Bowl game in St Pete?

[bullwark]

A bowl game in St Pete beats a bowl game in Alabama every time, however, alot hinges on the who the Big East and the Trop can get as the primary sponsor.  If the money is there I could see the SEC dropping the independence bowl for a bowl game in St Pete if the money is there. 

[BullsWinBucsWin]

Can we tear the roof off for just one weekend???

Baseball in a dome sucks.  Football in a dome is outright criminal.

[Joe]

A bowl game in St Pete beats a bowl game in Alabama every time, however, alot hinges on the who the Big East and the Trop can get as the primary sponsor.  If the money is there I could see the SEC dropping the independence bowl for a bowl game in St Pete if the money is there. 

The money won't be there like that, no way. The SEC has maintained the Independence Bowl for the SEC west teams (Although the occasional East team will go). I don't see it happening.

It will probably end up replacing the Papa Johns and be BE/CUSA with the MAC as an alternate.

[Guest]

I agree Jim, I was referring to the type of matchup we'd get. The SEC and Big 10 have deals that give them pretty good bowl times and some of the better payouts, I don't foresee either taking on a new bowl game that is in a baseball stadium, especially when the SEC's lowest bowl payout is 1.1 Million (Independence) and Big 10's is 1.2M (Inight). A second bowl game run by a different organization in the Tampa area is not gonna be able to offer that at the beginning. Papa John's payout for example was 300k

I see the possibily being smart for the BE, especially since the International Bowl and Papa John's are probably going to struggle to survive. However, I really wish the BE would take some blows and try and work more favorable bowl games. We basically have lost MOST the control of the Gator Bowl, the MCCB signed an exception for Navy last year and is talking a similar exception with Army. Our best exclusive bowl game outside the BCS is the MCCB as of now, after that it's Birmingham or Toronto.

Joe, that makes sense.  I think the NCAA is still hesitant to approve new bowls without a track record ... as of now, we are pretty much maxed out in terms of how many 6-win teams there can reasonably be in each season...

This "St Pete Bowl" could be part of a longer-term plan, knowing that smaller bowls come and go... See also: Blockbuster Bowl, Seattle Bowl, etc

And we can't forget that the major sponsor is not the only sponsor.  Just look at the list of sponsors for the Outback Bowl. 

That being said, if the San Diego visitors association and a local credit union can sponsor the Poinsettia Bowl... and the New Orleans visitors association can sponsor the New Orleans bowl... there's no reason the St.Pete - Clearwater Visitors Assn couldn't sponsor a "St Pete Bowl" with a local business not looking for national exposure... These smaller bowls rely on local communities to support the game... not just visiting fans of the two schools - and local ticket buyers can be a good market for the right sponsor.

[Jihme]

The SEC gets a great deal from the liberty bowl and further they could probably snag any bowl they want because every team in that conference travels well. I think, your looking at an ACC matchup at best, startup bowls these days don't exactly get the pick of the litter when it comes to teams.

You're absolutely correct that startups don't get the pick of the litter....but that's why I was saying alot depends on the sponsor as well as when current bowl contracts run out. It's a shot in the dark...but perhaps the SEC could be sold on a Big East matchup over CUSA....

Especially if we beat Auburn

[JoeB]

Part of the fun of playing in a bowl game is travelling to a different city.  St. Pete doesn't excite me at all.  Maybe Pitt, Cincinnat,i and UConn can fight over this bowl.  Even though B'ham sucked, I'd rather go there than play in St. Pete.

[RunningoftheBulls]

Part of the fun of playing in a bowl game is travelling to a different city.  St. Pete doesn't excite me at all.  Maybe Pitt, Cincinnat,i and UConn can fight over this bowl.  Even though B'ham sucked, I'd rather go there than play in St. Pete.

I agree with you that "Part of the fun of playing in a bowl game is travelling to a different city"; however, St. Pete wouldn't be such a bad place to play.  It would be pretty  much a home bowl game for the BULLS.

I saw on another board a USF poster (USF95) proposed an interesting idea that would bring in potential new USF fans.  Here is what he had to say:

"The owners of the Outback are big USF boosters and already have the Outback Bowl in Tampa. It would make sense for the Outback to get involved with a bowl in St. Pete. It could be the Carrabas Bowl. The bottom line is the two bowls could feed off each other. You could sell combo bowl ticket packages. You make the St. Pete game December 30th while the Outback Bowl is the 1st of January. You then can see both games. Real college football fans would spend the money on the extra ticket to see another college bowl game while they are in town. You would probably get 25% that get both tickets which would work well for both games."

What do you think?

[BullsWinBucsWin]

How about the "Lee Roy Selmon's Bowl"?

[Joe]

I agree with you that "Part of the fun of playing in a bowl game is travelling to a different city"; however, St. Pete wouldn't be such a bad place to play.  It would be pretty  much a home bowl game for the BULLS.

I saw on another board a USF poster (USF95) proposed an interesting idea that would bring in potential new USF fans.  Here is what he had to say:

"The owners of the Outback are big USF boosters and already have the Outback Bowl in Tampa. It would make sense for the Outback to get involved with a bowl in St. Pete. It could be the Carrabas Bowl. The bottom line is the two bowls could feed off each other. You could sell combo bowl ticket packages. You make the St. Pete game December 30th while the Outback Bowl is the 1st of January. You then can see both games. Real college football fans would spend the money on the extra ticket to see another college bowl game while they are in town. You would probably get 25% that get both tickets which would work well for both games."

What do you think?

There is a hitch. The Outback Bowl sells out almost every year. They don't need promotions like that.

Further, I was told that TSA has no interest in planning two bowls unless one is a BCS. Most the people that work them are volunteers and just don't have the hours on end to plan two bowls.

That is probably why the bowl is coming from St. Pete, where it will have it's own sponsors, organizers, promotions, etc.

[BullsFanInTX]

Someone help me out here...

I read on Greg Auman's blog that the St Pete bowl wouldn't necessarily replace one of the BE current bowls, and that the BE has 5 bowl deals but are looking for 6 deals.  But, doesn't the BE already have 6 deals?  Wouldn't this make bowl 7 deals?

1) BCS

2) Gator/Sun

3) Meineke

4) Houston (shared with CUSA)

5) PJ.com

6) International

7) New St Pete bowl.

What is the deal with the Houston bowl.  Aren't we supposed to keep the tie in to Houston, as far as anyone knows.  I know the new Bowl negotions have yet to be completed, but I can't see us losing the Houston to CDOA full time.

I think I read on some other board (big east board I think) that Houston bowl was looking at taking just CUSA in the future, but that may have been some over zelous CDOA fan.