John Grant, Jr., executive director of the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and the Cricket Celebration Bowl, will receive the 2024 Atlanta Sports Council Lifetime Achievement Award Presented by Coca-Cola. He will be recognized during the Atlanta Sports Awards, airing December 14 on 11Alive (WXIA-TV) at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Grant joined ESPN Events, owner and operator of both games, in 2015 after a long career as a business and philanthropic leader in Atlanta. Under his guidance, the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and the Cricket Celebration Bowl have become the premier showcases for Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) football, bookending the college football season each year in Atlanta. Both events feature teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and provide the schools, alumni, fans, and sponsors with a first-class bowl experience while continuing to celebrate the heritage, legacy, pageantry and tradition of HBCU football. This year’s Cricket Celebration Bowl will take place December 14 at noon and will air nationally on ABC.

 

“John Grant is one of the treasures of the Atlanta community and we are thrilled to honor him with the Lifetime Achievement Award Presented by Coca-Cola,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council. “His impact is felt far beyond our city limits as he has shepherded the Cricket Celebration Bowl and the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff to unprecedented heights and helped preserve the important legacy of HBCU football for generations.” 

 

Grant has been a leader in the Atlanta community since moving to the city in 1985 as an executive with Airborne Express. In 1988, he became the youngest member to join the board of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, whose mission is to improve the quality of life by supporting and enhancing educational and economic opportunities particularly for African American youth in the Atlanta community. Grant was voted its Man of the Year in 1989 after leading the organization’s flagship program, Project Success. Following more than a decade on the board, he transitioned into the role of Chief Executive Officer of 100 Black Men in 2001, where he remained until joining ESPN Events in 2015.

 

“John’s passion for doing good in Atlanta, college football and around HBCUs is unmatched,” said Nick Dawson, SVP of College Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN. “He’s worked tirelessly since joining ESPN Events to not only grow the business of the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and Cricket Celebration Bowl but also expand those events beyond just football games to become celebrations of the entire HBCU and Atlanta communities, positively impacting so many young people along the way. Both a sharp businessman and a caring soul, John is a friend to all. I can think of no one more deserving of this honor than John.”

 

Grant’s first foray into football was in 1999, when he served a two-year stint as Chairman of the Atlanta Football Classic, the largest fundraiser for 100 Black Men. Under his leadership, the event set record attendance and revenue levels each year and grew into one of the top three recurring sporting events in Georgia. 

 

Grant has received numerous awards and recognitions, including:

 

Grant currently serves on several boards including the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Atlanta Sports Council, and the Executive Committee of the National Wildlife Federation.

 

"I am humbled beyond words for this acknowledgment. Any accomplishments I may have had were supported by many people,” said Grant. “I always tried to do the best that I could with what I had. The rest took care of itself. Doing the right thing for the right reason. Thank you to the Atlanta Sports Council for this tremendous honor."

 

Grant will join a long list of illustrious Atlanta leaders to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Coca-Cola, including most recently Rich McKay (2023), Ambassador Andrew Young (2022), Warrick Dunn (2021), Steve Koonin (2020), the late Dikembe Mutombo (2019), John Schuerholz (2018), Arthur Blank (2017), John Smoltz (2016), Tom Glavine (2015), the late Tommy Nobis (2014), Chipper Jones (2013), Dominique Wilkins (2012) and Bobby Cox (2011).

 

The Atlanta Sports Awards will be held virtually with a one-hour special in partnership with 11Alive (WXIA-TV) and will air on the following dates, times and channels:

 

Media can access photos of John Grant, Jr., here.