2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl Set for New Year’s Eve
ATLANTA (March 14, 2008) – The Chick-fil-A Bowl will play its 41st annual rivalry game between the ACC and SEC on Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. Bowl officials announced today. The game will be nationally televised by ESPN.
This will mark the 17th New Year’s Eve edition of Atlanta’s bowl game and the fourth in the last seven years. The Chick-fil-A Bowl has elected to play on New Year’s Day, or later, seven times – most recently in 2004.
“Traditionally, this is a date that has worked well for us, both for our attendance and our TV ratings,” said Chuck Fruit, Chick-fil-A Bowl chairman. “Playing unopposed in prime time on New Year’s Eve is becoming our unofficial home and we’re very comfortable in that slot.”
The Chick-fil-A Bowl has sold out 11 straight games and remains the highest-attended non-BCS bowl game in the nation while its television ratings have averaged more than a 5.0 over the last four years. Each of the last four Chick-fil-A Bowls has placed in ESPN’s all time top 10 most-viewed bowl broadcasts – two of those games were played on New Year’s Eve.
During the date selection process, Chick-fil-A Bowl officials examined several other date possibilities, including several after Jan. 1. Among the factors taken into consideration were conflicts with other bowl games, time slots and network promotional opportunities, hotel room availability, potential for increased television ratings and flexibility of scheduling Bowl Week events for the teams.
“Coming off a record year in terms of ratings and attendance on New Year's Eve in 2007, we are excited that the Chick-fil-A Bowl will return to December 31st in 2008,” said Dave Brown, ESPN vice president, programming and acquisitions. “The combination of the ACC, SEC, and the great city of Atlanta has proven to be a tremendous combination for our viewers and college football fans throughout the country each year.”
This year will mark the 17th in which rivals from the ACC and SEC have been matched in what remains one the most competitive bowl games in college football. After #22 Auburn’s overtime win against #15 Clemson last year, the rivalry series is tied 8-8.
For the Record
The Chick-fil-A Bowl is the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country and hosts the longest-running rivalry series between the ACC and SEC. In the last 16 years, the ACC and SEC are tied at 8-8 with only one point separating the two conferences in total points (ACC: 298, SEC: 299). Ten of the last 16 games have been decided by a touchdown or less. The Chick-fil-A Bowl has disbursed more than $84 million in its 40-year history, ranking it 8th among all bowl games in cumulative payout. The Bowl also leads all other bowl games in charitable contributions, giving more than $1 million to organizations in need in 2007 alone.