Thankfully, mercifully, the BCS will go away at the end of the 2013 season, replaced by a four-team (for now) College Football Playoff.
As previously announced, the first CFP title game will be played Jan. 12, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. Monday, the group overseeing the new system to determine a national champion announced a pair of future title-game sites as well.
The cities of Tampa, Fla., and Glendale, Ariz., will host the title games following the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The former game will be played on Jan. 11, 2016, while the latter will take place Jan. 9, 2017.
“The Championship Game will be a significant event on the American calendar -- not only the sports calendar, but also the cultural calendar,” said CFP executive director Bill Hancock in a statement. “The BCS championship has been the second most-watched annual sports event in the United States, trailing only the Super Bowl, and the playoff game will rise to a new level. Fans across the nation hope their teams will make it, and many set their travel schedules around it. It’s a real feather in the cap of the community that earns the right to host it. So congratulations to these two fine cities and thanks to all the communities that submitted bids to participate.”
Jacksonville, New Orleans and Tamp had all put in a bid for the 2016 game, while the Bay Area, Miami, Minnesota and San Antonio did the same for the 2017 game.
“It was a difficult decision for the management committee, because there were many good options, but Arizona and Tampa Bay were selected because of their top-notch facilities and because of the thorough proposals their leaders submitted,” Hancock said. “We were impressed by all the bids and we know communities’ interest will only increase in the coming years.
“Arizona has proven itself to be one of the greatest settings for premiere college football events, and has become a favored destination for fans from around the country. The folks in Arizona put together an exceptional bid that really won the day with the management committee. Likewise, Tampa Bay is a terrific destination with a beautiful stadium and a community that is committed to hosting big events in a gracious and thorough manner. We are very happy with the facilities, the creative proposal and the commitment of support from community leaders
The Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl will serve as the first semifinal games for the 2014 season. The semifinals for the 2015 season will be the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl, while the Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Bowl were tapped as the semifinals for the 2016 season.