College Football Hall of Fame immerses fans in history, pageantry of game

ATLANTA – The first thing you notice when you walk into the main lobby of the College Football Hall of Fame is the wall covered in 777 helmets, one representing every four-year college and university with a football program. From the SEC down to NAIA schools, they are all there.

That mosaic of team logos and colors begins your experience in the hall. 

One of the ways that the College Football Hall of Fame immerses visitors is by utilizing technology to personalize the experience to each fan. When visitors arrive, they are given an RFID-enabled pass that is coded with their team of preference.

"We are a very personalized experience," said Kimberly Beaudin, vice president of marketing and sales for the College Football Hall of Fame. "As they go around the building, the building will recognize you. 'Hi Kimberly, would you like to see Gators content? Hi, Kimberly, would you like to sing the Gators fight song?' So everything becomes personalized to the school you chose and you. You get content (from your school of choice) first and foremost. But then, you have the opportunity to dig deeper, search around and have a lot of fun."

Visitors can see helmets that are over 100 years old, see UGa's sweater and collar and statues from some of the major awards given in college football, but visitors can get more interactive at the Hall.

Visitors can sit on the ESPN College Gameday set and receive a customized video of their interactions. There is also a 45-yard indoor playing field, complete with goalposts where you can kick an extra point, show off your arm or run the gauntlet with the football tucked under your arm or catch a pass in the end zone.

"You could spend a whole day here, but on average, folks spend about two-and-a-half hours here," Beaudin said. "That goes from playing on the field to the actual Hall of Fame, the hallowed ground where the players are actually enshrined."

The College Football Hall of Fame is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday. Standard tickets cost $21.99. Children 3-17 are $17.99. Active and retired military and children under 3 are free. There are also discounts for seniors and students.