The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas "will have a new sponsor next year," according to Mark Anderson of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. The bowl's "four-year contract with Maaco ends" after Saturday's Boise State-Washington game at Sam Boyd Stadium. Maaco Bowl Exec Dir Dan Hanneke said that the automotive paint company -- which "underwent management changes -- already has said it won't renew the deal." Hanneke said, "This bowl is strong. We're going to go forward." Anderson reports the bowl, which began in '92, has "one year remaining on its contracts with the Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences." Because UNLV "owns the stadium, the bowl is virtually certain to agree to a new deal with the Mountain West ... unless UNLV joins the Big East." Nevada state legislature next year is expected to "consider a proposal ... for an on-campus stadium for UNLV football and other events that presumably would include the bowl." Should the new stadium "be approved, that could give the bowl considerable bargaining power, especially in future negotiations with the Pac-12 or another power conference." If UNLV is able to "upgrade from Sam Boyd Stadium, with a capacity of 36,800, to a state-of-the-art facility that seats in the range of 60,000, the bowl probably could guarantee a higher payout and move up the Pac-12 ladder" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 12/21).
