NFF Annual Awards Dinner and 75th Anniversary Celebration Heads to Las Vegas

NFF Annual Awards Dinner and 75th Anniversary Celebration Heads to Las Vegas

The NFF will stage its annual black-tie gala Dec. 6 at Bellagio Resort & Casino.

IRVING, Texas (April 19, 2022) – The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today that its 64th Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas will take place Dec. 6 at Bellagio Resort & Casino.

 
The famed-black-tie event, which serves as the ultimate celebration of college football at the end of the regular season, will take place in Las Vegas for a second consecutive year.

"Las Vegas rolled out the red carpet for us last year, and we received positive feedback from the college football community about how much they enjoyed being in Vegas," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "The new venue allowed us to expand and accommodate the largest crowd in the history of the event, and we look forward to building on that momentum.”

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), the marketing arm for the Las Vegas destination, will again serve as the presenting sponsor of the event.

“It’s an honor to welcome the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame back to Las Vegas to celebrate the best of college football,” said Steve Hill, President and CEO of the LVCVA. “Hosting an event of this caliber, along with its exceptional members and honorees is an exciting opportunity for Las Vegas. We look forward to showcasing the many amazing experiences the NFF will only find here.”

The celebration will feature the induction of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class; the presentation of the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments; the bestowing of the 33rd William V. Campbell Trophy® to college football's top scholar-athlete; and the honoring of several top leaders with NFF Major Awards.

The 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class includes LaVar Arrington (Penn State), Champ Bailey (Georgia), Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech), Sylvester Croom (Alabama), Mike Doss (Ohio State), Chuck Ealey (Toledo), Kevin Faulk (LSU), Moe Gardner (Illinois), Boomer Grigsby (Illinois State), Mike Hass (Oregon State), Marvin Jones (Florida State), Andrew Luck (Stanford), Mark Messner (Michigan), Terry Miller (Oklahoma State), Rashaan Salaam (Colorado), Dennis Thomas (Alcorn State), Zach Wiegert (Nebraska), Roy Williams (Oklahoma) and coaches John Luckhardt (Washington & Jefferson [PA], California [PA]), Billy Jack Murphy (Memphis) and Gary Pinkel (Toledo, Missouri).

The NFF was incorporated on Dec. 8, 1947, making 2022 the organization’s Diamond Jubilee. Earlier this spring, the NFF announced a year-long campaign, “NFF 75: A Legacy of Looking Forward,” to celebrate its historic 75th Anniversary, and the 2022 NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas will play a featured role in the celebration.

"We are absolutely thrilled to be headed to Las Vegas as we celebrate our 75th Anniversary,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Las Vegas has opened new opportunities for us, and it has allowed us to enhance the experience for our honorees and their guests, ensuring it ranks among the most memorable moments of their lives. December 6 promises to be a celebration for the ages. Mark your calendars and please join us.”

The Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, which has been staged by the Sports Business Journal since 2002 with the NFF as an Association Partner and as part of the festivities surrounding the NFF Annual Awards Dinner, will also take place in Las Vegas this year from Dec. 7-8.

In May, the NFF will launch a dedicated website, powered by SIDEARM, for the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas. The site will include a link to buy tickets online, and it will be updated throughout the year with more information, including sponsorship opportunities and special travel rates from Delta Air Lines and the Bellagio.

ABOUT THE LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide and with operating the 4.6 million square-foot Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms and 14 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space in Las Vegas alone, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting leisure and business visitors to the area. The LVCVA also owns the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, an underground tunnel designed by The Boring Company and also owns the Las Vegas Monorail, an elevated 3.9-mile system with seven stops throughout the resort corridor. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com, www.visitlasvegas.com or www.vegasmeansbusiness.com. 

ABOUT The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; The William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Award; and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Jostens, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the New York Athletic Club, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame