The College Football Playoff National Championship game is set. The third-ranked TCU Horned Frogs will take on the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs for the title on Jan. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Both teams coming off epic battles in semifinals
While Californians can attend the title game, they can’t place a wager on it. Two California sports betting proposals failed in November. The soonest any sports wagering measure could be approved in the Golden State is in late-2024.
The University of Georgia Bulldogs locked in their berth to the championship game by squeezing out a 42-41 victory over No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes in the Peach Bowl. Georgia was down 38-24 as the game entered the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs scored three times in the fourth (and survived a last-second, 50-yard field goal attempt) to advance to the title game.
The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs had a similar unorthodox path to the championship. TCU’s win over the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines was arguably the biggest upset in playoff history. Despite being an 8-point underdog, TCU found a way to take an early 18-point lead and hold on to get the win. Michigan got within three points but was unable to catch the Horned Frogs, falling 51-45. TCU became the first Big 12 team to win a College Football Playoff game.
So now, Georgia takes on the role of Goliath against major underdogs TCU, which will try to repeat David’s unlikely feat.
Tickets to game don’t come cheap
For fans who want to attend the College Football Playoff National Championship, tickets are available through game sponsor Ticketmaster. There are still tickets available, but they are not cheap. At the time of this writing, the cheapest available ticket was $700. That price is only going to rise.
If you want to go all out for the title game, VIP tickets are going as high as $6,900 for a seat at the 50-yard line.
If a suite is the goal, the price is a whopping $165,000 for the game. The package includes 30 tickets, food and alcohol, five VIP passes and up to six additional tickets priced at $1,500 each.
To purchase tickets, visit https://cfp.sofistadium.com.
There are several hotel options available
For fans who will be flying in for the game, the best airport to fly in to is Los Angeles International Airport, which is just three miles away from SoFi Stadium. From the airport, the easiest way to get to a hotel will be via a ride share app like Uber and Lyft.
There are a multitude of hotels in the area available to fans. The closest hotel to SoFi Stadium is The Westin Los Angeles Airport. Right now, fans can get a room for $259 per night from Jan. 7 through Jan. 10. Of course, it’s L.A., so there are hotels in many neighborhoods to satisfy the needs of anyone heading to the game.
Parking is available, but tailgating is limited to one official event
For fans driving themselves to the game, there is parking available, but spots cost between $75 and $200. There is no RV or camper parking, and tailgating is not allowed in any SoFi Stadium parking lots.
Two parking lots, however – Lots B and C – will be transformed into the Allstate Championship Tailgate area. It will be a community space for fans with tickets to the game to experience what they are calling “extreme tailgating.” The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entertainment will include performances by country music superstar Kelsea Ballerini and rising star Tiera Kennedy. There will also be concession stands, live performances by the marching bands of each university, interactive games and more.
Stadium parking will open at 10 a.m. and will close two hours after the game, which kicks off around 4:30 p.m. There is a location at SoFi Stadium for rideshare pickup and drop-off.
Leading up to kickoff, a capella group Pentatonix will perform the Star-Spangled Banner. Each school’s marching bands will perform at halftime. The game will be televised on ESPN.
