BE in new Lone Star Bowl!

[TyBull]

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HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports

June 28, 2006, 5:19PM

NCAA OKs certification for Houston Bowl's replacement

By JOSEPH DUARTE

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

The NCAA approved certification today for a college bowl game to replace the financially troubled Houston Bowl.

The game, which does not yet have a title sponsor, will be played Dec. 28 at Reliant Stadium. It will pair the Big 12 Conference's No. 8 team against the Big East's No. 4 team. Conference USA is also included in the bowl contract.

The NFL Network is expected to televise the game.

A Houston delegation -- led by Lone Star Sports & Entertainment president Jamey Rootes and Harris County Houston Sports Authority chairman Billy Burge -- presented its proposal for a bowl game under new management Tuesday in La Jolla, Calif.

"The subcommittee received a very impressive presentation from various organizations seeking a license for a postseason football game in Houston, NCAA Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee chair Mark Womack said in a statement. The group addressed all the issues which were raised by the committee in April. We also were pleased to see the commitment toward community involvement, as that is an integral piece in the success of the event. The subcommittee feels this new bowl game will provide a very positive experience for the two competing institutions and its student-athletes."

Rootes said the delegation presented a plan that shows Houston's "long-term viability as a bowl market place" to the NCAA bowl licensing committee.

Lone Star Sports & Entertainment, a subsidiary of the NFL's Texans, will be in charge of staging the game and sports authority officials will handle hospitality and other bowl-related events.

decision on the re-certification of the Houston Bowl was delayed in April so the bowl could reorganize. The Houston Bowl is currently without a title sponsor and television agreement after contracts with Ev1.net and ESPN, respectively, expired at the end of last year.

The bowl still owes about $1.2 million in payouts to the Big 12 and Mountain West conferences for participating in last year's game.

It is expected that the bowl will lower its payout per team from $1.2 million to about $750,000.

"We are excited about the future of postseason college football in Houston, Big 12 Conference commissioner Kevin Weiberg said. The Big 12 has a strong on-going interest in the greater Houston area. It is a dynamic metropolitan area and we believe the bowl game will do well with this restructured arrangement.

joseph.duarte@chron.com

[bullman3]

How is CUSA tied into this bowl?

[bullman3]

Sounds like a better option then the toronto or birmingham bowl.  I would much rather go to houston and play a big 12 team then go to toronto and play a mac team.    Most likely the big 12 team would bring a lot of fans, which would make for a much better environment then a game in toronto which will draw a total of about 15000-20000 fans.

[DawgPound]

If it's anything like the Houston Bowl, CUSA is brought in on a 1 out of 4 year cycle.

[Triple B]

It has a nice, workable date ....

[Joe]

Better date then the Birmingham Bowl

[BULLfreak]

If it's anything like the Houston Bowl, CUSA is brought in on a 1 out of 4 year cycle.

then who is left out? I would figure the Big 12 team since it is the 8 seed

[lotsofbull99]

sweet, would love to go out there and play a ISU or KSU

[Ricky the Bull]

Better date then the Birmingham Bowl

Not to mention, a better stadium.

[Joe]

The Big 12 when they don't have the 8th seed. The MWC was dropped form teh equation after it was believed they would be involved.