City Update: College bowl, World Games inclusion, Legion FC news

College football will be back in Birmingham this holiday season.

The TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl will be played at Legion Field on Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. and broadcast by ESPN2, according to a recent city council news release..

The 15th annual event is one of the few bowl games to be played on New Year’s Day, said Mark Meadows, the game’s executive director. 

Organizers look forward to “showcasing the City of Birmingham to a national television audience.” Meadows said in the release.

Over its 15 years, the bowl has made an economic impact on the city of about $151 million, said City Council President William Parker.

The city will work with its partners to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines at the event, Parker said.

For more about the game, go to ticketsmarterbirminghambowl.com.

The TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl is one of numerous bowl games televised this year by ESPN.

World Games inclusion

The World Games 2022 recently announced a disability inclusion partnership with Lakeshore Foundation.

The Birmingham Organizing Committee and Lakeshore will develop and implement “A Journey to One World, One Games,” an initiative for disability inclusion and access, according to a news release from TWG2022.

The initiative will focus on four priorities – establishing  a diverse and representative steering committee; creating an inclusive and accessible athlete experience;  enhancing accessibility and inclusion for fans; and, developing a training and education program for staff, volunteers and partners.  

“Our goal for this program is to make The World Games 2022 a welcoming, accessible and inclusive event  for all,” Nick Sellers, CEO of The World Games 2022 said in the release.

Birmingham Legion postseason

Birmingham Legion FC announced Oct. 30 that midfielder Bruno Lapa has signed a new multi-year contract with the club, pending league and federation approval.

“He has proven to be a dynamic attacking player in this league, he fits in well in our locker room, and we think he still has potential to get even better,” said Legion FC President and General Manager Jay Heaps in a club news release.

As a rookie, Lapa, 23, started all 17 matches for the Legion in 2020, was voted Team MVP and earned a spot on the USL Championship All-League First Team.

Legion teammate Alex Crognale, a defender, made the All-League Second Team. Crognale was also  named the club’s 2020 Defender of the Year.