Alabama's overtime victory over Georgia in the College Football Playoff championship game Jan. 8 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium drew 77,430 fans, a record for a college football game in Atlanta.

And that’s not the only record it set for Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s championship debut.

Organizers of the four-year-old College Football Playoff say previous attendance records were broken for several of the ancillary events: Playoff Fan Central, a three-day, 300,000-square foot interactive fan festival in the Georgia World Congress Center; Media Day, held in Philips Arena two days before the game; and the Extra Yard 5K race, held one day before the game.

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Scott Cochran (center), nicknamed "Coach Yeah," recently finished in his first season coaching West Alabama after drug addiction halted his SEC coaching career. (Jack Leo/AJC)

Credit: Jack Leo

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Carleigh Knight (left) and her sister, Natalie Rogovin, look at Christmas ornaments while shopping at Kudzu Antiques + Modern in Decatur on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller