Record 32 bowls certainly not created equal

[JoeB]

Screw the game, just go to San Francisco since its a beautiful city.  It is very expensive though.

[80mins]

I'm going to try to watch every bowl game.

You're either independently wealthy, self-employed, or unemployed.

It's entirely doable even if someone works a M-F 9-5, so long as they either get the week between Christmas and New Year's Day off, or take vacation time then as many do. The biggest conflict is games conflicting with one another.

[Joe]

I like San Fran a lot too, found out this summer how freaking expensive it is. I'll give FSU a break on this one. They aren't the best traveling team, but they aren't horrid either.

[BullyPulpit]

Used to be that way Pulpit, but things change and bowl tieins are much more profitable than trying to just select regional teams.

Further, if that were an option USF would be in the Emerald Bowl or something similar. The current tie ins help USF.

Under the old system, Birmingham wouldn't pass on a 6-6 Alabama to take on 6-6 FSU.

Everything you say is true. but what I was referring to is still having conference tie-ins and the existence of a guaranteed number of bowl slots, but arranging the deals to have more flexibility to choose between two conferences (similar to the deal between the Gator and Sun Bowls, but more regionally appropriate.)

[BullyPulpit]

The bowl system (save the championship game) is merely pomp and circumstance. It is a reward to the players and the coaches and gives the teams valuable practice time. Although a playoff would be preferable, the bowl system is the next best option. One tweak I would like to see is more flexibility in the scheduling of the games. Imagine (as a local sports writer did a few weeks ago) if we were able to play FSU in Birmingham rather than ECU. I would like to see a bowl system that allows for more regionally attractive games then the ones we have in place, at least as far as the lesser bowl games are concerned. [highlight]I think Joe posted that FSU had sold between 150 and 500 tickets to their game in California. I have to believe that number would be tremendously higher if they were in Birmingham and that would give the Emerald Bowl a more attractive regional option as well. [/highlight]Fans would still have to travel to games, but at least it could be more attractive match-ups.

FSU had a 3-5 season in the ACC and 6-6 overall.  Do you think that FSU would only sell between 150 to 500 tickets if they had had a good season and were playing in the Rose Bowl rather than a bottom dweller bowl like the Emerald Bowl?

IMO, there are too many bowl games, a team who goes 3-5 in their conference doesn't belong in a bowl game...and judging by ticket sales most FSU fans seem to agree.

My post wasn't an indictment on the FSU faithful, but rather an example of the need to have bowl games that make more sense logistically. Are you a closet Noles fan or something? Wish you would post things in defense of USF and out program sometime. Do you really think USF would only sell 5,000 tickets if we were playing in the Orange Bowl and not the pizza bowl.

[windbane]

I'm going to try to watch every bowl game.

You're either independently wealthy, self-employed, or unemployed.

none of those...but i did forget about the NFL network bowls.  I probably will miss those  

[windbane]

Oh, and I'll miss the New Mexico Bowl unless it's on the radio.  I'll be driving home (to Pensacola).

[Joe]

I think at this point we'd get 9-10k to the Orange Bowl. Gotta remember that the price through the school would be pretty high, this years game ran $135 a ticket. Therefore there probably wouldn't be free tickets, but rather discounts.

I doubt so many would have bought extra tickets to donate to students and many casual fans are probably not going to be as likely a ticket source.

The $30 to the B-Ham Bowl is a steal. Enjoy it, because when we get to the a BCS Bowl tickets could be up to 5 times as expensive.

[SANJAY]

I think at this point we'd get 9-10k to the Orange Bowl. Gotta remember that the price through the school would be pretty high, this years game ran $135 a ticket. Therefore there probably wouldn't be free tickets, but rather discounts.

I doubt so many would have bought extra tickets to donate to students and many casual fans are probably not going to be as likely a ticket source.

The $30 to the B-Ham Bowl is a steal. Enjoy it, because when we get to the a BCS Bowl tickets could be up to 5 times as expensive.

I look forward to that day.   ;D

[JoeB]

By the way the NFL Network is free for the week of December 22 thru December 29.  I heard it on the radio today.  The Rutgers faithful really changed things for this to happen.