What to see at College Football Playoff
LATEST: Winter weather on Saturday night cancels Bandaloop dance performance on Salesforce Tower. Weather issues have canceled all performances of the Drone Light Show for College Football Playoff. Also, gate entry to AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! on Saturday night on Monument Circle was delayed for salting.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — About 100,000 people are expected for the College Football Playoff championship game and events.
- Man arrested after bomb report before start of Monument Circle concert
- WISH-TV coverage of the College Football Playoff
Here’s a roundup of what to see and do:
Playoff Fan Central kicks off
Fans will get their hands on footballs, food and more at the free Playoff Fan Central inside the Indiana Convention Center on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
“Indianapolis. … No one does sporting events better than Indianapolis,” said Ryan Allen Hall, director of public events for the College Football Playoff.
“It’s really a lot of fun, and I think you could spend you know quite a few hours here,” said Susan Baughman, president of the 2022 College Football Playoff Indianapolis Host Committee.
“We put years of work into this both the local host committee and the national level,” Hall said.
Playoff Fan Central will also have games for all ages, live performances, autograph signings, exhibits, and special guest appearances.
“There’s also panel sessions you can sit in on with some notable football players and a lot of things that’ll keep the interest of all ages,” Baughman said.
Fans will also get to throw footballs through windows of buses for each team. For every football that goes into the bus, a dollar is given to Indianapolis Public Schools.
“There’s just so much anyone who’s a hard-core fan of football, to someone who really doesn’t even care about football, there is something for everyone here at Playoff Fan Central,” Hall said as the final touches were put on the setup Friday.
Shows, vendors, fire pits on Georgia Street
Crews spent the day setting up fire pits, vendor tents and the live-music stage on Georgia Street outside the Indiana Convention Center.
All Georgia Street events are free and do not require tickets, though crowd size might be subject to some limitations. Vielee said Georgia Street will be closed to vehicle traffic but the surrounding streets will remain open.
Lisa Vielee, communications co-chair for the Indianapolis Host Committee, said the stage will host a steady stream of music acts through Monday, including an a cappella group that will perform popular songs with new lyrics designed around the College Football Playoff. Also, a piano will moving up and down Georgia Street.
‘Championship Campus’
Monument Circle is being referred to as “Championship Campus.”
The AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be from 5-11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Doja Cat and AJR will perform Saturday, and Twenty One Pilots and Ava Max will perform Sunday.
On Monday, the Championship Tailgate from noon to 5 p.m. on Monument Circle will feature performances including country music artist Sam Hunt.
Aerial dance crew on Salesforce Tower
A dance group called Bandaloop will perform Saturday night and Sunday night on the Salesforce Tower, northeast of Monument Circle.
“The inception of Bandaloop is all about the marriage between climbing and dance,” producer Thomas Cavanagh said Thursday.
Dancers have to learn how to safely harness themselves in a rappel down the side of a building while working their choreography. They’ll perform in downtown Indianapolis during the College Football Playoffs pregame events on Saturday and Sunday.
“We’re stepping off the 49th floor here, at Salesforce Tower, and we are reentering the building on the third floor, so its about a 400-foot rappel,” Cavanagh said.
The vertical act only lasts a few minutes, but performers master the art of dance while on the ground before going airborne.
Lineup of events
SATURDAY, JAN. 8
Playoff Fan Central (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) — The three-day event at the Indiana Convention Center opens at 10 a.m. Saturday. It includes games, clinics, pep rallies, band performances, autograph signings and exhibits. College Playoff Fan Central is free and open to anyone who wants to go. It closes at 5 p.m.
AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! (5 p.m.-11 p.m.) — Doja Cat and AJR perform on Monument Circle. Attendees can arrive beginning at 5 p.m. More information about the concert can be found here.
SUNDAY, JAN. 9
Extra Yard 5K (10 a.m.) — The race starts and finishes at the Indiana Convention Center. The top male and female in-person finishers will receive two tickets to the national championship game. All proceeds from the event go toward College Football Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers initiative. Those interested in registering for the 5K can do so here.
Playoff Fan Central (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) — The three-day event at the Indiana Convention Center includes games, clinics, pep rallies, band performances, autograph signings and exhibits. It is free and open to anyone who wants to go.
AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! (5 p.m.-11 p.m.) — Twenty One Pilots and Ava Max perform on Monument Circle as part of AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! Attendees can arrive beginning at 5 p.m. More information about the concert can be found here.
Taste of the Championship (5-8 p.m.) — The premium dining experience takes place at the Indiana State Museum and supports the College Football Playoff Foundation. Visit the College Football Playoff website to buy tickets.
MONDAY, JAN. 10
Playoff Fan Central (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) — The three-day event at the Indiana Convention Center concludes Monday. It includes games, clinics, pep rallies, band performances, autograph signings and exhibits. Playoff Fan Central is free and open to anyone who wants to go.
Championship Tailgate (12-5 p.m.) — The event on Monument Circle features performances from multi-platinum artist Sam Hunt and Breland, YouTube’s Artist on the Rise. Gates open at noon.
National championship game (8:15 p.m.) — Alabama meets Georgia in the national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.