Charlotte, N.C. – The Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Big Ten Conference will be alternating conference partners for the Belk Bowl from 2020 through 2025. The announcement was made today by the Charlotte Sports Foundation, owner and operator of the game. The opponent facing the SEC or Big Ten each year will be announced in the near future.
Beginning next year, a team from the Big Ten will play in the Belk Bowl in 2020, 2022 and 2024, and the SEC in 2021, 2023 and 2025. The Big Ten representative will be the fifth selection after the College Football Playoff, while the SEC selection will continue to come from its Pool of Six.
The current affiliation contracts with the ACC and SEC, which began in 2014, run through this year's game. The Belk Bowl has featured the ACC every year of the game since its inception in 2002. The SEC has been featured each year since 2014. The bowl has also featured the Big East Conference, the American Athletic Conference and Navy in previous years.
"We are pleased to announce the Belk Bowl has partnered with the Big Ten and SEC for the next six years," said Danny Morrison, Belk Bowl Executive Director. "The SEC has proven to be a tremendous partner for the Belk Bowl, and we are proud to continue that relationship. At the same time, the opportunity to bring schools from the Big Ten to the city of Charlotte is something we feel will further enhance the experience of the game for the players, fans and the Queen City. Out of respect for our partners, we will wait to confirm the complete matchup and anticipate we will have that announcement in the near future. We look forward to a bright future for the Belk Bowl, the fans coming to Charlotte, and the national audience tuning in to watch these outstanding conference partners."
College football's only bowl game to call the Carolinas home, the 2019 Belk Bowl will be played on Tuesday, December 31st, with a 12:00 p.m. EST kickoff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Celebrating its 18th year, the Belk Bowl will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Individual public tickets for the 2019 Belk Bowl will go on sale in the fall.
The Belk 2-Game Ticket Package is available now at www.belktickets.com. Fans who purchase the Belk 2-Game Pack will have the opportunity to secure the best seats for both the Belk College Kickoff and the Belk Bowl. The 2019 Belk College Kickoff will be played on Saturday, August 31st and features the South Carolina Gamecocks facing border rival the North Carolina Tar Heels to open the 2019 college football season.
For more information on the Belk Bowl, please visit www.BelkBowl.com.
