ESPN yesterday released its bowl schedule for '17-18 with 35 games listed, but the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl was "noticeably absent from the lineup," according to Kirk Kenney of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The bowl’s contract with ESPN "expired" following the '16 game, and though the ESPN relationship could continue, San Diego organizing officials are "negotiating with other networks." ESPN has televised the Holiday Bowl for the past 30 years, "making the bowl game the longest-running partner in the network’s history." San Diego Bowl Game Association Exec Dir Mark Neville said, "We’re still talking with them. They would like to continue the partnership. We may very well end up back at ESPN. We might not. We’re talking with several parties both on traditional and non-traditional (digital) outlets right now." Kenney notes only four bowl games currently "are not being televised by ESPN properties." A date for this year’s Holiday Bowl "likely won’t be announced until the TV situation is resolved" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 5/11).
