TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl: Continuing Legion Field’s Legacy of College Football Greatness

In the annals of college football, there are certain names that evoke such a sense of grandeur and timeless significance, that they become synonymous with the sport itself. The players and coaches in this echelon are known to us often by a single name: “Bear”, Bo, Flutie, Herschel, Rockne, and Heisman. Then there are the arenas of college football — the hallowed grounds that have played host to legendary moments over decades, the immovable icons that act as pilgrimage sites for devoted fans of our country’s most beloved sport. They’re known by their nicknames: “The Big House” in Ann Arbor Michigan, the “Colosseum” in Los Angeles, “The Shoe” in Columbus, Ohio, and of course “The Old Grey Lady”, Legion Field, right here in Birmingham Alabama.

On January 2nd, Legion Field continues playing its vital role in the storied tradition of the college football postseason by hosting the 14th Annual TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl. This year’s game features one of the most exciting offenses in the country, the 21st-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats, Champions of the American Athletic Conference’s East Division, and the Boston College Eagles. Boston College, as college football fans almost certainly know, is the alma mater of the aforementioned “Flutie” — the 1984 Heisman Trophy Winner, Doug Flutie.

“Legion Field, and Birmingham itself, is considered the Football Capital of the south”, says Birmingham City Council President William Parker. “We’re excited. We’re looking forward to great opportunities and great events at Legion Field for years and years to come”. Birmingham is the college football capital not only of the South, but of the entire college football watching nation. We consistently rank at the very top (by a lot) in television viewers for game broadcasts.

Over the past several years, there has been no greater advocate for Legion Field than Council President Parker. He has worked tirelessly to ensure that The Old Grey Lady is not only included in Birmingham’s development and progress, but that it is and will continue to be a focal point of our city’s success. “We’re always continuing to make new upgrades”, says President Parker. Investing in the infrastructure of the stadium, such as the recent installation of new turf, has played a role in the stadium’s viability — especially as it becomes center stage of the international sporting world as the site of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2021 World Games.

The City of Birmingham and its partners are thrilled that TicketSmarter has come on board as the title sponsor of the Birmingham Bowl, a demonstration of the corporate community’s investment into, and appreciation of, the magic of Legion Field. The TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl is a prosperous event to be a part of; according to Tonia Whatley, National Sports Development Manager at the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, the game has “infused over $151 Million into the Greater Birmingham Area”. That sort of impact is staggering, and ranks the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl among the most economically significant annual events in the city. Whatley adds that the game is “a great catalyst at the end of the year and at the beginning of January for all of our hospitality and hotel attractions.”

As hotels are filling up with players, coaches, band members, and fans from the University of Cincinnati and Boston College, the Magic City is also showcasing its world class attractions. Birmingham City Council President Pro Tem Wardine Alexander says, “We know that they will have a great opportunity to take in the Southern hospitality here in Birmingham.” This week, players from both teams are not only enjoying our famous Southern Hospitality by visiting places like the Barber Motorsports Museum and learning about our legacy of being at the forefront of the human rights movement by visiting the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, they’ve also been sharing some hospitality and holiday cheer of their own by spending time with young patients at Children’s Hospital.

We hope that you can also join in the excitement of the 14th Annual TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field. Tickets are still available for the 2pm kickoff on January 2nd, and will be available at the stadium.

As the game’s tagline states, it’s “Southern Hospitality. Serious Football.”