It’s more than just football, Peach Bowl, Inc. has created a culture that’s great for the game but even better for the community around it.
Peach Bowl, Inc. President and CEO Gary Stokan has helped to turn his organization into college football’s most charitable bowl. Stokan and his team give back to the Atlanta community with scholarships and donations.
The Peach Bowl was founded in 1968 and is the ninth-oldest bowl game. Stokan said his bowl game was the first founded to help charities. The organization has donated $64 million since 2002.
"That makes us the most charitable bowl organization with over 40 bowl games in the country," Stokan said.
Peach Bowl, Inc. donated $20 million to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in 2019, creating the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund to fight childhood cancer. That act was the Peach Bowl's largest donation ever.
Stokan also created the Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament that has raised nearly $9 million for participating universities and charities chosen by the bowl game's coaches.
This year, Stokan and Peach Bowl, Inc. are donating $100,000 to ASU for a scholarship for a Title I student from Georgia. A scholarship will also be established for either Clemson or Texas depending on the results of the bowl game.
"College football to us means a lot more than just a game," Stokan said. "It means giving back and doing something for the greater good of the communities of the teams that are either playing in our games or in the Atlanta or Georgia community."
Making the peach even sweeter, Stokan is dedicated to making the experience special for those involved. Once an NC State Wolfpack basketball player, Stokan tapped into his student-athlete experience to tailor the Peach Bowl for those playing in it.
In college, Stokan played a game in New York and went to see a Broadway play. That experience left a mark on him and and he now wants to create similar lasting memories for players.
Given the Peach Bowl is a playoff game, Stokan said players aren’t in Atlanta for as long as they’d be for a regular bowl game. In past years Stokan has used that extra time to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
One year, Stokan brought players to Ebenezer Baptist Church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached and where his mother was shot.
Stokan then brought in the late Congressman John Lewis, C.T. Vivian and Ambassador Andrew Young, three people who worked with Dr. King. They shared stories and gave a remarkable history lesson for the athletes.
Although they’ll never be able to do it again, Stokan said he is bothered by the fact that he can’t create another opportunity due to the playoff situation. He said he can’t pull players out of the hotel so they're making the most of it.
"We'll bring in barbers to give them a barbershop experience with a DJ," Stokan said. "We'll provide them (with) a panel football that they can get signed so that five to ten years from now when they're sitting in the business office, they can have that memory sitting there. We'll create some different experiences for them. When they walk in the room, there will be Peach Bowl pillows and covers, and we'll make it personal for them."
For the fans, Stokan said it doesn’t get much better than Atlanta. Visitors can check out the College Football Hall of Fame, which Stokan helped relocate to Atlanta, for what he says is a "unique, interactive AI experience."
Atlanta also has the country's biggest aquarium where the Peach Bowl will host an event with the Sun Devil band. Peach Bowl festivities will also include a fan fest at the Georgia World Congress Center everything from zip lines to merchandise and sponsor activation.
Stokan said his faith inspired his philanthropy and involvement in athletics. He said he believes in maximizing "God-given" talents.
"We're going to maximize everything we do and make it the best we can, and in doing so give back to people to make their lives better," Stokan said.
Edited by Jack Barron, Sophia Ramirez and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at hjsmardo@gmail.com and follow @HenryJSmardo on X.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Henry is a junior studying journalism and mass communication. This is his third semester with The State Press. He has also worked as a sports reporter.
