Big East bowl may debut Dec. 21, 2008 in St. Pete

[GarySJ]

If the bowl certifying committee approves the new Congressional Bowl in Washington as well (that will be an ACC-military academy matchup)

OK, let me get this straight. The Congressional Bowl in gawdawful Washington D.C. can get an ACC opponent for a 6-6 service academy, but the St. Petersburg Bowl has to settle for a bottom-half Conference USA team to face a BCS opponent?

THIS IS A CLUE, PEOPLE.

The Big East needs to get a shred of freaking dignity and stop asking "how high?" every time ESPN wants to shore up three hours of its annual TV schedule. With 66 freaking bowl slots I'm not worried about a Big East team being left out of the postseason. And if one does get left out nobody's going to care three months later anyway. Quick, which bowl-eligible teams didn't go to a bowl game last last season? You don't know, do you?

[Yung Money]

mAYBE BE CAN PLAY #11 PAC TEN TEAM

AT SOME POINT even the worst teams of bcs conference arent bowl worthy

The thing is even if they did arrange something for say the 9th SEC team, who is to say they would even be bowl eligible? And honestly, UCF would probably be a better opponent than Vanderbilt or Ole Miss.

[Joe]

Gary, considering Navy brings thousands of fans and many ACC teams are within driving distance to the nation's capitol it does make sense.

The St. Pete Bowl may be in Florida but it's played in a indoor baseball stadium. I don't think it is as appealing as many on here think it is. Yes, it beats Birminghm, but lets be serious. An 8-4 season and this could easily be the USF bowl because we could sell it out.

I don't want to see a BE bowl game  in the bay area unless its at RJS.

[Guest]

Quick, which bowl-eligible teams didn't go to a bowl game last last season? You don't know, do you?

Without looking?

Troy

South Carolina

Iowa

I think that was it.

UPDATE: I Forgot:

Louisville

Northwestern

Ohio

Louisiana-Monroe

---

The rest of your points, Gary, are well taken.  Sixty-six bowl slots is about 10 too many. 

[JoeB]

I think there should be a bowl in DC.  Perfect place as the Redskins are the only game in town now.  It could easily be played at FedEx Field anytime in late December, just simply schedule the Skins out of town that week.  And for those that say its too cold, its football, its meant to be played outside with all of the elements.  I'd love to hook up with Maryland or Virginia  in the DC Bowl.  Plus there would be plenty to do/see in the DC area.   

[Triple B]

An 8-4 season and this could easily be the USF bowl because we could sell it out.

Have they said what the seating capacity will be for football? I wouldn't automatically assume we'd sell it out playing a lower half CUSA team.

[Joe]

40000 or so. Regardless of who we play, the number of fans there will be more than any other BE team might bring for a pre Christmas game.

[Mama_Bull]

They say 44,000 for football, which is more than I thought.

Ticket priced inexpensively at only $30.

The game will likely be played sometime between Dec 20th and Dec 23rd this year.

St. Petersburg could get newest bowl game

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, April 23, 2008 10:57 PM

ST. PETERSBURG  A year ago, it was barely an idea among Big East officials, but by next week, the St. Petersburg Bowl is likely to be the newest annual event on the bay area's calendar.

Organizers will go before an NCAA subcommittee confident a pre-Christmas game at Tropicana Field will be approved to join the current lineup of 32 in time for the upcoming season.

"We feel this game is in tremendous position to be approved," Big East associate commissioner Nick Carparelli said at a gathering of organizers and local officials Wednesday night at the Hilton Carillon Park.

The bowl would pit the Big East against Conference USA, and Wednesday brought new details, such as $30 tickets. (The Outback Bowl, with higher-level teams, charges $65). Tropicana would be configured with the field running from home plate to rightfield with seating for as many as 44,000.

Organizers said they are confident in the bowl's viability because it will be owned and operated by ESPN, which runs five other bowls and would broadcast the game.

"I think we've proven to the committee and the conferences involved in our bowls that we do provide a quality experience for the student-athlete," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager for ESPN Regional. "We've been able to build a bowl model that's worked, and we've met the (attendance) criteria the NCAA has placed. St. Petersburg has all the elements we need."

The bowl had been earmarked for Dec. 21, but that changed last week when it was announced the Bucs have a home game that night. Dates are still being explored, but the bowl is likely to fall from Dec. 20-23.

"It provides something of a tradition for the community," St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker said. "I'd love it if 10 years from now we all knew that the bowl game was going to be on such-and-such a date and the community would look forward to it and the ancillary events that come with the bowl game every year."

The St. Petersburg Bowl isn't the only potential addition as proposals will be heard Wednesday in South Florida from the Congressional Bowl, which would pit Navy against an ACC team in Nationals Park in Washington, and the Rocky Mountain Bowl, featuring teams from the Mountain West and Western Athletic in Salt Lake City. Only St. Petersburg's would be produced by ESPN.

There were seven eligible teams (all but one 6-6) that didn't play in a bowl game last season. Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini, who chairs the NCAA committee that decides bowls, said the NCAA doesn't want so many bowls that it risks not having enough teams to fill them.

"I think that's the biggest concern right now," Giannini said.

While Giannini said he can't speak for his committee, he said he has heard nothing but positive things about the prospects of a game in St. Petersburg.

"I think it's an outstanding bowl destination," he said

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/article470591.ece

[GarySJ]

Regardless of who we play, the number of fans there will be more than any other BE team might bring for a pre Christmas game.

The number of fans at the Tampa jai-alai fronton is more than any Big East team other than USF would bring to St. Petersburg for a pre-Christmas bowl game against a seventh-place Conference USA team.

[Guest]

Regardless of who we play, the number of fans there will be more than any other BE team might bring for a pre Christmas game.

The number of fans at the Tampa jai-alai fronton is more than any Big East team other than USF would bring to St. Petersburg for a pre-Christmas bowl game against a seventh-place Conference USA team.

Considering the fronton was torn down more than a decade ago to make room for a Home Depot, you're probably right!

;)