DETROIT – The Detroit Lions announced today that the 2021 Quick Lane Bowl will be played on Monday, December 27 at 11 AM ET and will be televised on ESPN. Visit www.quicklanebowl.com for presale ticket information. This will be the seventh Quick Lane Bowl. Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center has been the title sponsor of the annual college football bowl game at Ford Field since its 2014 inaugural game. The Quick Lane Bowl was not played in 2020 due to health and safety considerations surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are excited to host the Quick Lane Bowl again in 2021 after a pause in 2020,” said Executive Director of the Quick Lane Bowl and Events Brad Michaels. “The Detroit Lions are committed to postseason college football in Detroit both as a holiday tradition and keeping the city in consideration for the Big Ten Championship game and potential College Football Playoff games.” The sixth annual Quick Lane Bowl was played between the Eastern Michigan Eagles and Pitt Panthers on December 26th, 2019. Pitt finished the regular season with a 7-5 record and was looking to capture their second bowl win since the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. Pat Narduzzi returned to the state of Michigan seeking his first bowl victory as Pitt’s head coach. Eastern Michigan became bowl eligible for the second straight season after finishing with a record of 6-6. The Eagles and Head Coach Chris Creighton were looking to get their second bowl win in school history. After a close and competitive four quarters, Eastern Michigan was unable to convert on a 4th down during their last possession leading Pitt to end the game by taking a knee as time expired. The Panthers earned a 34-30 Quick Lane Bowl victory. The Quick Lane Bowl now features teams from the Big Ten and the Mid-American Conference (MAC); prior to 2020 it also featured teams from the ACC. At the end of the college football season, officials from both conferences meet with bowl officials to determine the best possible matchup and choose their team representatives. The entertainment division, DLI Entertainment, has promoted multiple large-scale shows and events at Ford Field since 2002 and has been home of the MAC Football Championship since 2004. Notably, Garth Brooks set a Ford Field attendance record of 74,000 at his sold-out show on February 22, 2020. DLI has also hosted nine Kenny Chesney shows with another set to return in 2022. Other recent shows hosted by Ford Field include Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Beyoncé & Jay –Z and Luke Bryan stadium tours. ABOUT DETROIT LIONS The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL), and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit. The team located to Detroit in 1934 and is the National Football League’s fifth oldest franchise. The Detroit Lions most recently made the NFL playoffs in 2016, when they finished with an 9-7 record. In addition to professional football, the Detroit Lions have a visible and active community relations role in the Detroit area. Detroit Lions Charities raises awareness and funding for nonprofit organizations working in underserved communities with an emphasis on youth development, access and opportunity, and social justice initiatives in Detroit. Since 1991, Detroit Lions Charities has donated more than $17 million to support non-profits, contributing nearly $2 million in 2020. For more information, please visit www.detroitlions.com. ABOUT QUICK LANE TIRE & AUTO CENTER Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. #30# |
