The Las Vegas College Football Playoff national championship host committee has appointed Brian Yost, a former tourism executive, as its executive director. Yost, who served as chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority from 2018 to 2025, will oversee preparations for the 2027 CFP title game scheduled for Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium.
Yost helped the LVCVA secure several major sporting events, including the Formula Las Vegas Grand Prix, Super Bowl 58, WrestleMania, the 2027 CFP championship, and the 2028 Final Four. LVCVA president and CEO Steve Hill praised Yost’s role in bringing the championship to Las Vegas, saying, “Brian’s been instrumental in this game being here; he’s got relationships throughout the sport. CFP is thrilled he’s going to continue to be a part of this, and so are we. It gives us comfort to know that this game is going to happen in the right way, and it gives us an opportunity to continue working with Brian.”
The LVCVA has approved a budget of up to $40 million for hosting the CFP championship, covering game management, event goods and services, marketing and advertising, event permitting, team practice sites, event facilities, and law enforcement costs. The host committee comprises 15 co-committees chaired by local specialists in each category, who will lead planning, operations, logistics, and hospitality efforts for CFP week.
CFP week will include 18 events across the Las Vegas Valley, including Playoff Fan Central from Jan. 22-25, 2027, media day, the Trophy Trot marathon, the Championship Tailgate, and the handover press conference on Jan. 26, 2027. Katie Wik, LVCVA chief marketing officer, said, “Hosting CFP is not just about hosting the pinnacle of college football, it really is just about a weeklong of events that will happen across the destination. The playoff fan central is multiple days, serving as the heartbeat of the championship weekend. Allowing fans to engage with their favorite teams, sponsorship integrations and community programming. It’s a ton of fun for the fans and becomes one of the main draws.”
Yost and the host committee attended this year’s CFP championship in the greater Miami area to learn from other host cities. Yost noted, “Miami did a super job with all of the events associated with the game; and it helped that is was a great game, as well. We learned a lot. We learned about the expectations of the CFP and their various operating units. Now it’s taking those expectations and turning them into the Las Vegas version of those events. The fact is Las Vegas does large-scale events better than anyone. We are a category of one when it comes to executing those incredible opportunities. With over 150,000 hotel rooms, with the great hospitality that this destination offers, we will take what was a great platform that was Miami and make it even better.”
