By Austin Turner — Staff Writer
Bowl season is nearly upon us and this year, it’s the South Bay’s time to shine.
Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium will be hosting the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship game, and downtown San Jose will be the official Championship Campus for the game’s pregame week festivities.
While most don’t immediately think of the Bay when it comes to college football, the unique pageantry and tradition of the sport will fit right in — and the Bay is crazy about its sports.
As for the championship matchup itself, the Bay may be playing host to another classic finish to a fantastic college football season.
The game will see the winner of the contest between defending-champion and the SEC powerhouse No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide and the explosive offense of the Big XII Champion Oklahoma Sooners, and the winner of the undefeated ACC champion Clemson Tigers and the traditional college football power Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Who will we see in the game? Well, it appears that Bay Area football fans may be treated to another installment of the Alabama-Clemson playoff rivalry.
The two teams have met in three-consecutive playoffs, including two championship games. They split the national title games, while the Crimson Tide got the better of the Tigers in last year’s semi-final matchup.
The nation’s top-ranked team, Alabama, could potentially be led to Levi’s Stadium by a Heisman-trophy winning quarterback. Sophomore Tua Tagovailoa is the overwhelming favorite for the most prestigious individual award in collegiate sports, and he will attempt to bring the national title back to Tuscaloosa for the second year in a row.
Headlining Clemson’s squad is a collection of star defensive linemen. Led by potential top-10 NFL Draft pick Clelin Ferrell, the Tigers are second in the nation with 43 sacks on the year.
Like Alabama, they may have a generational talent at the quarterback position as well.
Trevor Lawrence, a true freshman, is viewed by many as a future top NFL Draft pick and potential MVP. A star-studded matchup such as this would be sure to get fans from the South to take a trip out west.
However, for the Bay Area, hosting a game of this magnitude isn’t about selling tickets.
When cities bid to host big games like the CFP National Championship, Super Bowl or Final Four, it’s not just about the game. It’s much, much more than that.
The San Jose area is accustomed to hosting big sporting events by now. Just three years removed from hosting Super Bowl 50, the Capital of Silicon Valley will once again be going all out to accommodate the traveling fans of the participating teams.
The immediate area surrounding San Jose State University will be dubbed as the “Championship Campus”.
The Plaza de Cesar Chavez will be the “quad,” which will be the broadcasting headquarters for ESPN. Fans will be able to watch live tapings of shows such as SportsCenter and College Gameday Live.
Media Day will be held at SAP Center, home of the San Jose Sharks, and will be open to the public. Fans can go watch their favorite players be interviewed by media members free of charge.
Playoff Fan Central at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center is a three-day event with games and music dedicated to creating a family-friendly atmosphere for football fans.
There will even be events for those who don’t care about the game at all.
Discovery Meadow will be hosting three nights of free concerts open to the public. Acts include popular artists such as OneRepublic, Logic, Leon Bridges, Jay Rock and Ellie Goulding.
Of course, the game is the main draw, and San Jose is sure to benefit from being the championship’s metropolitan hub.
A 2016 study from Arizona State’s L. William Seidman Research Institute revealed that there was over $120 million of total spending from visitors in the Phoenix area when it hosted the championship in the same year. Visitors that didn’t even have a ticket to the game still spent almost $5 million, according to the same study.
The money spent from fans representing the participating schools will be going to countless hotels, restaurants shops and more in the Bay Area. The sure rise in tourism coming to the Bay in January will be massive to the short-term economy in the area.
If one thing is for certain, it’s that the Bay is ready for some high-level football. After a rough season for both its college and professional teams, football fans will be ready to celebrate the sport and watch a fantastic game.
Follow Austin on Twitter @AustinTurnt