Aflac Kickoff game reps in Atlanta rang opening bell for Stock Market Friday

Ahead of the opening weekend of the college football season, a delegation from Georgia was on hand to ring the opening bell at the Stock Market on Friday.

A delegation including Gov. Brian Kemp and representatives of the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium joined the ceremony via a remote connection from Mercedes-Benz Stadium just ahead of the New York Stock Exchange market’s opening at 9:30 a.m.

Others scheduled to participate were: Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue, Aflac U.S. President Virgil Miller, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO Gary Stokan, Georgia Institute of Technology representatives President Ángel Cabrera and Athletic Director J Batt, University of Louisville representatives President Kim Schatzel and Athletic Director Josh Heird, along with AMB Sports and Entertainment President Tim Zulawski.

Georgia Tech and Louisville will play in the game at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Gov. Brian Kemp (second left) looks at the Aflac duck after ringing the New York Stock Exchange opening bell from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Friday, September 1, 2023, ahead of the inaugural Aflac Kickoff Game. It’s the first time the NYSE opening bell has been rung from the state of Georgia. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)