On Saturday, Atlanta became the epicenter of HBCU football as Florida A&M and Howard met for the Celebration Bowl. The Rattlers were victorious 30-26 over the Bison but the impact of Celebration Bowl weekends extends further than just the field. According to data collected by the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau the Celebration Bowl is expected to generate $21.7 million in economic impact to the city of Atlanta.
If you were in the Atlanta area at all this past weekend it was hard to not see representation from Howard or FAMU. The fans traveled in big numbers to see their teams fight it out for the coveted HBCU National Title. In a weekend where Blueblood programs North Carolina and Kentucky met next door immediately after the Celebration Bowl, even their fans walked away impressed at the support and fanfare from schools who compete at the FCS level. Saturday night I ran across Wildcats and Tarheels who were simply overwhelmed and shocked that FCS teams could have this much support and attention. On top of that the Celebration Bowl brought out celebrities such as Cam Newton, Edgerin James, Ken Griffey Jr. and others but also the current Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris.
Another unique thing about the Celebration Bowl is seeing the HBCU love. Fans from all HBCUs showed up on Saturday and many show up every year no matter if their school is playing or not. The lobby at the Omni has become a meeting place of the Who's Who in HBCU football. You can see coaches, athletic directors, and star HBCU players from years and decades past. Only 8 games in The Celebration Bowl is quickly becoming football's version of the CIAA tournament. The Celebration Bowl is exactly that! A Celebration of not only HBCU football but our schools and culture. If you've never attended a Celebration Bowl, I challenge you to meet me there next year and I promise that one won't be your last one!
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