2018 Belk Bowl Notes: Soggy Friday Puts Damper On Friday Fan Outdoor Activities

By: Chris Horne |

A bleak weather outlook has forced the Belk Bowl to cancel all previously planned outdoor fan events scheduled for Friday, December 28. The official press release posted below includes information on Friday’s events, Saturday morning’s FanFest event, tickets and more.

The Belk Bowl announced changes to the fan events scheduled for Friday night in Uptown Charlotte. The changes were announced after detailed discussions between bowl officials, school representatives and local authorities. Current weather forecasts are predicting heavy rain and lightning in the area during the times of the events.

The Official Pep Rally, which was scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Trade & Tryon, has been canceled. Fan Central, which was scheduled for 7:00 p.m., has been canceled as well. The Epicenter complex will still be to the public.

The Belk Bowl FanFest, set for Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. will proceed as scheduled.

“Our top priority is always the safety of the fans and participants of all Belk Bowl activities,” said Will Webb, Belk Bowl Executive Director. “This decision was reached after careful deliberation with everyone involved, and we know that this is the right and prudent course of action. We look forward to loud and enthusiastic fans being able to safely enjoy themselves Saturday morning at the Belk Bowl FanFest leading up to kickoff!”

The South Carolina Gamecocks will face the Virginia Cavaliers in the 2018 Belk Bowl. Kickoff is set for noon on Saturday, December 29th. The game, celebrating its 17th year, will be televised nationally by ABC. College football’s only bowl game to call the Carolinas home, the Belk Bowl has partnerships in place with Belk, ESPN/ABC, the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southeastern Conference. The game is played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Belk has been the title sponsor of the Belk Bowl since 2011, working to help increase the Bowl’s visibility both regionally and nationally.

Individual tickets for the 2018 Belk Bowl are available through www.BelkTickets.com and the participating schools. Fans can visit the official website, www.BelkBowl.com, for more information about the game and surrounding events.

The Charlotte Sports Foundation (CSF) is a 501(c)(3) created in 2013 to provide leadership for sports-based initiatives that enhance the economy and quality of life in the Charlotte region. CSF provides unique events and business opportunities around professional, collegiate and amateur sporting events, highlighted by the annual Belk Bowl and the Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game, as well as, the Belk College Kickoff Game.

CSF’s regular season football games include the Universities of North Carolina and South Carolina (2019 & 2023). Wake Forest University and the University of Notre Dame (2020), and East Carolina University and Appalachian State University (2021). These efforts are intended to create a positive economic impact in the region, as well, to enhance the quality of life.

The organization’s board of directors is comprised of regional business, industry and civic leaders who have a track record of bringing sports and economic development to the area. Please visit www.CharlotteSports.org for more information.

Fortunately, the weather forecast for Saturday remains positive.

Through Twitter, Virginia’s Belk Bowl Week

While not preparing for Saturday’s main event versus South Carolina, the Hoos have enjoyed a variety of activities in Charlotte this week, from a driving experience at Charlotte Motor Speedway to a visit to the Second Harvest Food Bank to a Belk shopping spree.

Through Twitter, Virginia Football provided video clips from each of the above outings. Check out those videos below. Also, click here to see a photo galleries from the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Second Harvest Food Bank, from the Belk shopping spree and more.