Yesterday's cancellation was the first FBS bowl game to be called because of weathergetty images
The Boise State-Boston College Servpro First Responder Bowl at Cotton Bowl Stadium was "canceled and declared a 'no contest' after 9 minutes, 52 seconds of action and an 81-minute lightning delay," according to Dave Southorn of the IDAHO STATESMAN. Yesterday's cancellation was a first for a college football, as "no FBS bowl game had been called because of weather" (IDAHO STATESMAN, 12/27). In Idaho, B.J. Rains in a front-page piece reports when the refs called for a delay, "heavy lightning strikes were seen near the stadium for the next hour before the skies briefly lightened up." The NCAA "requires at least a 30-minute delay for any lightning strike within 10 miles of the stadium." The lightning "briefly moved out, and there would have been a short window to resume the game, but more heavy storms were approaching the stadium and would have arrived shortly after the game would have been restarted." The game was "officially canceled" at 2:20pm CT after a "delay of less than 90 minutes." There were "no serious options ahead of time in terms of delaying the start time until later in the day or looking for an alternate venue with a roof" such as the Cowboys’ practice facility that "seats close to 10,000." Pushing the game back to today "wasn’t an option either given the logistics of stadium employees, television window, travel plans for the two teams, hotel rooms and other issues" (IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE, 12/27).
NO OTHER OPTIONS: In Ft. Worth, Jeff Wilson reports the "decision to cancel the game was made after a conversation" with ESPN, officials from the ACC and Mountain West Conference and both coaches. First Responder Bowl Dir Brant Ringler said, "There were no intentions to move the game. Usually the weather plays out to play the game. We had a weather report for what we were going to do and all of those things played out today and we had to make the decision on if we would be able to play today. We had to make that decision and now we just have to move forward" (Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, 12/27). In Boise, Chadd Cripe notes it was "known for several days, at least, that thunderstorms were expected to strike the Dallas area" yesterday afternoon and "potentially disrupt" the game. Despite that, there was "no contingency plan to make sure the game was played." Playing anywhere but Cotton Bowl Stadium "wasn’t considered." Changing the game time, or "perhaps even the date, wasn’t considered until it was too late." The only way to "prevent the cancellation would have been a proactive approach to the weather forecast." Ringler instead "hoped the storm would miss the stadium, or perhaps force a limited delay" (IDAHO STATESMAN, 12/27). YAHOO SPORTS' Nick Bromberg wrote the decision to cancel the game "makes sense." There is "no sense in dragging out a game that really doesn’t have any meaning" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 12/26).
REFUND POLICIES: Boise State will "provide refunds to fans who bought bowl tickets from the school." Boise State AD Curt Apsey said that the school had "about 2,000 tickets out for the game." The STATESMAN's Southorn & Cripe note Boise State fans "appeared to make up more than half of the 8,000 to 10,000 fans who attended the game." BC AD Martin Jarmond tweeted that the school's fans would "receive a refund and receive one free ticket per bowl ticket to a home athletic event of their choice in the next 12 months." The First Responder Bowl initially said that "all sales were final but later announced on Twitter that ticket holders can get a full refund or free tickets to next year’s game, with two additional tickets per order" (IDAHO STATESMAN, 12/27).
DISAPPOINTMENT ALL AROUND: In Dallas, Ramirez & Wilonsky in a front-page piece report the aftermath of the cancelled game left two "disappointed football programs, a smattering of rain-drenched fans, a trail of social-media snark and the lingering echoes of those who argued that the city -- now out $300,000 -- never should have paid to play host to the game in the first place." Those who had "pushed for the bowl argued that Dallas would get three hours' worth of publicity at a time when no other bowl games were being broadcast." Dallas Park & Recreation Department Dir Willis Winters said that with the cancellation, that "did not happen after all, 'and that, too, is very disappointing.'" He added that ESPN would "not refund the city's money." Winters: "Unless God issues refund checks for bad weather, no. That's not in the contract" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/27).
