The United States Grand Prix has taken place during the college football season ever since the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas joined the calendar in 2012. According to a large billboard just outside Circuit of the Americas, this particular weekend will be the “biggest weekend ever” and it includes a matchup between the top-ranked Texas Longhorns and the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs, two Southeastern Conference powerhouses. ESPN’s College GameDay is also covering both the football game and the Formula One races, further highlighting this fusion of two distinct sports cultures.
Besides Formula One, Austin is also known for its spirited college football culture. According to Drew Martin, Texas’ Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs, a football game at the University of Texas offers the best of Austin culture, which is also famous as the live music capital of the world. Apart from tailgates and ritual cheers, additional features such as a pregame concert at Longhorn City Limits and uniquely Austin street festival culture contribute to the unique atmosphere.
The addition of ESPN’s College GameDay brings even more excitement to the mix. This requires enormous planning and coordination but the result is worth it with a full day of sporting activities that won’t end until 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. Apart from the local audience, these games and the Formula One races also attract groups from Europe who appreciate the unique American college football atmosphere and the halftime marching band shows.
Between the Texas-Georgia game and F1, Bobby Epstein, Chairperson of Circuit of the Americas, expects “at least a quarter of a million people around that night in downtown Austin” by Saturday. Formula One’s qualifying runs will occur from 5 to 6 p.m. CT and the college football game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT, making it a seamless transition for fans attending both events. Furthermore, an Eminem concert is also scheduled for the same evening.
To accommodate football fans, Circuit of the Americas offered a new ticket package called the ‘Split the Uprights Package.’ Epstein suggested that fans attending the game could also attend the Friday and Sunday track events. As Martin noted, the creation of this package emerged out of the anticipation of high demand in the lead up to the games and the appeal of experiencing both major sporting events.
Bringing it all together requires collaboration between the University of Texas Athletics and Circuit of the Americas. Despite challenges such as restaurant availability and the increase in hotel prices due to the sudden surge of attendees, this weekend is set to be significant for Austin. With international fans flocking to Texas for these pivotal events in the sports calendar, Austin will be under the global spotlight, marking it an exciting time for the city. Martin concludes, “The entire world is going to be watching Austin, Texas, on the weekend of October 19.”
