Why is Alabama the home team in SEC championship? Exploring why Atlanta gained relevance after 2017

The Alabama Crimson Tide are currently squaring off against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2023 SEC Championship game. The highly-anticipated contest is being played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

No. 1 Georgia (12-0, 8-0) entered the game as the best team in the country, finishing at the top of the SEC East. Meanwhile, No. 8 Alabama (11-1, 8-0) grabbed the top spot in the SEC West.

Amid the crunch SEC title match, fans have been curious to learn why Alabama is designated as the home team.

Why is Alabama the home team in SEC championship?

The SEC conference is divided into two divisions, the SEC East and SEC West. Each year, the two divisions alternate between the home and away teams for the championship game.

This year, Alabama has been designated as the home team and Georgia as the away team. Hence, Nick Saban's team is wearing its Crimson jerseys for the crunch matchup.

Notably, Atlanta's Georgia Dome had been the home of the SEC Championship from 1994 until 2016. However, the title game moved to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017.

The Mercedes-Benz Stadium has hosted all of the past seven title games and will continue to do so at least until 2031.

How to watch Alabama vs. Georgia in 2023 SEC championship game?

The Alabama vs Georgia SEC title game is being broadcast live on CBS. Fans without cable access can livestream the game on Fubo TV.

Georgia will be looking to continue its exceptional unbeaten run from the regular season. The Bulldogs are in pole position to reach the College Football Playoff and a win will guarantee that spot.

Meanwhile, Nick Saban's Alabama will want to spoil Georgia's party. The Crimson Tide also have an outside chance of reaching the playoffs if they manage to record a big win against the Bulldogs on Saturday.

Interestingly, this is the fourth all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide in the SEC title game. Alabama has a perfect 3-0 record over Georgia in the championship games.

About the author

Arnold is a journalist covering College Sports and the NFL at Sportskeeda. He has been with the company since August 2022.

Arnold graduated with a degree in Mass Media from MIC. As a sports fanatic, he pursued writing to express his thoughts and opinions on sports events across the globe. He has also worked at Wizcraft and Publicis.

Arnold began supporting the Kansas City Chiefs after watching Patrick Mahomes lead them to Super Bowl glory in 2020. He also has a soft corner for the New York Yankees since he's lived in New York for two years. Arnold's favorite coach of all time is Andy Reid, and the Chiefs dynasty looks far from over.

In his free time, Arnold enjoys reading, exercising, and traveling. He follows several other sports including football, cricket, tennis, basketball, boxing and F1.

Know More

Georgia Bulldogs Fan? Check out the latest Georgia Bulldogs depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place!

Edited by Rajdeep Barman