“We are pleased to extend our relationship with . . .
The MAC is the only non-autonomous FBS conference to sustain a championship game at a neutral site.
The MAC has a long association with Detroit and Ford Field as the MAC has held its Marathon MAC Football Championship Game as a neutral site championship event at Ford Field since 2004. Also, the MAC played the first-ever college football game at Ford Field as Toledo faced Boston College in the 2002 Motor City Bowl.
Previously the MAC was a bowl partner with the Detroit-based Motor City Bowl (1997-2008) and the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (2009-2013). In October of 2014, the MAC announced a six-year (2014-19) backup agreement with the Quick Lane Bowl, owned and operated by the Detroit Lions and Ford Field. In 2015 the MAC appeared in the Quick Lane Bowl as Central Michigan dropped a 21-14 decision to Minnesota from the Big Ten Conference.
Ford Field is home to the NFL’s Detroit Lions, and is a premiere sports venue that has hosted many major sporting events, including the 2006 Super Bowl, the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Basketball Final Four® and the 2010 NCAA® Men’s Frozen Four.