College Football Playoff, New Orleans preparing to host complete weekend of events along with 2020 CFP National Championship

NEW ORLEANS – More than 100,000 New Orleans residents and visitors from across the country are expected to attend a full menu of events for fans during the weekend of the 2020 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship. At a news conference today at Warren Easton High School in New Orleans, plans were revealed for a “championship campus” experience that will create a three-day celebration of college football.

“Championship Campus is the area that encompasses the many fun public events during the weekend,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP. “A national champion will be crowned Monday night, but that capstone will be preceded by an entire weekend of activities. It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about. We’ve worked closely with the New Orleans Host Committee to develop a fan-friendly campus that thousands will enjoy.”

“On behalf of the many organizations involved with the New Orleans host committee, I’m pleased to say that we’re all very honored for the opportunity to host the city’s first CFP National Championship and 29th college football national champion overall,” said Monique Morial, chair of the Local Organizing Committee and president of the Sugar Bowl Committee. “We’re also very excited for the entire weekend of events; the CFP National Championship will offer something for everybody in the city. Perhaps most importantly, through the wide-ranging efforts of the CFP Foundation and our host committee, we are pleased to be making a commitment to local school teachers that will make an impact on New Orleans for many years to come.”

The 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship will be decided at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Monday, January 13, but the celebration will get started on Saturday, January 11, with the opening of Playoff Fan Central at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. This interactive event will feature youth clinics, appearances by some of the sport’s greatest legends, pep rallies, marching band performances and hands-on experiences allowing fans of all ages to test their skills.

The Crescent City’s Woldenberg Park will be home to one of the country’s largest annual traveling music festivals, AT&T Playoff Playlist Live!, which will also begin on Saturday, January 11. Each year, the star-studded event attracts some of music’s top acts, all free of charge to the public. Past talent has included Usher, The Chainsmokers, Sting, Alessia Cara, Darius Rucker, Flo Rida, John Mellencamp, Ciara, WALK THE MOON, The Band Perry, Sting and Lenny Kravitz, among others. This year’s talent lineup and dates will be announced in November.

On Saturday, January 11, fans will be invited to Media Day at the XULA Convocation Center on the campus of Xavier University of Louisiana. A free event, Media Day will provide fans the unique opportunity to watch and listen as ESPN and members of the national media interview with coaches and student-athletes from the two participating teams.

CFP Foundation’s Commitment to New Orleans
The CFP Foundation and its Extra Yard for Teachers (EYFT) platform have one mission: supporting and celebrating teachers. The CFP Foundation is already hard at work in 2019 to help educators in New Orleans. Thanks to the generosity of Eckrich, this morning it was able to fully fund all teacher classroom projects on Donors Choose.org in New Orleans Parish. DonorsChoose.org, is a national nonprofit that makes it easy for anyone to help fund teachers’ classroom wish lists.

Educators from the Orleans Parish School Board who attended today’s press event were also surprised with a $250 DonorsChoose.org gift card that can be used to fund their own classroom projects.

The CFP Foundation has partnered with the New Orleans Host Committee to develop a comprehensive impact strategy to support teachers in Orleans Parish from now through the 2020 CFP National Championship. Entergy New Orleans has joined the New Orleans Host Committee as the lead corporate partner for the CFP Foundation efforts locally. Entergy has had a long legacy of commitment and partnership in its local markets. A description of the initiatives planned as part of this impact strategy can be found as an addendum to this release.

“We support student achievement by supporting their teachers, who are the single most important factor in a quality education” said Britton Banowsky, executive director of the CFP Foundation. “We are excited to work closely with the New Orleans Host Committee and other organizations to recruit more prepared teachers to Orleans Parish and provide some special support to the thousands of dedicated teachers already in the workforce.”

The CFP Foundation will put New Orleans-area teachers in the spotlight throughout championship weekend with a series of events aimed at honoring and empowering local educators. The Extra Yard for Teachers Summit (Saturday, January 11) is a VIP space reserved exclusively for educators that will feature a series of activities and workshops meant to uplift and inspire classroom leaders. More information on how to register to attend the free event will be available in the fall.

On Sunday, January 12, the spotlight will continue to be on educators at the Extra Yard 5K, which will wind its way through the streets of downtown New Orleans. Later that day, the Eckrich Taste of the Championship will serve up a foodie’s delight at Mardi Gras World, featuring some of the top chefs from across New Orleans and the nation. Proceeds from both the Extra Yard 5K and Eckrich Taste of the Championship support Extra Yard for Teachers. More information, including how to register and buy tickets, will be made available in the fall.

CFP National Championship: Monday, January 13, 2020
On game day, Monday, January 13, the focus will shift to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for the 2020 CFP National Championship. Prior to kickoff, Championship Tailgate Plaza, the ultimate game day experience, will be staged adjacent to Jax Brewery near the Mississippi River. Fans will be encouraged to arrive early and enjoy tasty food, sponsor activities and live ESPN broadcasts. Game day will also see the CFP Foundation, in conjunction with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), host the 2019 teachers of the year from all U.S. states and territories.

For more information on the College Football Playoff and the 2020 CFP National Championship, visit www.collegefootballplayoff.com. To learn more about supporting local efforts and the New Orleans Host Committee, visit www.2020NOLA.com.

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About the College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1 seed vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual. This season’s Playoff Semifinals will take place Saturday, December 28, 2019, at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 13, 2020, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

About the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary cause platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, is dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes. To learn more, visit www.cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.