CSNbbs

Honestly, that bowl was a baaad fit for the Big East, IMO. Hope there are other changes in the works.

The other question with this is with the ACC taking over the Sun Bowl, who is the opponent going to be in the Champs? They were talking to the ACC before this went down.

Well, that puts a damper on the bowl season. The Sun Bowl was at least a well respected bowl game. I'm not sure what the Big East replaces it with...

Quote:"You can't make your decision on whether you can or can't get Notre Dame," Folmer said. "During that four-year period we have a bigger menu to chose from with the ACC and get someone out here we haven't seen in a while. We have a new menu to pick from."

it's funny they should mention that since it seems like that was a major driver behind the Sun Bowl committees decision.

Geographically speaking it was an awful fit for the Big East. El Paso is an extremely expensive and hard to get to destination, especially for a conference that does not travel well. Hopefully, the conference can find a suitable replacement.

(08-19-2009 01:49 PM)bearcatmill Wrote: [ -> ]El Paso is an extremely expensive and hard to get to destination, especially for a conference that does not travel well.

That is one of the reasons the Sun Bowl was good for the Big East, teams don't have to sell a ton of tickets to their own fans because the El Paso locals buy the majority of them. The schools participating could sell no tickets at all and the game would still sell out.

Agree that from a fan/traveling/location standpoint..this was/would have been the most difficult bowl game to "travel" to from a fan base standpoint. This was the one bowl; however, that I believe relied more on "local" ticket sales than team traveling ticket sales given the tradition and local market conditions. I remember reading the year we got screwed by the Sun Bowl when they picked USF, that they virtually sell out their stadium every year from local ticket sales in the El Paso area.

So this still could be a big "hit" to the conference in:

Prestige/Perception: The Sun Bowl has been around for 70 years, has a CBS TV deal, and is recognized as a top tier bowl vs. the many newly created bowl games.

Revenue: If the Big East doesn't replace the Sun w/ an equivalant bowl payout, this could be a direct hit to the revenue base for all league members.

That being said.....the Big East has to be realistic with expectations knowing we have an 8 team league. We can't factor the league size when agruing the issue of the number of NFL players coming from the league (the Big East likes to claim we had the highest number of NFL players drafted PER LEAGUE TEAM)...and then not realize that mathematically you could argue that the 4th place Big East team is not equal to the 4th Place ACC team, but rather the 6th Place ACC team.

We need to minmally get a 9th FB team..if not move to 10. In reading the comments, it clearly seemed that the Sun Bowl worried that with only 8 teams to pick from over the 4 year commitment, there was a good chance they could be stuck inviting the same school 2-3 tmes vs. the "variety" of options they could have w/ the 12 team ACC.

"Revenue: If the Big East doesn't replace the Sun w/ an equivalant bowl payout, this could be a direct hit to the revenue base for all league m"

BE only had a crack at the Sun one time out of each normal 3 year period (between the Big 12 and Notre Dame). So if there is a hit to revenue, its only a fraction of what it would have been had there been an exclusive agreement.

This will not be the last shoe to drop in the bowl merry go round, IMO.

As a fan who wants to travel El Paso is not easy to get to, so in that regard losing the Sun doesn't bother me. I hope our Commish has something else lined up. Nashville would be nice.

Rumors swirling that the next shoe to drop might be C-USA getting bumped from the Liberty Bowl to match up SEC#5 vs. BE #3.

(08-19-2009 03:36 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote: [ -> ]Rumors swirling that the next shoe to drop might be C-USA getting bumped from the Liberty Bowl to match up SEC#5 vs. BE #3.

That would be a nice match up vs. a very good opponent. Memphis is pretty easy to get go. If you include Indy, Louisville along with CVG air fare should be reasonable.

Memphis is a great town, too.

In perusing the network of tubes and lights that comprise the internet, the other rumor I've seen discussed is the Music City Bowl in Nashville bumping the ACC #5 for the BE #3 to play the SEC..

(08-19-2009 04:07 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote: [ -> ]In perusing the network of tubes and lights that comprise the internet, the other rumor I've seen discussed is the Music City Bowl in Nashville bumping the ACC #5 for the BE #3 to play the SEC..

Wow. I think if the Sun Bowl slot goes to either Liberty or Music City it would be a huge upgrade in terms of accessiblity for travel and the interest in the opponent. Playing UK, Tenn, Georgia........within driving distance vs. playing Arizona, Oregon, Washington in El Paso...no comparison.

(08-19-2009 04:43 PM)mbl95 Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-19-2009 04:07 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote: [ -> ]In perusing the network of tubes and lights that comprise the internet, the other rumor I've seen discussed is the Music City Bowl in Nashville bumping the ACC #5 for the BE #3 to play the SEC..

Wow. I think if the Sun Bowl slot goes to either Liberty or Music City it would be a huge upgrade in terms of accessiblity for travel and the interest in the opponent. Playing UK, Tenn, Georgia........within driving distance vs. playing Arizona, Oregon, Washington in El Paso...no comparison.

Could not agree more.

I'd say the Music City is MUCH more likely than the Liberty Bowl, unless, of course, Memphis is coming to the BE (doesn't sound like it).

To blow the "technicality whistle" on Rath, The Music City would be dropping its #6 ACC for #3 BE, as that would be the way it shifts after the ACC #5 moves to the Sun.

Anyway, I agree with all... much better accessibility. Either UC, WVU or UL (when their program gets well again) would travel in bunches to either Nashville or Memphis. I just hope the Northeastern crowd of Rutgers, SU or UConn don't thumb their noses at playing in the South.

I think uc, west Virginia, Louisville in particular would travel very well to the music city bowl.

Having lived in Memphis I'd throw a huge tailgate at the Liberty Bowl if we were selected. Great party.

(08-20-2009 12:29 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote: [ -> ]To blow the "technicality whistle" on Rath, The Music City would be dropping its #6 ACC for #3 BE, as that would be the way it shifts after the ACC #5 moves to the Sun.

Anyway, I agree with all... much better accessibility. Either UC, WVU or UL (when their program gets well again) would travel in bunches to either Nashville or Memphis. I just hope the Northeastern crowd of Rutgers, SU or UConn don't thumb their noses at playing in the South.

i think you can throw Pitt in with that bunch as well. Naturally i'm pulling for UC to get to a BCS or higher echelon bowl but facilitating travel for half the teams in your conference makes much more sense.