ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame will unveil a first-of-its-kind exhibit that brings to life the Goodyear Blimp’s nearly 65-year history in college football. The Goodyear Blimp, a staple at college football’s biggest competitions, was honorarily inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year as the first non-player or coach to receive the honor.
Open to the public starting Dec. 13, the Goodyear Blimp exhibit will give fans an exciting new way to experience a college football game day. The interactive exhibit space will feature actual blimp artifacts, including an original broadcast window, video footage from some of the sport’s most exciting matchups, and more.
“The Goodyear Blimp is intrinsically tied to the history and traditions of college football, and through this exhibit, we’re offering fans a chance to experience the game in a way only this iconic airship could provide,” said Dennis Adamovich, CEO of the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. “It’s only fitting that in its honorary induction year, we unveil an exhibit that celebrates the blimp’s legacy, which has revolutionized the way fans experience the game they love.”
Resembling the Goodyear Blimp’s gondola (the space below the blimp that holds the passengers, crew and engine), the interactive exhibit offers “Blimp View” on-demand, where fans can experience aerial views of college football’s most iconic stadiums. The blimp’s LED screen will display personalized messages for fans, and guests can watch aerial footage of marquee games dating from the 1950s to present day.
“Goodyear is honored to showcase this exhibit, which is emblematic of our more driven approach to everything we do,” said Todd Macsuga, Goodyear’s general manager of Brand Marketing. “We take great pride in being a leader of firsts, and the blimp’s presence in college football has allowed us to be a leader in this area, bringing fans closer than ever to the sport. We look forward to driving innovation in aerial coverage for years to come.”
What started as a request from network television to provide aerial coverage for the 1955 Rose Bowl Parade and Rose Bowl game telecasts has turned into a long-standing commitment to college football coverage. Since then, the blimp has covered more than 2,000 sports and entertainment events, from the Rose Bowl to the Cotton Bowl and many games in between. The Goodyear Blimp also achieved major broadcast “firsts” along the way, including being the first to provide aerial coverage of a major sports event and the first to deliver high definition live video from an aerial platform to a national sports game.
“With thousands of great players and games that the Goodyear Blimp has witnessed as college football’s eye in the sky, its impact on the sport’s pageantry and tradition is palpable,” said Kirk Herbstreit, former college football player and current ESPN analyst. “It’s great that the College Football Hall of Fame is preserving the blimp’s legacy for current and future fans.”
To learn more, visit www.headedtothehall.com.
About the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame
The Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame is a 94,256-square-foot attraction located in the heart of Atlanta's sports, entertainment and tourism district. Adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park, the Hall provides visitors with a highly immersive, interactive and engaging experience using a blend of historic college football artifacts and state-of-the-art, interactive multimedia exhibits. The National Football Foundation (NFF) launched the Hall in 1951 to stand as one of the nation's premier sports shrines, immortalizing the game’s greatest players and coaches as positive role models for future generations. Atlanta Hall Management, Inc., partnered with the NFF to construct and operate the Hall of Fame attraction, which provides a platform for community outreach, education and character development initiatives, as well as serves as one of Atlanta’s premier special event spaces. For more information on the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, a 2019 TripAdvisor ® Certificate of Excellence recipient, please visit www.cfbhall.com.
About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 64,000 people and manufactures its products in 47 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.