Stadium to Host Pac-12 Championship Game for Next Three Years
Thursday, May 15, 2014
The Pac-12 Conference and the Santa Clara Stadium Authority announced today that the Pac-12 will stage its annual Football Championship Game at Levi’s® Stadium for the next three years. This year’s Pac-12 Football Championship Game will take place on Friday, Dec. 5, and will feature the Pac-12 North champion versus the Pac-12 South champion.
The move to a neutral site follows three years of playing the game at the home stadiums of one of its participants, and gives the Conference the opportunity to host its biggest game in a state-of-the-art stadium that promises to offer fans the best experience possible.
“Pac-12 football is among the deepest and best football conferences in the country and deserves the biggest stage,” said Larry Scott, Commissioner of the Pac-12 Conference. “Our Football Championship Game is important for selecting a team for the Rose Bowl and possibly the College Football Playoff, and we are thrilled to offer student-athletes and their fans the ultimate venue to culminate a successful season.”
Levi’s® Stadium opens for the 2014 football season as the new home for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and world-class events. The inaugural season will also see the venue host a Pac-12 regular season contest between Cal and Oregon on Oct. 24. The facility has already secured the rights to host WrestleMania 31 in March 2015, Super Bowl L in February 2016 and the annual San Francisco Bowl beginning this December, while featuring new and exciting ways for fans to experience live events.
“The Pac-12 has a tremendous following in the Bay Area, which makes Levi’s® Stadium a fitting host for its marquee game,” said Jed York, CEO of the San Francisco 49ers. “We are excited to provide Pac-12 student-athletes, and their fans from across the region, an unparalleled experience for their Football Championship.”
The growing importance of this game makes it a must-attend event for all Pac-12 football fans. Tickets for the 2014 Pac-12 Football Championship Game go on sale to season ticket holders and donors of each Pac-12 institution and Levi’s® Stadium SBL owners starting May 19 at 10 a.m. PT, and then will open to the general public beginning on May 23 at 10 a.m. PT. All tickets will be available on Ticketmaster.
Bringing the Pac-12 Football Championship to the heart of Silicon Valley provides the Conference a perfect platform to highlight its universities’ leadership in technology and innovation. As part of the championship game events, the Pac-12 is planning to host an innovation summit with leaders from its universities and titans of the technology industry.
“This is a positive move for our institutions and fan bases,” said Scott. The neutral site location will allow us to showcase the Conference, our member institutions and important initiatives on a big stage, as well as treat fans to multiple events during championship week, concluded Scott.”
Since its inception three years ago, Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona State have hosted the Pac-12 Football Championship Game, respectively, as the division winner with the best overall conference record. Last year, Pac-12 North champion Stanford defeated Pac-12 South champion Arizona State 38-14 to earn a berth to the Rose Bowl. It was the second win in a row for Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
