OT: RIP Minor Bowl Games
- Thread starter Knight Shift
- Start date
If it’s not:
- a warm weather destination
- a date after Christmas
- a good match up, B1G vs SEC, B12, ACC
Who cares.
- a warm weather destination
- a date after Christmas
- a good match up, B1G vs SEC, B12, ACC
Who cares.
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Didn't St Pete change name to Mowers and Papa John change names too?
IIRC had we accepted the invite because of APR we'd have gone to Birmingham which I am pretty sure is the same game.
Detroit wasn't warm. But it was after XMas and we played UNC in it. And Detroit style Pizza and Coneys were great.
As long we play a P4 team I can be good with most any bowl.
Soon those who complained about having too many bowl games will be whining about too little. 
As for me I hope this means only winning teams will get invites and the days of 5-7s over.
Actually I would like to see 6-6 programs only eligible if there aren't enough 7-5 programs available ( 6-5-1 If you wish to get picky)
Also I believe the senior bowl should only have the college players that are over 65 and just lost their eligibility be in that game.
If in any year there aren't enough oldies but eligible, drop the age down to 55 because the way players are keeping eligibility past what was the rule for when Ben Mauk fought for old age benefits and was denied, colleges will be having players offered NILs by the Neptune Society , walkers will be standard equipment while Geritol will be the players drug of choice
As for me I hope this means only winning teams will get invites and the days of 5-7s over.
Actually I would like to see 6-6 programs only eligible if there aren't enough 7-5 programs available ( 6-5-1 If you wish to get picky)
Also I believe the senior bowl should only have the college players that are over 65 and just lost their eligibility be in that game.
If in any year there aren't enough oldies but eligible, drop the age down to 55 because the way players are keeping eligibility past what was the rule for when Ben Mauk fought for old age benefits and was denied, colleges will be having players offered NILs by the Neptune Society , walkers will be standard equipment while Geritol will be the players drug of choice
Jim Tweedie must think he is smart and witty amongst his Michigan brethren. I wonder how quick this elitist prick is to admit Michigan's cheating system helped them to their NC.
Jayson Love said St Petersburg Bowl is gone- thought it morphed into Gasparilla Bowl? And RU played in a version called Beef O'Brady's Bowl?
en.wikipedia.org
Gasparilla Bowl - Wikipedia
See below.
The day after. The 27th or later works a lot better logistically.
It did.
And this is something @JoeRU0304 and I championed for years on here:
- We thought the area could support multiple bowls at the same venue like Orlando does.
- Two games post Christmas at RayJay like at the Citrus in Orlando does with the CapitalOne and whatever the Champs one is called now
- Tampa and St. Petersburg had a rivalry where neither seemed to want to help each other. They seemed to have worked that out.
- Easy place to get to and plenty of places to stay.
Hasn’t happened yet where the first game is post Christmas. But it is in a much better venue and location. Hopefully the date starts to slide to post Christmas eventually.
The Gasparilla is not a bad consolation prize IMO if you can’t get the better ReliaQuest (old Outback) Bowl.
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P4 v P4 post-Christmas have been pretty to very well attended, with very good TV ratings, the past 2 years. Those games likely aren't going anywhere.
There about 12 of those.
We are familiar with all. And I’d be happy to go to just about any of them.
And we had the best attended game over an 11 year period at that Bowl. { +28k} RU faithful represented very well that game vs. UCF. We had a great time there.Jayson Love said St Petersburg Bowl is gone- thought it morphed into Gasparilla Bowl? And RU played in a version called Beef O'Brady's Bowl?
Gasparilla Bowl - Wikipedia
This past December the Bowl game had a very sparsely attended game with only 13k.
I’m convinced that those who want less bowl games don’t really watch much college football outside of Rutgers. Small sample size but it’s definitely true of posters on this board.Soon those who complained about having too many bowl games will be whining about too little.
As for me I hope this means only winning teams will get invites and the days of 5-7s over.
Actually I would like to see 6-6 programs only eligible if there aren't enough 7-5 programs available ( 6-5-1 If you wish to get picky)
Also I believe the senior bowl should only have the college players that are over 65 and just lost their eligibility be in that game.
If in any year there aren't enough oldies but eligible, drop the age down to 55 because the way players are keeping eligibility past what was the rule for when Ben Mauk fought for old age benefits and was denied, colleges will be having players offered NILs by the Neptune Society , walkers will be standard equipment while Geritol will be the players drug of choice
You will see them post that no one watches minor bowl games and no one cares. Ignoring that ratings for non playoff games were the highest this year since 2015-16.
There is such an easy solution for this crowd- continue to not watch the games and leave them for actual college football (and degenerate gambling) fans.
Actually Minor Bowl games are pushed by TV Sports Networks and though the casual fan and many purists might feel there's too many of them , minor bowl fit a niche for college fans that like to see any game played and advertisers that want to reach them.
Also they help make the season a little more enjoyable for the players and fanbase that enjoy the bowl game experience instead of watching just top programs get to play post season.
Some games I'll turn my nose up at, but there are many others that will enjoy seeing the games I don't want to see and networks find advertisers to pay the fright to show them and even minor bowls are getting sponsors to put their name on the bowl game to finance that bowl game,
what I found as the reason why minor bowls will exist , while we wonder why they stay in business :
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
AI Overview
A successful minor (or lower-tier) college football bowl game that lacks high in-person attendance thrives by
focusing on television viewership, corporate sponsorship, and the "experience" for the participating teams rather than ticket sales. Because many bowl games exist primarily to create content for television networks like ESPN and to drive local tourism, they can be profitable and sustainable even with empty stands.
Here is what makes for a successful, low-attendance minor bowl:
1. Strong Television and Media Value
- The "Made-for-TV" Model: Most minor bowls are owned or controlled by networks like ESPN. They serve as valuable inventory for holiday programming.
- Betting and Entertainment: Even if not a marquee matchup, these games provide gambling opportunities and a casual viewing experience, often attracting viewers seeking an escape during the holidays.
- Engaging Matchups: Pairing two high-effort, "lunch-pail" teams (e.g., from the Group of Five) often results in more competitive and entertaining games than a matchup of uninterested, elite teams that might have player opt-outs.
2. Strategic "Bowl Experience" for Teams
- Rewarding the Players: A successful minor bowl focuses on giving student-athletes a memorable trip, offering high-quality bowl gifts, and providing a "big-time" environment, regardless of the crowd size.
- Recruiting and Exposure: The game serves as a marketing tool for the participating school and a chance to compete on a national stage, making it worth the trip for the athletic department.
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Title Rights
- Naming Rights: The title sponsor (e.g., "Pop-Tarts Bowl," "Gildan New Mexico Bowl") often covers a significant portion of the operating costs, making attendance less critical for revenue.
- Local Economic Impact: The bowl brings in fans from out-of-town who stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, and rent cars, which provides value to the host city, encouraging civic support for the event.
4. Low-Cost Operations and Subsidies
- Subsidy Model: Many smaller bowls are supported by conference, city, or even NCAA subsidies.
- Reduced Overhead: Successful lower-tier bowls are often held in smaller or mid-sized venues where the overhead is lower, allowing them to turn a profit on media rights fees alone.
5. Unique Branding and "Meme" Potential
- "Viral" Potential: Successful minor bowls sometimes lean into their niche status. For example, the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl became successful by embracing a, literally, "edible" mascot, generating massive social media engagement that outweighed the impact of ticket sales.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
that's all well and good but people are watching them and the local communities do well with them financially
I was told all the small bowls were dying and no one cared about them.
PR has crappy baseball stadiums and dual use crappy soccer/Track and Field venues. The avg fan from some school in the US thinking they’ll get to watch a game at a nice facility is in for a jarring surprise. Unless the game is in the capital (mostly likely where MLB had that game series) or Ponce…yikes!
Then go. Nobody’s stopping you. But you will never see a Schiano team there. That means Grifter Greg and his eventual replacement Joe when he retires in 2040 with a 15% conference winning pct.
I was told all the small bowls were dying and no one cared about them.
Sounds like the Crown tourney. Pure garbage and only for degen gamblers.
excellent trolling by that Michigan tweet
that is a fair take, resigned to agree although @e5fdny is how most feel now.
6-6 should not be bowlingSoon those who complained about having too many bowl games will be whining about too little.
As for me I hope this means only winning teams will get invites and the days of 5-7s over.
Actually I would like to see 6-6 programs only eligible if there aren't enough 7-5 programs available ( 6-5-1 If you wish to get picky)
Also I believe the senior bowl should only have the college players that are over 65 and just lost their eligibility be in that game.
If in any year there aren't enough oldies but eligible, drop the age down to 55 because the way players are keeping eligibility past what was the rule for when Ben Mauk fought for old age benefits and was denied, colleges will be having players offered NILs by the Neptune Society , walkers will be standard equipment while Geritol will be the players drug of choice
I don't mind the games, more bowls is ok with me but the quality of play has suffered. Need to make them mean more again
Neither was Toronto. But I had a good time at the International Bowl. Date helped too.
If that one was a B1G vs a P4, I’d go again.
I'm surprised the Bahamas bowl wasn't turned into a more high profile destination. I would imagine that having a BIG vs SEC in the Bahamas would be nice draw
Part of that I think was the venue.
Seem to recall it was a funky layout that wasn’t good for TV or actually being there.
Another one that depends on the venue.
I think that’s a baseball specific facility, the kind we seem to get stuck at. LOL
Rutgers University: the Ted McGinley of college bowl games.
The more bowl games the better. I’d gladly watch a 5 win UAB playing a 6 win Jacksonville state on Dec 22 at 2pm over anything on TV.
But what about the people that don’t want to watch? You expect them to just shut up and not watch!?
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Out of all the bowl cities we've been to, Toronto was my favorite - fantastic city and it wasn't even that cold.
Marching behind the Rutgers Band down the streets of Toronto the night before the Bowl Game: Priceless.