49ers new stadium to host Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in 2014

Football is continuing to leave San Francisco in droves.

With the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers already poised to move into a new stadium in 2014, they announced yesterday that they’re taking a college bowl game with them. The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, which has been held in San Francisco’s AT&T Park since 2002; its inaugural year, will be played in the 49ers new Santa Clara stadium starting in 2014.

The game, which annually takes place at the end of December, is usually relied upon by local San Francisco hotels during the traditionally slow holiday period. Since its inaugural year, the game has brought in more than $130 million dollars in direct economic impact to the city. According to the bowl game’s co-founder, Gary Cavalli, multiple factors played into the decision to change the game’s venue,

“Moving to the 49ers’ new state-of-the-art stadium in Santa Clara is an opportunity to take our bowl to the next level,” Cavalli said. “The college football landscape has changed dramatically in recent months with a revamped post-season structure and ongoing conference realignment.”

The Niners’ new home will give the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl the chance to attract better teams and secure additional sponsorship dollars, he said.

“The teams that participate in the bowl will have the opportunity to play in a world-class NFL stadium that in all likelihood will host the Super Bowl, and fans who attend the game will have all the amenities of a premier football facility full of technological advancements,” Cavalli said. “It’s a real game-changer for us.”

The 49ers themselves also played a large part in moving the bowl game, with CEO Jed York making a concerted effort to schedule the event in the new state-of-the-art arena,

“The 49ers are very excited that an established college football game such as the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl has become the first special event to commit to the New Santa Clara Stadium,” said York. “We look forward to facilitating world-class sports and entertainment events in a stadium that we anticipate becoming one of the world’s premier outdoor venues. This facility will bring together all that is special about the Bay Area and Silicon Valley to deliver an unequalled user experience.”

All of the activities leading up to the game itself will remain in San Francisco — in part due to the solid relationship that’s been formed between the game and the city — with the action moving to Santa Clara the day of the game.

This year’s Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl will once again take place on December 29th and will feature Navy against a yet unknown opponent. The game will also once again be broadcast on ESPN.

(via )