Yankees President Randy Levine said that Saturday's Notre Dame-Rutgers New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium "already is considered a sellout." In Newark, Dan Duggan noted "additional seats were released earlier this week due to a promising forecast with no snow." Levine noted, "Usually for the Pinstripe Bowl we always cap it at around 40,000. We've actually opened up more seats so far. I think it's going to be a record attendance" (NJ.com, 12/26).
NEW DIGS: In San Jose, Jeff Faraudo notes the Fight Hunger Bowl next year "moves from AT&T Park to the new Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara," and the '14 game is "expected to have a title sponsor and a new name, will be the first of six games" pitting the Pac-12 against the Big Ten. Game Dir Gary Cavalli said, "We're calling it Rose Bowl North." AT&T Park has "been a welcoming host" since the bowl's inception in '02, but college football's "changing landscape convinced Fight Hunger Bowl officials they needed to respond" with a move to Levi's Stadium. Cavalli said that S.F. "will remain the bowl headquarters, although coaches probably will be given the option to house their teams in Santa Clara on the eve of the game" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 12/27).
HUNGRY HUSKIES: In Seattle, Lewis Kamb notes Washington's participation in a non-BCS game "for the fourth straight season ... isn't likely to rake in big bucks -- if any at all." UW officials said that "just covering the costs to participate in such a postseason contest is viewed as a financial victory." The school last year for the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas "lost about $250,000," and is "in the red by more than $56,000 for its last three bowl appearances." Its $750,000 cut this year from the Fight Hunger Bowl’s $1M payout to the Pac-12 "equals the lowest reimbursement amount of any of the bowls the UW has played in four seasons." UW "received 11,000 tickets to its bowl, with the Pac-12 pledging to cover any unsold tickets up to 5,500." A UW spokesperson said that "4,000 tickets had been distributed as of Thursday night." Football Bowl Association Exec Dir Wright Waters said, "If it’s true that teams are losing money, then we don’t have a bowl problem, we have a conference problem." Kamb notes the Pac-12 grossed $41M in bowl revenues for '12-13 -- "fourth highest among all conferences" (SEATTLE TIMES, 12/27).
ON THE WATERFRONT: In Annapolis, Lambert & Winslow reported local businesses "are hoping to cash in" on the Military Bowl between Maryland and Marshall, which is "expected to draw as many as 30,000 football fans to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium." Annapolis is "smallest, by population," of the 35 cities hosting a D-I bowl game this year. But the teams playing in the bowl are staying in DC and "some think that will limit the number of fans staying in Annapolis." Military Bowl President & Exec Dir Steve Beck said that the success of the game locally "will depend on driving fans to downtown businesses with the pre-game parade Friday morning." He added that ticket sales "were 'in the high 20,000s' on Monday afternoon and was hoping the bowl would sell 30,000 tickets." Beck said that the game "will continue to have a a presence in [DC] and Annapolis over the course of its seven-year contract" (CAPITALGAZETTE.com, 12/26).
MUSIC TO THEIR EARS: FOXSPORTS.com's Greg Pogue noted the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl has "become more than just a bowl game," as it has "matured into a nearly weeklong festival that starts Friday and combines professional sports, the city's vibrant downtown music scene, and an outdoors New Year's Eve party and concert." Music City Bowl President & CEO Scott Ramsey said, "The challenge of [former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen] was to take this week that is typically the worst tourism week of the year, and ask can we add sports? ... So, 16 years later, we have kind of stuck with that kind of plan." The game "has sold out four times at LP Field." Ramsey said of attendance, "There is a big difference from the business side when you look at 55,000 to 60,000 folks in the stadium" (FOXSPORTS.com ,12/26).
DOUBLE TROUBLE? In San Diego, Bill Center notes the National Univ. Holiday Bowl and San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl "were in town at the same time" for the "first time since the Poinsettia Bowl debuted" in '05. This year is "the first time the Poinsettia Bowl was played after Christmas." San Diego Bowl Game Association Exec Dir Bruce Binkowski said, "The calendar didn’t help us this year. I don’t think the schedule affected either game because they are separate entities." The SDBGA was "presented several options for keeping the Poinsettia Bowl before Christmas -- last Saturday and Monday." But with the Chargers "playing at home on Sunday, neither date was particularly attractive." Binkowski: "We made it all work. We had hospitality suites working at all four hotels" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/27). The Poinsettia Bowl on Thursday night drew 23,408 fans for the Utah State-Northern Illinois matchup, marking “an all-time low in its nine-year history" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 12/27).
CAROLINA IN MY MIND: In Charlotte, Steve Lyttle writes the city's uptown "will turn into a college town for the next two days, amid a number of parties, pep rallies and other activities surrounding Saturday’s 12th annual Belk Bowl." The Charlotte Sports Foundation and Belk have "stepped up their efforts again this year" to make the event a "reason for a two-day uptown party." Organizers said that the idea is to "give fans ways to enjoy the bowl experience, even if they’re not planning to attend the game" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/27).
CLOSE TO A SELLOUT: In Baton Rouge, Ross Dellenger notes Iowa is "600 ticket sales away from selling out its allotment to the Outback Bowl and ticket sales for the game are nearing the 50,000 mark," while LSU, "allotted 12,000 tickets, had sold about 6,000 as of Dec. 17." Iowa Dir of Ticket Operations Pam Finke on Thursday said that "the Hawkeyes have bought 10,900 tickets of their 11,500 allotment." Outback Bowl Dir of Communications Mike Schulze said that ticket sales "are in the 'high 40s' and that he expects the number to reach 50,000 soon" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 12/27).
GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT: Texans President Jamey Rootes said that the Minnesota-Syracuse Texas Bowl "has reached a new 'high-water mark' for advanced sales, which are 'approaching 20,000.'" ESPN Senior Dir of Events Clint Overby said that the city of Houston "is easy to sell." Overby: "There’s high demand to be here in Houston. It’s certainly a football hotbed" (CHRON.com, 12/26). UM Associate AD/Strategic COmmunications Chris Werle said that the school "sold 3,375 tickets" for the game. In Minneapolis, Joe Christensen noted that is "well short of each team’s 12,000-seat allotment, but it’s up from 3,163 last year." UM has "three busloads of students making the trip from Minneapolis, and two fan charter planes coming down" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 12/26).
