HOUSTON – More than 100,000 Houston residents and visitors from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff of the 2024 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship. At a news conference today at Milby High School in Houston, plans were revealed for a “Championship Campus” experience that will transform the region into a four-day celebration of college football.
“A national champion will be crowned on Monday, January 8, but the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship will include an entire weekend of fun activities,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it. We’ve worked closely with the Houston Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.”
“On behalf of the many organizations and partners involved with the Houston Host Committee, we’re all very honored for the opportunity to host the city’s first CFP National Championship this January,” said Chris Massey, president of the Houston Host Committee. “Perhaps most importantly, through the wide-ranging efforts of the CFP Foundation and our host committee, we are pleased to make a commitment to local school public teachers that will make an positive impact on Houston for many years to come.”
The 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship will be decided at NRG Stadium on Monday, January 8, but the celebration will get started Friday, January 5, with the opening of Playoff Fan Central at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The free family-friendly interactive experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, band performances, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. Playoff Fan Central creates memories that last a lifetime.
AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will bring a three-day weekend of music to Houston, serving as the soundtrack for the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. The free, star-studded event will take place at Shell Energy Stadium in downtown Houston beginning on Friday, January 5. Past talent has included the Jonas Brothers, Saweetie, Pitbull, Twenty One Pilots, Doja Cat, Meghan Trainor, H.E.R., Usher, The Chainsmokers, Sting, Alessia Cara, Darius Rucker, Flo Rida, John Mellencamp, Ciara, The Band Perry, Sting and Lenny Kravitz, among others. This year’s talent lineup and details on how fans can attend will be announced in November.
On Saturday, January 6, fans are invited to attend Media Day within Playoff Fan Central at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. A free event, Media Day will feature one-hour interview sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff National Championship participating teams, where fans are provided with the unique opportunity to watch and listen in.
On Sunday, January 7, the newly-rebranded Trophy Trot (formerly known as the Extra Yard 5K) will wind its way through the streets of downtown Houston. For the first time ever, the Trophy Trot will feature races at both the 5K and 10K distances, offering a chance for locals as well as out-of-town fans to take part in national championship weekend. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a t-shirt and finisher’s medal. All proceeds from the Trophy Trot benefit Extra Yard for Teachers, the College Football Playoff Foundation’s primary platform that elevates the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering quality teachers. More information, including how to register, will be made available soon.
Sunday evening, Taste of the Championship will serve up a foodie’s delight at Union Station downtown, offering attendees the opportunity to indulge in gourmet food and drink prepared by chefs local to Houston and the community hosting the 2024 national championship game. This premium dining experience serves as a unique combination of an exploration of local cuisine and a celebration of the teaching profession on the eve of the national championship game with all proceeds benefitting the CFP Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers platform. More information, including how to buy tickets, will be made available in the fall.
In addition to all the fan activities taking place in Houston around the national championship game, the CFP Foundation is already hard at work making an impact in classrooms across the city. Each year, the CFP Foundation develops a comprehensive strategy to support teachers within CFP National Championship host cities. The CFP Foundation and its Extra Yard for Teachers (EYFT) platform works in partnership with local institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations, and nonprofits to elevate the teaching profession by supporting educators and helping improve student outcomes.
The CFP Foundation is also working closely with Houston Loves Teachers, a collective impact campaign to recruit, reward and retain excellent teachers in the greater Houston area. The campaign was developed by the College Football Playoff Foundation, Good Reason Houston and the Houston Host Committee in advance of the College Football Playoff National Championship in January. Since its launch in May 2023, there are already more than 15,000 educators from across a dozen Houston-area public school districts engaged in the Houston Loves Teachers campaign through events, classroom resource giveaways and subscribers to the newly-launched digital platform at HoustonLovesTeachers.org.
Elements of the Houston Loves Teachers initiative include a thoughtful media campaign and the development of a high-profile teacher community, available online and in person with a series of community recognition and professional development activities.
In addition, a citywide campus beautification campaign was announced today, designed to provide refreshed and renewed spaces in schools across 10 different districts in Houston to provide a more positive environment for teachers and students. The campaign includes six planned Extra Yard Makeovers and 10 Houston Loves Teachers murals. One local visual artist and Milby High School alumnus, Alex Roman Jr. (known professionally as Donkeeboy), surprised the school with the news of a mural that will be painted on the front wall outside the school building.
“We are excited to work closely with the Host Committee and other organizations to recruit more prepared teachers to the Houston area and provide some special support to the thousands of dedicated teachers already in the workforce,” said Britton Banowsky, executive director of the CFP Foundation. “We support students by supporting their teachers, who are the single most important factor in a quality education.”
The CFP Foundation will put Houston-area teachers in the spotlight throughout national championship weekend with a series of events and activities aimed at honoring and empowering local educators. The Extra Yard for Teachers Summit, slated for Saturday, January 6, is a gathering of local teachers who come together for high energy and relevant professional development and to hear inspiring speakers who recognize the hard work of those on the front lines of educating students. Past speakers and presenters have included Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education; Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State; Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org; Desmond Howard, ESPN college football analyst and many more. The 2024 event will offer in-person (for local educators) and virtual live and on-demand options for teachers across the country to attend the event at no cost. Registration for both the in-person event and online options opens Thursday, August 17. To register, visit CFP-Foundation.org.
For more information on the College Football Playoff and the 2024 CFP National Championship, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com. To learn more about supporting local efforts and the Houston Host Committee, visit Houston2024.com.
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About the College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1 ranked team vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game. This season’s Playoff Semifinals will take place Monday, January 1, 2024, at the Rose Bowl Game and Allstate Sugar Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
