Florida Citrus Sports and ESPN announced the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl will be played at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28.  The game, the first of two bowls hosted in Orlando, will air nationwide on ESPN. 
 
Florida Citrus Sports’ other game, the Capital One Bowl, will kick off live on Monday, Jan. 1, 2008 on ABC.
 
The Champs Sports Bowl has continued to make great progress since moving to Orlando.  Last year’s attendance figure of 40,168 was the highest since the move, and the fifth-straight year to show an increase.
 
The current growth is bolstered by stronger conference tie-ins for the game.  The bowl now pairs upper-tier teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big Ten Conference.  The 2007 Champs Sports Bowl will have the third post-BCS selection in the ACC and the fourth post-BCS pick in the Big Ten.  Currently, the Champs Sports Bowl is the only bowl matchup between the ACC and Big Ten.
 
In the 2006 Champs Sports Bowl, the first under these new agreements, the Maryland Terrapins dominated the Purdue Boilermakers, 24-7, controlling the ball and the clock for most of the game.  It was the first Champs Sports Bowl appearance for both teams, and the first-ever meeting between the two storied programs. 
 
The Champs Sports Bowl has existed in name since 2004, but the game’s history extends for over 16 years.  Originating as the Blockbuster Bowl in 1990 and played in Miami, the game was played under a number of titles before moving to Orlando in 2001 and serving as a reincarnation of the old Tangerine Bowl.  It was the addition of Champs Sports as a title sponsor that allowed Florida Citrus Sports to aggressively pursue the growth and development that made the game what it is today.  
 
Tickets for the game will be $50 if purchased before November 1, 2007, and $60 thereafter.  Memberships for the Florida Citrus Sports 2007-2008 season, which include tickets to both the Champs Sports Bowl and the Capital One Bowl, are now available.  Please call 407.423.2476 or visit www.FCSports.com for more information.