The Brief

The College Football national championship game will be played at Raymond James Stadium in 2029.

It’s the first time the game is back in Tampa since the 2017 season.

Clemson won the 2017 title over Alabama 35-31.

TAMPA, Fla. – Wednesday was a day eight years in the making.

“I can see some people who are about to burst because they have been holding onto a secret for a long time,” College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark said.

The secret is out.

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The College Football National Championship is coming back to Tampa in 2029.

“We are very excited to bring it to Tampa, because you know how to do it,” Clark said.

The College Football Playoff executive director says this city is known for several things. Hosting big events is one of them.

What they’re saying

“We are not called Champa Bay for no reason,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “We are Champa Bay, because everyone is a champion, and we come together to show the rest of the world that.”

Tampa is ready to show the world another top-notch experience.

“Tampa Bay is invested and committed on delivering all of the promises made to ensure the 2029 College Football Playoff National Championship game is the best one yet,” Hillsborough County commissioner Ken Hagan said.

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A new champion will be crowned in 2029 at Raymond James Stadium, but the city believes they’ve already won.

“Today is monumental for us,” USF CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins said. “It validates what we did in 2017 but then also gives us this next chapter in 2029 to host one of the country’s biggest events. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

That’s because it’s been on the mind for a while.

The backstory

“In 2017, we actually put billboards up as soon as fans were leaving that talked about bringing the event back,” Higgins said. “This has been a journey over these last eight years in terms of getting it back.”

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The game in 2017 in Tampa was as big as it gets. Clemson took down Alabama thanks to a last-second touchdown thrown by Deshaun Watson to Hunter Renfrow as the Tigers took down the Tide 35-31.

“We want all of our games to go like that,” Clark said.

However, it’s not all about the game.

What’s next

“We want you not to just visit but maybe even stay,” Legendary Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks said. “I look at it from a growth standpoint.”

It’s about the pomp and circumstance.

“I just think it is built for a game like ours and the events we want to have,” Clark said.

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All parties involved believe Tampa and the College Football Playoff provide the perfect combination to host another national title in 2029.

“There are a lot of great cities that want our game, and we have to be selective to pick the best ones, and we did in this case,” Clark said.

The Source

The information for this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Mark Skol, Jr. at a press conference in Raymond James Stadium with Tampa city leaders as well as College Football Playoff decision makers.