It looks like the SEC Championship game will remain in Atlanta for a good while longer. How much longer remains to be seen.
SEC officials confirmed Friday its intention to keep playing its ultra-popular conference title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium beyond 2026, when the current contract expires.
“We’re actively engaged in discussions with Mercedes-Benz Stadium to extend our agreement to keep the SEC Football Championship game in Atlanta,” SEC spokesman Herb Vincent said. “Atlanta’s been a tremendous home for SEC football. Mercedes-Benz provides a tremendous atmosphere and we’re excited about our future in Atlanta.”
The SEC has conducted its football championship in Atlanta every year since 1994. However, other cities such as Nashville, Tennessee, which is opening a new stadium for the Tennessee Titans in 2026, have reached out to the league about possibly hosting future games. With the conference expanding to 16 teams in 2024 to include former Big 12 members Oklahoma and Texas, Dallas also reportedly is among other cities that have expressed interest in possibly hosting the SEC’s marquee in the future.
While offering the qualifier that one can “never say never,” Vincent emphasized that “our intent is to stay in Atlanta.” A formal extension has not yet been signed, however.
“Right now, that’s where our focus is,” Vincent said. “Atlanta is our home.”
AMB Sports and Entertainment, which operates the stadium for Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, declined comment Friday.
The news was disappointing, but not unexpected, for Nashville.
“I figured (the SEC) would hold that line for a while,” said Butch Spyridon, outgoing CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau. “They really like Atlanta.”
Nashville is hosting SEC Football Media Days for the first time in history next week. The growing Tennessee town known as “Music City” is rolling out the red carpet for the annual preseason talkfest. They’re closing Broadway Street in the downtown honky-tonk district for the week, have set up an “SEC Nation” stage there for live TV broadcasts and have booked a country-music act to play Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, the SEC has started moving around its annual football kickoff event. After Birmingham hosted every year from 1985-2017, Atlanta held it at the College Football Hall of Fame last year and in 2018. Dallas also has its hand raised to host, while Birmingham, where SEC headquarters reside, will remain a semi-permanent site.
In September 2015, the SEC signed a 10-year contract extension with Arthur Blank’s AMB Sports and Entertainment to keep the football championship game in Atlanta from 2017 until 2026. At the time, the title tilt was being played annually in the Georgia Dome and construction was just getting underway next door on Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCAA) estimates that the economic impact on Atlanta since 1999 has been well over $1 billion.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted its first SEC Championship game in 2017. Georgia defeated Auburn 28-7 in the inaugural game. The Bulldogs would then meet Alabama in the College Football Playoff Championship game at the stadium five weeks later. The Crimson Tide won that game 26-23 in overtime.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey always has lauded Atlanta for being the perfect host city in part because of its location, expansive airport and access to hotel rooms and other accommodations – not to mention a world-class stadium. Sankey agreed Thursday to a contract extension to remain SEC commissioner through 2028.
It remains unknown exactly how long any extension with Atlanta might be. The previous 10-year deal – at the time considered lengthy – provided the option for the SEC to extend it for two successive five-year periods. Nothing has been finalized yet, however.
“The only thing I’m authorized to tell you is we’re engaged in discussions with Atlanta to keep it there,” Vincent said.
On Thursday, the Big 12 announced that it was extending its agreement to keep its title game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, through 2030.
In the meantime, Atlanta and Nashville continue to compete over major sporting events. Currently, both cities have bids before the NCAA to host the 2031 men’s basketball Final Four.
