The Independence Bowl celebrates its 40th anniversary this year when Virginia Tech and Tulsa play each other on Saturday, but it is "clear the annual postseason event isn't what it used to be," according to Kevin Connelly of the SHREVEPORT TIMES. The game not long ago "was considered one of the better postseason invitations a program could receive," but there now are "more glamorous destinations with better payouts that have left the once marquee Independence Bowl as nothing more than a warm up act." Camping World is the bowl's third title sponsor in as many years and attendance "has fallen below 40,000 in consecutive years for the first time" since the early '90s. Financial help "is on the horizon with a new hotel occupancy tax set to kick in next year," along with the new title sponsor, but the game's future runs "only as deep as the pockets funding it." Those associated with the bowl "are in agreement the best way for the game to improve its reputation is to improve its standing" with its conference partners, the ACC and SEC. The current conference agreements are through '19, so nothing "can be changed until the next negotiations take place." However, if the bowl can increase its payout to the participants from $2.4M between now and then, conferences "could place a higher value on the Independence Bowl leading to more desirable teams." Camping World Chair & CEO Marcus Lemonis said that he has been "more hands off leading up to this year's game to try and determine what areas he feels need the most work." He expects to be "more involved in the second year of the two-year agreement to see if college football sponsorship is something he wants to further invest in" (SHREVEPORT TIMES, 12/20).
RIDING HIGH: Las Vegas Bowl Exec Dir John Saccenti said that the week leading up to Saturday's game, which saw Utah beat BYU 35-28, "couldn't have gone much better." In Las Vegas, Mark Anderson noted this was the "most-hyped game in the bowl's 24-year history, drawing an announced crowd of 42,213, the second-largest attendance" at the game. The next order of business "is signing a title sponsor," as its three-year contract with Royal Purple is up. Saccenti: "We believe Royal Purple will not be back. That's not 100 percent official yet. They were all here. They may change their mind after they saw what happened here and the atmosphere. ... What a year to be back out on the streets when you have a sold-out stadium and this kind of atmosphere and this kind of publicity that surrounded the game" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 12/21). Also in Las Vegas, Case Keefer noted the bowl game "is back in its preferred role as one of the premier games of the early postseason." A record amount of media was "credentialed for the latest installment of the Holy War rivalry, and tickets sold out almost immediately upon the announcement of the matchup" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 12/20).
