The College Football Playoffs consists of the top four seeds in NCAA Division 1 football. The first and fourth seed play each other and the second and third seed play each other. This year, 4th seed Cincinnati faced number one seed Alabama in the Cotton Bowl Classic on December 31 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Second seed Michigan faced third seed Georgia in the Orange Bowl on December 31 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home of the Miami Dolphins. The winners of both of these games would go on to compete for the CFP Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 10th at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.  

Alabama defeated Cincinnati 27-6 and Georgia defeated Michigan 34-11. Both teams would be gearing up to head to Indianapolis for the Championship on January 10. Meanwhile, a group of BW sport management students would also be gearing up for Indianapolis as volunteers for the CFP.  

Students in the Sport Management program have several unique opportunities throughout their time at BW. In the past, the program has been invited to volunteer at previous Super Bowls, Kentucky Derby, Formula 1, and the NFL draft in 2021. The CFP is one of the many opportunities BW students volunteer every year.  

The trip consisted of 14 students accompanied by Professor Tony Dick. It lasted four days and all four days were jam packed with activities and volunteering. The students went to the Indiana Convention Center and attended Playoff Fan Central, a fan experience event where they met several alumni of both the Alabama and Georgia programs and got to network with others in the sports industry. “By attending the College Football Playoff National Championship Game every year, our students get the chance to gain an understanding of what it takes to plan, organize, and execute one of the largest sporting events in the United States.” Professor Dick said. The students also went to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500, where they toured the museum and took a lap around the racetrack.  

The students were part of the ‘Green Team’ in connection with the Playoff Green sustainability program. This sustainability program “strives to minimize the environmental footprint of the national championship game and its ancillary activities.” The students volunteered at the Indiana State Museum ‘Taste of the Championship’ event for a dining and fundraising event. At this event, students directed attendees where to throw away their trash, either recycle, compostable, or trash, and educated them on what was compostable and how their efforts are reducing the environmental footprint. “This year on gameday our students participated as part of the ESPN Green Team, an effort that focuses on sustainability and an effort to minimize the environmental impact of major sporting events in the United States,” Professor Dick said. “This is done by minimizing waste from fans and making a more conscious effort to recycle when possible. It really serves our students well as it provides them an opportunity to not only see the game, but also leave knowing that you have made a difference environmentally.” 

On Monday, January 10th, students gathered in a meeting room where they were escorted to Lucas Oil Stadium to volunteer with the ‘Green Team’ in another effort to reduce the environmental footprint during the championship game.  

According to the College Football Playoff website, with the students’ efforts on the ‘Green Team’, the CFP was able to: restore 1,000,000 gallons of water, remove 105,000 plastic bottles from global coastlines/waterways via offset, offset 2,250 metric tons of carbon into regional wind power project, donated or diverted 30.8 U.S. tons of waste, procured 49,300 plastic-free compostable service ware items, prevented 74 metric tons of CO2 with landfills diversion efforts, and donated approximately 140 cubic yards of materials.