NCAA Division I Football Championship in Frisco could move to May 2021

Frisco residents may have to wait four extra months to see the annual NCAA Division I Football Championship game played at Toyota Stadium next year.

Visit Frisco Executive Director Marla Roe told Frisco City Council the date of the game was “definitely moving” from its usual date in January next year.

“[The NCAA is] not saying it's canceled, but it's not going to happen in January,” Roe said during council’s Aug. 18 meeting. “If they're able to have a spring football season, then potentially they've identified two weekends in May that the championship could happen.”

The Frisco Chamber of Commerce has estimated the championship game, which has been hosted at Toyota Stadium each January since 2011, brings in more than 15,000 visitors to Frisco each year. Chamber officials said the regional economic impact of the game has been estimated at $9.5 million.

“One of the most important, and perhaps often overlooked, aspects of this game is the marketing of Frisco,” Chamber President and CEO Tony Felker said via email earlier this year. “The ability to show Frisco as an attractive place to not only visit but potentially to move to and/or relocate a company to is huge. All of these aspects of the game are extremely beneficial to our community.”

Roe also told council the annual Frisco Bowl game, which was sponsored by Tropical Smoothie Cafe in 2019, could miss its usual date in December.

“Chances are that's not going to make it either as we see more colleges and [NCAA] conferences pull out of fall sports,” Roe said.

The Frisco Bowl has been played at Toyota Stadium since 2017.