In Pennsylvania, Donnie Collins notes the announced crowd of 49,012 for Saturday's New Era Pinstripe Bowl "was the largest" in the game's five-year history. Yankees President Randy Levine "credited the fan bases for making raising attendance at the bowl" for the fourth straight year in an era where bowl game attendance "has consistently dwindled." Levine: "This is the most successful New Era Pinstripe Bowl that has ever taken place. That’s a tribute to the two sensational universities that are participating" (Scranton TIMES-TRIBUNE, 12/29).
MILITARY BOWL: In Annapolis, Gerry Jackson wrote the organizers of the Military Bowl "sure are doing their best to rise above the bowl pack," as fans of Cincinnati and Virginia Tech "flocked to Annapolis to produce a near sell-out crowd of 34,277" for Saturday's game. That surpasses last season's crowd of 30,163 for the Marshall-Maryland matchup. The DC Bowl Committee "has a contract to play at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium" through '19. Committee President & Exec Dir Steve Beck said that the game's tie-in with the AAC and ACC "should help the game continue to have a strong regional appeal." Beck: "The game is on the incline. It has become a sought-after destination by college athletic administrators" (Annapolis CAPITAL GAZETTE, 12/28).
FOSTER FARMS BOWL: In San Jose, Jon Wilner wrote the Foster Farm Bowl's move to Levi's Stadium has "enabled the bowl to increase its stature exponentially and more than double the amount it distributes to the participating conferences." A projected distribution of $2.1M per league "makes the Foster Farms Bowl one of the 10 best-paying games among the 32 that aren't involved in the semifinal rotation." The bowl's leap from its previous payout of approximately $1M per team "was enough to secure a commitment from the Big Ten and climb the Pac-12 pecking order." The 12-year-old event "has changed its name numerous times ... but was always staged at AT&T Park until this year." Bowl Exec Dir Gary Cavalli said, "AT&T and the Giants were great -- we had nothing negative in our departure and no issues. But there's a perception about playing a football game in a baseball stadium that's tough to overcome. If you want to be perceived as a big bowl, you can't play in a baseball stadium" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 12/24).
TAXSLAYER BOWL: In Jacksonville, Jeff Elliott noted teams participating in the TaxSlayer Bowl the next six years "will be guaranteed a stay at a beach resort during their time leading up to the bowl game." The Univ. of Iowa for this year's game took up residence "at the Omni Amelia Island for ... 10 days before meeting Tennessee" at EverBank Field this Friday. The Marriott Sawgrass "has been a staple in housing one of the two participating teams each year." TaxSlayer Bowl President Rick Catlett said of the decision to put one team at the Omni Amelia Island, "It was strictly a decision made to keep both teams in equal types of property and entice them to go tell their brethren that if you go to Jacksonville, you’ll be staying at a beach-resort type of property" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 12/27).
HAWAII BOWL: The announced attendance for last Wednesday's Hawaii Bowl was 25,365, but the 13,922 who "came through the turnstiles represented the smallest crowd in Hawaii Bowl history." Game Exec Dir Dave Matlin "blamed the rainy weather" (FRESNO BEE, 12/25).
