At the annual Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, they not only cheered on their team, but also spent money.
The game’s executive director calls it the Super Bowl for HBCUs, not only for football teams but also for bands.
advertise
Channel 2’s Richard Elliott spoke with Carlton and Karita King in the lobby of the Omni Hotel, home base for both teams and the bowl committee.
“We always come back because we are all S.C. State alumni,” Carlton King said.
The couple had just flown in from Florence, South Carolina, something they do every time they attend a bowl game.
“About 50 percent of our friends at South Carolina State are the same group of friends. We also have fraternity and sorority brothers and sisters who always come as well. So, it’s like a family reunion for us,” Carlton King said.
advertise
Popular stories:
John Grant has served as executive director of the Cricket Celebration Bowl for ten years. He said bowls love Atlanta and Atlanta loves bowl games.
“The energy throughout the city, around this event, is palpable,” Grant said.
John Pete told Elliot he supports Prairie View A&M. He brought his sons to watch the game.
“We’re going to go shopping. Take them shopping. It’s something they love to do. I’m doing some historic things, or I know there’s a lot of historic things going on in Atlanta. So, I’m going to take them out there and let them be a part of all these historic things, right here, right here.”
advertise
Not only the competition itself, but also the Marching Band Championship.
Karita King says she won’t miss any of it.
“Oh, it’s really big. But we love being here because of the different opportunities or different things we can do,” she said.
The game will be televised nationally on Channel 2 starting at noon on Saturday and is truly the kickoff to bowl season.