SIAC championship game moving to Montgomery in 2014 from Atlanta

ATLANTA, Georgia – In addition to holding its 2014 Football Media Day in Montgomery, Ala., the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference will host its football championship at the Cramton Bowl.

The SIAC formally made the announcement during its football media day and is slated to hold the championship game at the Cramton Bowl for the next three seasons starting in 2014.

"The SIAC football championship game has grown significantly over the years and Montgomery is great fit for our postseason atmosphere. The Cramton Bowl is a spectacular venue as it has held some legendary  games in college football," said SIAC Commissioner Gregory Moore. "We want to thank the City of Montgomery, Mayor Todd Strange, The Central Alabama Sports Commission and Convention & Visitor Bureau, as well as the Chamber of Commerce for embracing and assisting our transition to such a historic venue."

The decision to move the championship was unanimously approved by the SIAC President's Council. It relocates after spending its first three years in Atlanta. The inaugural game was played at Panther Stadium on the campus of Clark Atlanta University in 2011 before moving to Lakewood Stadium the last two seasons.

SIAC President's Council Chair Dr. George T. French added, "It is both exciting and appropriate that the SIAC championship game is relocating to a venue in Alabama which holds such rich history and tradition, very much like the HBCU's represented by the teams that will be playing there."

Cramton Bowl is a 25,000-seat stadium located in Montgomery, Alabama. It opened in 1922 has been home to Major League Baseball spring training, the Turkey Day Classic, 20 games for the University of Alabama, and several high school football games. In June 2014, a new synthetic turf field was installed. Starting in December 2014, the Cramton Bowl will be the location for the Camellia Bowl featuring teams from the Sun Belt Conference and Mid-American Conference.

"We are proud to welcome the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football Championship Game to the city named by USA as the Best Historic City in the U.S., Montgomery, Alabama," said Mayor Todd Strange. "The Central Alabama Sports Commission and Convention & Visitor Bureau are working hard to insure that the next three championship games at the world class Cramton Bowl and Multiplex are the best and most memorable SIAC history."

COURTESY THE SIAC MEDIA RELATIONS