News Release
Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
College Football’s National Championship Coming to North Texas

ARLINGTON, April 24, 2013 — College football’s national championship is returning to North Texas for the first time in 37 years.

It was announced earlier today by the Conference Commissioners meeting in Pasadena, Calif., that the first National Championship game in the new four-team playoff will be played at Cowboys Stadium on Monday, January 12, 2015.

In the new College Football Playoff, the national semi-final games will be played on New Year’s Day, 2015, at the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, and at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The two winning teams will advance to Arlington to play for the National Championship.

“We set out to land college football’s biggest game, and I’m thrilled to say that after nearly four decades, the National Championship game is coming back to North Texas,” said Tommy Bain, Chairman of the Stadium Events Organizing Committee. “Securing the first National Championship game as part of the new playoff system is a great honor, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of a dynamic combination of organizations, including the Cowboys Stadium staff, the Jones family and the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.”

Eight times the National Championship has been won or lost in North Texas, all at the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, but not since January 2, 1978, when fifth-ranked Notre Dame surprised No. 1 Texas, 38-10. The Irish then vaulted to No. 1 in the final rankings.

“We couldn’t be more excited about bringing college football’s biggest game to Cowboys Stadium, said Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys. “It is an honor and a privilege to have been selected to host the first national championship as part of the new playoff structure. This is a major win for our region. When designing and building Cowboys Stadium, our goal was to create a grand stage for championship events just like this. Rest assured, we all pledge to do everything we can to make sure this game exceeds everyone’s highest expectations.”

In June, 2012, the AT&T Cotton Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys and Cowboys Stadium combined efforts to establish the Stadium Events Organizing Committee. The SEOC is a non-profit entity that will be responsible for supporting the Conference Commissioners and College Football Playoff staff in producing the National Championship game at Cowboys Stadium.

For more:  www.ATTCottonBowl.com

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News Release
Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic to Join the College Football Playoff

ARLINGTON, April 24, 2013 — The AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, one of college football’s original New Year’s Day post-season bowls, will once again play its game on the biggest stage. Conference Commissioners announced today that the Classic has been selected to join the new four-team playoff system that will commence after the 2014 regular season.

“This is one of the great days in the 78-year history of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic,” said Tommy Bain, Chairman of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. “Our dream and vision has been to return to the top of the college football landscape. Every decision that we have made, including moving our game to Cowboys Stadium, has been strategically focused on hosting college football’s biggest games. It’s gratifying to see the hard work by so many has brought the Classic back to the highest level.”

In this new format, the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic joins five other bowls that will constitute the new College Football Playoff. These bowls will rotate the two semifinal games as part of a new 12-year cycle. The Classic will host a semifinal game once every three years. The matchup in the other years will be determined by a new selection committee overseen by the conference commissioners.

“The enormous fan support in North Texas has enabled the AT&T Cotton Bowl to produce sellout games on an annual basis and demonstrate to the nation that this area deserves to be a part of the new four-team playoff format,” said Bain. “Of course, we would not be in this position without the outstanding support of AT&T and our great partnership with the Dallas Cowboys and the Jones family for providing us the opportunity to move our game into the finest football stadium in the world.”

The AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic has served as the backdrop of some of college football’s greatest postseason matchups. The first Classic was played in 1937 between TCU and Marquette with the Horned Frogs winning, 16-6. The Cotton Bowl has played host to 12 Heisman winners, including Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel this past January.

“Our ultimate goal has always been to shine the spotlight on the great sport of college football while supporting higher education, and creating memories that will last a lifetime,” Rick Baker, President/CEO of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic said. “Ever since the Southwest Conference closed its doors nearly two decades ago, so many dedicated people have worked tirelessly to get the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic back to its place as one of college football’s biggest bowls. We are grateful to the commissioners and the Playoff Group for giving us this special opportunity.”

The AT&T Cotton Bowl moved to Cowboys Stadium in 2009 after 73 years at Cotton Bowl Stadium. The Classic has averaged more than 83,000 fans the past five years and has sold out each year at Cowboys Stadium. Last year’s matchup between Texas A&M and Oklahoma drew 87,025 fans, marking the second largest crowd in the game’s history.

The 2014 AT&T Cotton Bowl, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 3rd, marks the final year of the current agreement matching a team from the Southeastern Conference against a team from the Big 12. The new playoff system begins the following year.

For more: www.ATTCottonBowl.com

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