This New Year’s Eve bowl game offers much more than an Alabama-Michigan showdown
What better way to celebrate the new year than with 65,000-plus fellow football fans in the Florida sunshine? Reliaquest Bowl attendees can expect beautiful, warm weather in an area of virtually endless fun and entertainment options in Tampa Bay.
Folks who love college football, particularly fans of two of the top programs in the country, Alabama and Michigan, are busy buying tickets to the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl (previously known as the Outback Bowl), set for December 31 in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. They're planning road trips or air travel to attend the big celebration. And the beach-lovers among them are booking a hotel on America's Favorite Beaches, planning to make a winter getaway of it by staying a few extra days before or after the game.
Besides the attraction of near-constant sunshine, white-sand beaches, and great attractions, the Reliaquest Bowl organization has special pre-game features planned:
Beach Day Celebration
December 29 will be Clearwater Beach Day presented by Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, when players, the schools’ marching bands, cheerleaders and fans will be on the soft, white sand near Pier 60 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for live music and a skydiving show, plus contests such as a tug-of-war.
Parade and Pep Rally
On December 30, an evening parade and pep rally is planned for Tampa’s Ybor City Latin district.
Game Day
Game day, December 31, starts with tailgating at 9 a.m. with a Pregame Bowl Bash outside Raymond James Stadium. The fun will include live music on a stage, other entertainers, interactive games and appearances by the college bands and cheerleaders. Plenty of food and refreshments will be available. Forty minutes before the 12:03 p.m. kickoff, a pre-game show in the stadium will include performances by high school and college bands and a thrilling flyover.
The ReliaQuest Bowl Halftime Show, something the folks watching on TV won’t get to enjoy fully, starts with performances by the college marching band and dance teams of the two schools. Following that is a mass band performance featuring 15 high school bands and more than 700 dancers.
Raymond James Stadium, home turf of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a show of its own, with its famous pirate ship equipped with booming cannons. It also has 9,600-square-foot HD video boards on the north and south ends of the stadium and four 2,300-square-foot HD tower walls. Its sound system has more than 400 speakers throughout the stadium.
Although both teams missed this year’s College Football Playoff, the ReliaQuest Bowl is a clash of perennial SEC and Big 10 powerhouses. It offers the Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3) a chance to avenge the Michigan Wolverines’ (7-5) Rose Bowl victory last year that knocked Alabama out of the 2023 CFP. Michigan went on to win the national championship.
Nearby New Year's Eve Celebrations
Anyone with a few ahhhs and ohhhhs left in them after cheering for their teams can enjoy New Year’s Eve celebrations and fireworks in Clearwater Beach and downtown St. Pete. This is the first time the 38-year-old Tampa event has been held on New Year’s Eve.
Plan and book your stay on America's Best Beaches!
Ideas for Extending Your Trip
- Spend a few days on the soft-white sand and turquoise waters of America's Favorite Beaches
- Go out on a dolphin watching cruise, fishing excursion or a glow tour by kayak at Shell Key Preserve
- Spend a day in St. Petersburg, exploring the St. Pete Pier, amazing museums, an eclectic and award-winning food scene, plus exciting nightlife
- Check out the Gulp Coast Craft Beer Trail
- Visit charming small towns like Dunedin, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs
- Savor fresh seafood when you dine at outdoor restaurants with great water views
- Check out the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 celebration, with fire jugglers, magicians and other entertainers
- Relax and enjoy a perfect sunset over the Gulf of Mexico
by Terry Galvin
Event Category
- Sports & Recreation