INDIANAPOLIS — There’s a call for volunteers as preparations for the College Football Playoff National Championship ramp up.
Indianapolis will host the game for the first time on Jan. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
WRTV spoke with organizers to learn about the support they’re receiving from Hoosiers like you through volunteering.
When 100,000 visitors come to Downtown Indy for the CFP National Championship, Andy Grigly will open the door and drive them around as a CFP volunteer.
“I love it. I love volunteering, I do,” Grigly said.
He said he’s volunteered for big events in Indy countless times before.
“It goes back from the days of the Super Bowl. I did the Big Ten Tournament, I do it every year,” Grigly said. “The Super Bowl and all of these other things we’ve done could not have gone off without volunteers, and so that’s the reason I think it’s so important that volunteers come out and help.”
Grigly said he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get involved again with his assignment as a courtesy driver.
“Just a different experience, meeting all of the people coming to town,” Grigly said.
He is one of 2,000 volunteers working during the CFP festivities. Morgan Snyder, who serves as the spokesperson for the CFP Indianapolis Host Committee, said they spent time developing plans since the big announcement in January 2020.
“There will be a volunteer in every corner of this city ready to help,” Snyder said. “Our volunteers are the biggest asset we have to pulling this event off.”
Now the event is around the corner with the logo up on the JW Marriot. Snyder believes this year’s volunteers will make the CFP a memorable event, with lots of firsts, like a volunteer Green Team.
“We’re trying to achieve a zero-waste college football playoff game, which would be the first time ever that this has been done,” Snyder said.
Besides the Green Team, Hoosiers can volunteer in lots of roles. That includes on the Street Team, as a sort of street-side concierge.
“They can be anywhere within the downtown core, answering questions for the visitors that are here in the city, like what restaurants should we go to, what neighborhoods should we check out?” Snyder said.
There’s also a more VIP role, with volunteers assisting at the free “AT&T Playlist Live” concerts during the weekend leading up to the big game.
“It’s a pretty cool concert list and these volunteers get to be up close and personal,” Snyder said.
No matter the role, volunteers like Grigly said they’re ready to roll out the red carpet. Indianapolis is the first non-bowl and first cold weather city to host the CFP National Championship Game. If you want to volunteer for the event, click here.
“Enjoy the city, enjoy the game, and get to know people, you’ll have a great time,” Grigly said.
