100 Black Men of Atlanta Teams Up With ESPN to Highlight the Excitement of HBCU Football With the New Celebration Bowl

The Celebration Bowl will pit champions from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) against the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga.

ATLANTA, Georgia --  The 100 Black Men of Atlanta has teamed up with ESPN to promote a new, best-in-class Historically Black College and University (HBCU) football postseason bowl game.

The Celebration Bowl, a championship style game, will pit the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion against the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) champion on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. The inaugural game will kick off at noon ET and be televised nationally on ABC.  The game will be the first bowl game of the 2015-16 bowl season.

“We are excited about our multi-year relationship with ESPN,” said 100 Black Men of Atlanta Chairman Bill Lamar, who added that the 100 will forego the 2015 Atlanta Football Classic. “We see a new horizon in the world of HBCU football and look forward to beginning a new tradition with ESPN.  Our organization is committed to mentoring and educating our black youth and this bowl game gives us yet another opportunity to innovate in the arena of HBCU sports while supporting our community.”

As it did with the Atlanta Football Classic for almost three decades, the 100 will manage the game’s ancillary events, which will include a Youth Symposium, Robotics Showcase, College Fair, Job Fair and Fan Experience.

Added Lamar: “Fans can expect a highly competitive football game supported by our exciting Fan Experience events.”

“We are excited to work with the 100 Black Men of Atlanta in building a quality postseason experience for not only the MEAC and SWAC but for the Atlanta community,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Events. “The Celebration Bowl will build on the traditions and legacy of black college football, and we hope that fans across the country will take advantage of this experience.”

Owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, the Celebration Bowl will provide fans a first-class bowl experience while continuing to celebrate the legacy, values and traditions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

For more information about the Celebration Bowl, visit www.TheCelebrationBowl.com and follow on Twitter and Facebook

About the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc.
The mission of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. is to provide support and improve the quality of life for African Americans, and youth in particular, in the Atlanta Community. Over 200 committed and engaged members give their time, talent and money to help youth overcome obstacles every day.
For more information about the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc., go to www.100blackmen.org.



ESPN Events

​ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend college football games; 13 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 250-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Boca Raton, Boise, Birmingham, Dallas-Fort Worth, Albuquerque, St. Petersburg and Las Vegas, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.