For the third time since moving to Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, the ACC has announced a sell out for the ACC Championship Game. This year’s conference championship game between Clemson and North Carolina has already sold out all 73,000+ tickets for the December 5 contest.
“We look forward to having a full house in Charlotte for this year’s ACC Football Championship game, and we appreciate our partnership with the entire city,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford in a released statement. “Our event continues to gain excellent momentum in Bank of America Stadium and it’s a win-win that Charlotte and the ACC Football Championship are becoming synonymous.”
It helps that North Carolina will be making its first appearance in the ACC Championship Game. It also helps that Clemson is currently the top-ranked team in the nation in the major polls (AP, coaches and the most recent College Football Playoff rankings). Clemson is clearly a good draw for the ACC title game, as the last time the game attracted over 68,000 fans in Charlotte was when Clemson played Virginia Tech in the 2011 game. An ACC record total of 73,675 fans attended the 2011 ACC Championship game between the Tigers and Hokies. The ACC Championship Game has eclipsed 72,000 fans three times (2005 in Jacksonville, 2010 and 2011 in Charlotte).
The ACC Championship Game could be quite a matchup as long as the ACC division champs avoid upsets in the final week of the regular season. Clemson take son rival South Carolina in a season that has been abysmal for the Gamecocks. North Carolina, with a 10-1 record and a rising playoff contender worth discussing, plays a more formidable foe in North Carolina State on the road.