Tampa is reportedly set to replace Dallas as the host of the 2029 College Football Playoff Title Game.
Brett McMurphy of Action Network confirmed the news on Monday and said that Dallas would be replaced on the championship planner, tentatively scheduled for January 22, 2029.
The other College Football Championship games scheduled for Las Vegas in 2027, New Orleans in 2028, and Miami in 2030 are expected to remain intact.
Although very few details were released about why the change occurred, McMurphy stated that the change was due to “scheduling conflicts,” though it remains unclear what event would take precedence over this game.
An additional reason for the change in venues includes the potential adjustment of the Events Trust Funds Program, which would significantly change the amount the state could contribute to incentives, as reported by WFAA.
Current expectations for this program are that Texas lawmakers will evaluate the budget and decide on funding early in the summer, making it difficult to fully commit to an event before a decision is made.
Similarly, there are concerns about whether the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center will be completed and able to host the large number of people required for such an event.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, where the game was scheduled to take place, will now continue a 15-year drought of hosting the College Football Championship.
The last time AT&T Stadium hosted the College Football National Championship was in 2015, when former Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott led the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes to a victory over the No. 2 Oregon Ducks.
Despite the drought in hosting the championship game, AT&T Stadium is still expected to be tasked with hosting various semifinal games.
Sources close to the contract negotiations between ESPN and the College Football Playoffs informed WFAA that AT&T Stadium is expected to host semifinal playoff games in 2027 and 2029.
The stadium is also slated to host a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in 2028.