The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is returning to Birmingham for its upcoming football and basketball championships, sources in the mayor's office confirmed.

The SWAC confirmed the move in a news release sent to media outlets at 10:51 a.m., this morning.

"I'm grateful to Mayor Randall Woodfin and City of Birmingham on this renewed partnership to bring the SWAC football and basketball championships back to the Magic City," Interim SWAC Commissioner Edgar Gantt said in the news release. "Birmingham is a city rich in sports tradition, particularly with SWAC football, and the city has made many improvements to its sports infrastructure here in Birmingham.

"This next year will play an important part as the SWAC prepares for its centennial celebration."

The league, which includes Alabama A&M and Alabama State, will play its 2018 Toyota SWAC Football Championship at Legion Field on Dec. 1; and the 2019 SWAC men's and women's basketball tournaments will be played at Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham Crossplex on March 13-16.

The championship football game was played at Legion Field from 1999-2012, when it moved to Reliant Stadium in Houston. Last year, Grambling defeated Alcorn State 40-32 in front of 24,610 fans.



Birmingham hosted the basketball tournaments at Harris and Legacy arenas until 2010.

Last year, at delmat Fieldhouse, also in Houston, Texas Southern won the men's basketball title, while Grambling State won the women's title.

The agreement is for one year, according to sources. The term of the Birmingham agreement allows for the next commissioner to have a say in the location of future championships.

"Birmingham is fully committed to the SWAC, its institutions, leadership, alumni, and student-athletes," Woodfin said in a prepared statement in the news release. "As home of the SWAC headquarters, we are proud of the role Birmingham has played as the founding site of the SWAC football championship game and as a longtime destination for the SWAC basketball tournament.

"We look forward to again hosting SWAC fans for these premiere events."

Updated: July 12, 2018, at 11:22 a.m. to add SWAC confirmation and quotes