With the Liberty Bowl now announced for December 29 at 2 pm, only three 2014-15 bowl game remain looking for a date, all of which involve the ACC: the Russell Athletic, the Music City, and the Advocare. The most likely remaining time slots are Saturday, December 27 at 4 or 5 pm, Monday, December 29 at 5 or 6 pm, and Monday, January 5 at 8 or 9 pm. I'm guessing ESPN would like to put the Russell Athletic (ACC 2 v B12 3) in the prime Monday Night Football slot on January 5 if details can be worked out. They will want to use whatever game is in that slot to build up the NCG one week later in the same slot. The 29th would seem unlikely for this game since it is even closer to the Citrus Bowl on January 1. With things falling into place for so many other bowls, I expect an announcement pretty soon.

(06-29-2014 11:37 AM)orangefan Wrote:  With the Liberty Bowl now announced for December 29 at 2 pm, only three 2014-15 bowl game remain looking for a date, all of which involve the ACC: the Russell Athletic, the Music City, and the Advocare. The most likely remaining time slots are Saturday, December 27 at 4 or 5 pm, Monday, December 29 at 5 or 6 pm, and Monday, January 5 at 8 or 9 pm. I'm guessing ESPN would like to put the Russell Athletic (ACC 2 v B12 3) in the prime Monday Night Football slot on January 5 if details can be worked out. They will want to use whatever game is in that slot to build up the NCG one week later in the same slot. The 29th would seem unlikely for this game since it is even closer to the Citrus Bowl on January 1. With things falling into place for so many other bowls, I expect an announcement pretty soon.

id guess advocare is 12/29,music 12/27 and russell 1/5

The Music City Bowl looks like it is going to be Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 3 pm Eastern.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/c.../11797039/

(06-30-2014 03:55 PM)Schema Wrote:  The Music City Bowl looks like it is going to be Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 3 pm Eastern.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/c.../11797039/

Two left!

I just noticed that the Pinstripe is at a time TBA on 12/27. They will probably grab the 4 or 5 pm slot I previously thought was open.

(06-30-2014 07:16 PM)orangefan Wrote:  

(06-30-2014 03:55 PM)Schema Wrote:  The Music City Bowl looks like it is going to be Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 3 pm Eastern.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/c.../11797039/

Two left!

I just noticed that the Pinstripe is at a time TBA on 12/27. They will probably grab the 4 or 5 pm slot I previously thought was open.

The Pinstripe has had a mid afternoon kick the first 3 years. Smart to play it in the daylight (or at least the first half).

My guess is Duck Bowl the noon game on Dec 29th and Champs 6pm ESPN or 7:30PM ESPN2 Dec 29th

It appears that the Independence Bowl will be Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4 PM Eastern.

(07-02-2014 10:11 AM)Schema Wrote:  It appears that the Independence Bowl will be Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4 PM Eastern.

That is a very good time slot. It should get good ratings.

(07-02-2014 10:38 AM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(07-02-2014 10:11 AM)Schema Wrote:  It appears that the Independence Bowl will be Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4 PM Eastern.

That is a very good time slot. It should get good ratings.

Interesting - it will be on ESPN2. http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/2...nds-Dec-27

The Pinstripe is also on 12/27, but without a time slot. If it is on ESPN, it will have to be wedged between the 1 pm Military Bowl and the 8 pm Holiday Bowl, putting the kickoff between 4 and 5.

This effectively rules out 12/27 for the Russell Athletic Bowl. That leaves Friday, 12/26 at 5 pm (lead in for the St. Petersburg Bowl), Monday 12/29 at 6 pm (lead in for the Texas Bowl), or Monday, 1/5 at 8 pm as options. As the Russell is far more prestigious than either the St. Petersburg or Texas, its seems doubtful to me that the Russell would be their lead in.

Here is a outside the box idea. The NFL does not play Sunday night games the last weekend. Go Daddy is already Jan 4 Sunday. This seems to be a prime slot on ESPN 8pm on Sunday the 28th for the Champs Bowl.

(07-02-2014 10:51 AM)orangefan Wrote:  

(07-02-2014 10:38 AM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(07-02-2014 10:11 AM)Schema Wrote:  It appears that the Independence Bowl will be Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4 PM Eastern.

That is a very good time slot. It should get good ratings.

Interesting - it will be on ESPN2. http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/2...nds-Dec-27

The Pinstripe is also on 12/27, but without a time slot. If it is on ESPN, it will have to be wedged between the 1 pm Military Bowl and the 8 pm Holiday Bowl, putting the kickoff between 4 and 5.

This effectively rules out 12/27 for the Russell Athletic Bowl. That leaves Friday, 12/26 at 5 pm (lead in for the St. Petersburg Bowl), Monday 12/29 at 6 pm (lead in for the Texas Bowl), or Monday, 1/5 at 8 pm as options. As the Russell is far more prestigious than either the St. Petersburg or Texas, its seems doubtful to me that the Russell would be their lead in.

FWIW, the Russell bowl's own website says "late December", so THEY are not thinking 1/5/15 (which may mean zip)

(07-02-2014 12:19 PM)msm96wolf Wrote:  Here is a outside the box idea. The NFL does not play Sunday night games the last weekend. Go Daddy is already Jan 4 Sunday. This seems to be a prime slot on ESPN 8pm on Sunday the 28th for the Champs Bowl.

Not sure that's true. I think the NFL holds off filling that slot until the last minute. The last few seasons the final Sunday night has been a virtual playoff game (Cowboys-Eagles last year, Cowboys-Skins in 2012, Cowboys-Giants in 2011).

(07-02-2014 12:24 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  FWIW, the Russell bowl's own website says "late December", so THEY are not thinking 1/5/15 (which may mean zip)

The hotels in Orlando would be a lot more empty on 1/5 than 12/26 or 12/29! I wonder if ESPN (a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company) is trying to "encourage" the Russell to move to January but the Russell is resisting.

(07-02-2014 03:24 PM)orangefan Wrote:  

(07-02-2014 12:24 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  FWIW, the Russell bowl's own website says "late December", so THEY are not thinking 1/5/15 (which may mean zip)

The hotels in Orlando would be a lot more empty on 1/5 than 12/26 or 12/29! I wonder if ESPN (a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company) is trying to "encourage" the Russell to move to January but the Russell is resisting.

Another new wrinkle: this is the first year the Russell bowl has had to deal with the Big XII; maybe THEY are the hold-up?

Not sure if the Detroit Bowl game is set yet for 12/30, though I've seen a few places report it. Can't find a place where the game has an online presence (website, Twitter, FB, etc.). ACC is attached to that one.

Not affiliated with this conference, but the Miami Beach Bowl (American vs. BYU if eligible in '14) is also awaiting a date. Heard that the date for that one is pre-Christmas. Maybe 12/23 before Boca Raton or 12/24 in between Bahamas and Hawai'i games.

(07-07-2014 09:53 AM)mattsarz Wrote:  Not sure if the Detroit Bowl game is set yet for 12/30, though I've seen a few places report it. Can't find a place where the game has an online presence (website, Twitter, FB, etc.). ACC is attached to that one.

Not affiliated with this conference, but the Miami Beach Bowl (American vs. BYU if eligible in '14) is also awaiting a date. Heard that the date for that one is pre-Christmas. Maybe 12/23 before Boca Raton or 12/24 in between Bahamas and Hawai'i games.

I see that FBSchedules.com reports the Detroit Bowl as "Tue., Dec. 30 (Tentative)". Also, Russell Athletic Bowl (ACC vs. Big 12) still has no date at all, not even tentative.

(07-07-2014 10:08 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  

(07-07-2014 09:53 AM)mattsarz Wrote:  Not sure if the Detroit Bowl game is set yet for 12/30, though I've seen a few places report it. Can't find a place where the game has an online presence (website, Twitter, FB, etc.). ACC is attached to that one.

Not affiliated with this conference, but the Miami Beach Bowl (American vs. BYU if eligible in '14) is also awaiting a date. Heard that the date for that one is pre-Christmas. Maybe 12/23 before Boca Raton or 12/24 in between Bahamas and Hawai'i games.

I see that FBSchedules.com reports the Detroit Bowl as "Tue., Dec. 30 (Tentative)". Also, Russell Athletic Bowl (ACC vs. Big 12) still has no date at all, not even tentative.

Re: Detroit - starting to wonder if that game is happening. It was certified per the NCAA. But the Football Bowl Association website lists four new games for '14 and it wasn't in the list (Boca, Bahamas, Miami Beach & Camellia).

Maybe there is an issue using the Lions' name on the game or something, or maybe the game isn't happening. Tried googling for info on it and every article is from last summer.

Detroit is happening, ACC would never have announced it as part of the line-up if there was a question.

(07-07-2014 10:17 AM)mattsarz Wrote:  

(07-07-2014 10:08 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  

(07-07-2014 09:53 AM)mattsarz Wrote:  Not sure if the Detroit Bowl game is set yet for 12/30, though I've seen a few places report it. Can't find a place where the game has an online presence (website, Twitter, FB, etc.). ACC is attached to that one.

Not affiliated with this conference, but the Miami Beach Bowl (American vs. BYU if eligible in '14) is also awaiting a date. Heard that the date for that one is pre-Christmas. Maybe 12/23 before Boca Raton or 12/24 in between Bahamas and Hawai'i games.

I see that FBSchedules.com reports the Detroit Bowl as "Tue., Dec. 30 (Tentative)". Also, Russell Athletic Bowl (ACC vs. Big 12) still has no date at all, not even tentative.

Re: Detroit - starting to wonder if that game is happening. It was certified per the NCAA. But the Football Bowl Association website lists four new games for '14 and it wasn't in the list (Boca, Bahamas, Miami Beach & Camellia).

Maybe there is an issue using the Lions' name on the game or something, or maybe the game isn't happening. Tried googling for info on it and every article is from last summer.

Technically this might be considered a reincarnation of the Little Caesar's Bowl (?)

(07-07-2014 11:45 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  Technically this might be considered a reincarnation of the Little Caesar's Bowl (?)

Possibly. The Lions are the owner/operator of the game and the LCPB had a different committee. There was talk at one point of the LCPB moving to Comerica Park, but I think that has ended.

(07-02-2014 03:24 PM)orangefan Wrote:  

(07-02-2014 12:24 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  FWIW, the Russell bowl's own website says "late December", so THEY are not thinking 1/5/15 (which may mean zip)

The hotels in Orlando would be a lot more empty on 1/5 than 12/26 or 12/29! I wonder if ESPN (a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company) is trying to "encourage" the Russell to move to January but the Russell is resisting.

If they put the Russell Athletic on 1/5 ESPN would have to heavily subsidize the bowl because ticket sales would be worse than if they took it back to it's just prior to Christmas dates. The former BCS bowls struggled selling tickets to post 1/1 games, how well do you think the Russell Athletic is going to do?

As bad and embarrassing as a 12/26 date would be for our #2 bowl it would be preferable than 1/5.