Source: National Football Foundation
IRVING, Texas (June 27, 2017) — College football, one of America's most beloved and popular institutions, is getting ready to celebrate a big birthday. And it plans to do so in style.
A group of college football leaders announced plans today to launch a nationwide celebration to commemorate the game's 150th anniversary.
"No one could have imagined that since the first football game was played on November 6, 1869 that college football would grow to become one of America's greatest traditions, beloved by tens of millions of fans every year," said Larry Scott, Pac-12 Commissioner and a member of the organizing committee. "At all divisions of play, college football is special and we intend to launch a nationwide celebration to mark the anniversary."
Longtime college athletics administrator and former Big 12 Conference commissioner Kevin Weiberg has been selected to run the effort, beginning August 1st, 2017. He will work out of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's headquarters in Irving, Texas.
"This is a very exciting moment for fans of college football," Weiberg said. "Across the country, college football is a deeply ingrained part of life for millions and millions of people. While it's too soon to know our exact plans, we want to put something together that is big and special, something fans can be proud of. We will work closely with leaders from all divisions of college football to build a national celebration for fans to enjoy."
The commemoration will be celebrated at all divisions of intercollegiate football during the 2019 season, with a focus on November 6, and culminating with the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2020.
Weiberg will report to a committee made up of representatives from the American Football Coaches Association, the Division I conferences, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, the NCAA, Princeton University, Rutgers University, and others.
The group includes:
Todd Berry, executive director, American Football Coaches Association
Ari Fleischer, president, Ari Fleischer Communications
Bill Hancock, executive director, College Football Playoff
Steve Hatchell, president & chief executive officer, National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Pat Hobbs, director of athletics, Rutgers University
Chris Howard, president, Robert Morris University
Mike Kern, associate commissioner, Missouri Valley Football Conference/FCS Managing Director
Oliver Luck, executive vice president of regulatory affairs and strategic partnerships, NCAA
Mollie Marcoux Samaan, athletics director, Princeton University
Larry Scott, commissioner, Pac-12 Conference
Jon Steinbrecher, commissioner, Mid-American Conference
Bob Vecchione, executive director, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
Wright Waters, executive director, Football Bowl Association
About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include FootballMatters.org, the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Fidelity Investments, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, Hofmann Brands, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, PrimeSport, the Sports Business Journal, Under Armour & VICIS. Learn more at footballfoundation.org.
