JUST RELEASED:
FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL ANNOUNCES NEW 2020-2025 CONFERENCE AGREEMENTS
SEC vs. Big Ten partnerships optimize potential matchups in Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn., (June 4, 2019) – Representatives of the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl are pleased to announce an extension with the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and a new exclusive agreement with the Big Ten Conference for the 2020-2025 college football seasons.
“Through our partnerships with the SEC and Big Ten, we have improved our selection position which we expect to deliver increased economic impact and promotional exposure for Music City over the next six years,” said Scott Ramsey, President & CEO of the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. “Nashville has ascended to one of the top Bowl destinations in the country. We are confident that the SEC and Big Ten, college football’s two biggest brands, will provide unique and exciting matchups in Music City.”
The team selections for the SEC will remain in a pool format with five other bowls sharing a selection following the College Football Playoffs, New Year’s Six bowls and the Citrus Bowl selections. The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl will be in a pool with the Outback Bowl, TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Belk Bowl or Las Vegas Bowl, Texas Bowl and AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The bowls will work in conjunction with the SEC officials to create matchups each year. Geography, opponent and repeat scenarios will be key components in the final matchup decision.
“The Music City Bowl is a mainstay in the SEC bowl lineup and Nashville is an exciting destination for SEC fans,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “We are very pleased to be able to continue our participation in this postseason event in such an outstanding venue and in such a remarkable city.”
The Bowl’s new Big Ten partnership will provide a Big Ten team each of the next six years in Nashville. Following the College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six selections, the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl will have the 3rd selection from the Big Ten, behind the Citrus Bowl and Outback Bowl, in 2020, 2022, and 2024. The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl and the Las Vegas Bowl will share the 3rd and 4th selections from the Big Ten in 2021, 2023, and 2025 with the goal of creating exciting matchups for both cities.
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with the Music City Bowl through 2025,” Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said. “The participants and fans from our schools who have attended this game over the past few years have thoroughly enjoyed their bowl week experience in Nashville, and we look forward to building upon our partnership by sending a team annually during this next cycle.”
The 22nd annual Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl will be played at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Monday, Dec. 30th at 3:00 p.m. CST, and will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Tickets will go on sale to the public for the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl go on sale Friday, August 30.
About the Bowl:
The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (501(c)(3) non-profit organization) is an annual post-season collegiate Bowl played in Nissan Stadium. In 2019, the game will feature the Big Ten Conference or Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference. Since its inception, the Bowl has produced over $330 million in direct economic impact and hosted over 1.1 million fans. The game is distributed nationally to over 93 million viewers on ESPN and millions of listeners ESPN Radio, the Bowl is Nashville’s Holiday Tradition. For more information, call the Bowl office at 615.743.3130 or visit the Bowl online at MusicCityBowl.com.
(Courtesy of the Nashville Sports Council and Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl)
