UPDATE JULY 24: The Pac-12 Conference today announced that the 2020 and 2021 Pac-12 Football Championship Game, presented by 76, will be played in Las Vegas at the new home of the Raiders, the Las Vegas Stadium.
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott made the announcement today during the 2019 Pac-12 Football Media Day in partnership with Las Vegas Stadium and the Raiders, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and MGM Resorts International.
“Our Pac-12 universities and entire Conference are thrilled to have our 2020 and 2021 football championship event take place in one of the most anticipated new venues in sports,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. “Highlighting and showcasing our programs on one of the biggest stages in a major destination market is a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes, universities and fans, and consistent with our mission to create the best possible experiences for student-athletes. We are excited to work with our new partners in the Raiders, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and MGM Resorts International for these events.”
Today’s announcement marks the second new event to be scheduled for the Las Vegas Stadium which is also set to host the 2020 Las Vegas Bowl, featuring a Pac-12 opponent against either a Big Ten or SEC opponent, after the event moves following the 2019 game.
With Las Vegas already hosting the 2020 Pac-12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments, the 2020 and 2021 football title games will bring the Conference’s championship event to the city for the first time. Serving as home of the Raiders, the 1.75-million-square-foot stadium will also provide the most start-of-the-art facilities for the champions of the Pac-12 North and South divisions as well as a full slate of surrounding entertainment options for fans in attendance.
Since the Conference’s move of its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to Las Vegas, the events have drawn sensational crowds and set multiple attendance records.
“As Las Vegas and the Raiders prepare to debut a world-class stadium, the LVCVA is proud to partner with the Raiders and MGM Resorts International to bring the elite Conference of Champions to the destination,” said Steve Hill, CEO and president of the LVCVA.
“The Raiders are excited to host Pac-12 universities and their passionate fans in Las Vegas for the 2020 and 2021 Pac-12 Football Championship Games,” said Raiders President Marc Badain. “The Raiders are proud to work alongside the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority and MGM Resorts International in helping to bring this showcase event to the newest world-class venue in Las Vegas. We’d like to thank Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott and the Pac-12 universities and fans for this tremendous opportunity.”
George Kliavkoff, President of Entertainment & Sports for MGM Resorts International, said, “We have had a long-standing partnership with the Pac-12 that includes hosting the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. Pac-12 fans are some of the best in collegiate sports and we are proud to extend our relationship with the Conference and its fans to the football championship games in 2020 and 2021.”
With the venue located in one of the most entertainment-centric cities, fan entertainment both in and outside of the venue is set to provide for a fantastic experience for student-athletes and fans alike. Future locations for the Pac-12 Football Championship Game beyond 2021 will be determined and announced at a later date.
ORIGINAL STORY
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) -- College football insider Brett McMurphy predicts the future PAC-12 title game will be held at the new Raiders stadium in Las Vegas in 2021.
Future Pac-12 title games are headed to Los Angeles at Hollywood Park Stadium in 2020 & Las Vegas’ new NFL stadium in 2021, sources told @Stadium
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 24, 2019
Months ago, bowl officials announced a 6-year deal between three college football conferences and in 2020 it's sets a PAC-12 team against a team from the Big 10 or SEC in the raiders stadium.
Financial Analyst Steve Budin says the move could mean big business for Vegas.
"The more sports teams we have to offer, the more attractive we are as a city," Budin said.
Bringing a PAC-12 championship to Vegas could mean more jobs which could mean more people living here who would spend their money in the valley.
