUs in general,” Dwyer said. “I just think it’s a great city and it’s the headquarters for Cricket, so for us that was certainly a big part of what attracted us.”
Dwyer told The Atlanta Voice that Cricket Wireless looks for organizations to work with that have a point of view and passion. He admitted that experiencing the pomp and circumstance surrounding the Celebration Bowl and MEAC/SWAC Challenge, and having spent time with the coaches and players has been a learning experience.
“I will tell you the Celebration Bowl and MEAC/SWAC Challenge, for me personally, has been an education,” Dwyer said. “It’s just been a terrific relationship.”
The 2023 Celebration Bowl brought Florida A&M University and Howard University to Atlanta to play for the HBCU championship. Grant said having two of the largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the country involved this year helps further enhance the viability of the game.
“Having FAMU and Howard just reinforces what the value is,” he said. “Having those recognizable brands in the HBCU space in this game reflects on the significance of this game.”