Sports

Atlanta’s countdown clock to college football title game starts today

Clemson players celebrate after winning college football’s national championship game in Tampa, Fla., last month. The next champion will be crowned in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Clemson players celebrate after winning college football’s national championship game in Tampa, Fla., last month. The next champion will be crowned in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Feb 16, 2017

Good morning. This is Leadoff, today’s early buzz in Atlanta sports.

Atlanta is on the clock — literally — to host college football's national title game.

A new 50-yard-long digital marquee on the front of the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta will be activated today and, on one end, will count down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until the city hosts next season’s College Football Playoff championship game Jan. 8, 2018.

“The buzz in Atlanta surrounding college football is stronger than ever, and we’re excited to be on the clock,” Carl Adkins, executive director of the Atlanta Football Host Committee, said in a statement. “The countdown clock and digital marquee will be front and center all year long as the city prepares to host the College Football Playoff National Championship.”

The official countdown clock to the College Football Playoff title game is on display at Atlanta's College Football Hall of Fame.
The official countdown clock to the College Football Playoff title game is on display at Atlanta's College Football Hall of Fame.

The display was unveiled at 11 a.m. and consists of more than 1.5 million individual LED pixels.

It is the work of Innovative Show Design, an Orlando, Fla., scenic and lighting design firm, and will remain in place after the championship game.

“Our building and new digital marquee is unlike any other interactive attraction in the country,” College Football Hall of Fame CEO Dennis Adamovich said. “We are thankful to our generous partner, Chick-fil-A, for making the vision possible and to the College Football Playoff and Atlanta Football Host Committee for giving us the opportunity to host the official countdown clock at the mecca of college football.”

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Further reading:

About the Author

Tim Tucker, a long-time AJC sports reporter, often writes about the business side of the games. He also had stints as the AJC's Braves beat writer, UGA beat writer, sports notes columnist and executive sports editor. He was deputy managing editor of America's first all-sports newspaper, The National Sports Daily.

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