Stagg Bowl Awarded to Salem, Virginia for 2008-09

INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division III Football Committee announced today the selection of Salem, Virginia, as the site for the 2008 and 2009 Division III championship games.  Stagg Bowl XXXVI will be played December 20, 2008, while Stagg Bowl XXXVII is scheduled for December 19, 2009.  This year’s game will be played in the Salem Stadium on December 15 and it marks the 15th consecutive year in Salem.

“The Division III Football Committee is pleased to announce the return of the Stagg Bowl to the City of Salem and the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Wayne Burrow, NCAA director of championships and NCAA liaison to the football committee.  “The City of Salem and the Stagg Bowl have become synonymous as the last stop on the road to a Division III football championship.  The city and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference have displayed the ability to host and administer a first-class bowl game.  The committee and I are excited that the 32 teams selected to compete each year will be vying for the opportunity to play for the national championship in Salem.”

The citizens of Salem have embraced hosting NCAA Division III championship events.  The city has demonstrated its support of the Stagg Bowl with multiple improvements to the Salem Stadium, including renovated locker rooms, broadcast quality lighting, expanded press box facilities and a new artificial playing surface.

The 2007 Stagg Bowl is tentatively scheduled for kickoff at 4 p.m. Eastern time in a nationally televised game.  ESPN owns the rights to broadcast the game.