Saturday's Las Vegas Bowl drew "only" 21,429 fans, but
bowl officials "say the game achieved its purpose" of
filling hotel rooms "at a traditionally slow period of the
year" and promoting Las Vegas as a "destination resort."
More than 90% of the crowd was from out-of-town for the
game, which featured the Univ. of NC and San Diego State
Univ. (Kevin Iole, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 12/21).
BOWLING FOR DOLLARS: In N.Y., Luke Cyphers examined the
commercialism in bowl games and brokerage firm Charles
Schwab's sponsorship deal with the BCS. Cyphers wrote that
Schwab "has exclusive sideline advertising rights" to all
four BCS games and "will plaster its logo over everything in
camera range on the sidelines." Cyphers: "Gatorade can flow
... [but] the beverage's logo and green-and-orange colors
must remain out of sight." Gatorade Dir of Communications
P.J. Sinopoli: "All's fair in love and war, and sports
marketing. We chose not to spend the money to be a BCS
sponsor. But whether you see us there or don't see us
there, we're there. The players won't be drinking mutual
funds" (Luke Cyphers, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/20).
